LEWIS DELIGHTED TO TEAM UP WITH TEAM ZAV
When Peter Lewis walks into Menangle for The TAB Eureka on Saturday night it will be a special moment in his harness racing life.
He likens the experience of having four-year-old mare Major Delight the $2.1m slot race to one of the all-time great movies.
“It’s like there’s 10 golden tickets and I have one of them,” the New South Welshman said.
Of course he’s referring to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Now he’s hoping he can bring home the chocolates in the world’s richest harness racing event.
Lewis and his super star Major Delight are teaming with slot holder Team Zav in the Eureka.
Lewis, who bred Major Delight, said he had had his eye on The Eureka with the Emma Stewart-trained mare for sometime, with her racing schedule largely framed around having her at the peak of her powers should she get an opportunity in the race.
She has probably never been in better form, winning her latest five starts - including three over 1609m at Menangle in 1:51.3, 1:50.9 and 1:50.3 before a final tune up at Melton.
It was after the latest of those Menangle wins. - the listed Norms Daughter Stakes - the Team Zav reached agreement with Lewis to have Major Delight fill their slot.
“I was hoping that would be enough to attract the attention of a slot holder.
“She ran really well, sitting outside the leader and winning in fast time.,” said the 57-year-old Lewis, who was born into harness racing.
“I started thinking wouldn’t it be great to get her into the race,
“Perhaps there might be a few opportunities,” Lewis said - especially knowing Team Zav, which like himself is a client of the Emma Stewart and Clayton Tonkin, still had not filled their slot.
“Being linked to the stable, I thought there might be an outside chance.”
Lewis said Danny rang him, expressing a desire to go with Major Delight in their slot.
“That was really exciting news.
“You couldn’t team up with a better couple than Danny and Jo.
“Here we are,” Lewis said.
For Lewis, having Major Delight in The TAB Eureka was the culmination of
decades of breeding - going back to Lew’s Lady, a 1962 mare bred by his late father Lewis and uncle Jim Hulme.
She produced nine winners, including Lady Euthenia the dam of five winners, including Major Delight.
“My Dad and uncle were getting handy types from lesser stallions, so I started aiming for the top sire lines in hope of taking the breed to another level.
“Although it costs a lot to go to these stallions, it gives that strong broodmare line a descent chance of breeding on.”
Lewis is confident Major Delight can run a big race in The Eureka on a track which she likes and where she has won six times.
“It suits her style of racing.”
Lewis said while Major Delight had tended to race best on pace in fillies and mare company, he believes she will be best suited coming from behind.
He said she did had a tendency to switch off in front and just do enough.
“I’d like to see her chasing. That’d keep her switched on.”
Major Delight has won 22 of 27 career starts for $681,872 in earnings.
