Captains Knock and Brad Hewitt. Photo by Club Menangle
It was a most deserving return to the winners' circle for one of New South Wales’ most consistent pacers, Captains Knock at Menangle on Saturday night - his first success in seven months.
The five-year-old entire brought up his 19th win and took his career earnings past $600,000 in the Kevin Newman Free For All, a listed classic which honours one of the all-time greats of Sydney harness racing.
First up since returning from Brisbane where he finished a luckless seventh, shuffled back to near last after starting from barrier nine in the Inter Dominion Final behind Leap To Fame.
Over the concluding stages trainer-driver Brad Hewitt found clear running and his charge made up good ground to be just behind the placegetters.
Again having to start out wide in gate nine on Saturday night, it took a well calculated drive from Hewitt who was able to take up the running after eight hundred metres before he surrendered the lead to race favourite Kingman.
On straightening for home Captains Knock obtained an inside run and overpowered Kingman in the dying stages, scoring by less than three metres and posting a 1:53.9 mile rating for the 2300 metre trip.
“It was such a relief to finally get a share of the luck and see him put away a good field like that,” said Hewitt.
“His efforts in Queensland in both of the qualifying heats were huge and bad luck cost him dearly in the final.
“But he acquitted himself well against the best and has returned home in great shape.
“The 2300m races at Menangle can be tricky at times, so I decided to go forward to have a look and then weighed things up from there.
“Thankfully I pulled the right rein and his class shone through in the end.”
