Chris Lewis scored his third Australian Pacing Champioship win aboard Has The Answers
Has The Answers officially confirmed himself as the most improved pacer in Western Australia tonight.
The Tony Svilicich trained gelding completely dominated his rivals in the Gr.1 $125,000 Find Thirty Every Day Australian Pacing Championship at Gloucester Park leading most of the way to beat recent Fremantle Cup hero Im Themightyquinn and his stablemate Alzona.
Has The Answers reversed the result on Im Themightyquinn who beat him the previous week in what was their final hit-out for tonight’s Barastoc Grand Circuit event.
Since being under the leadership of Svilicich this season, Has The Answers has shot to prominence after a spate of terrific performances which has netted him four victories before tonight’s Group One success.
Handled perfectly by champion reinsman Chris Lewis, Has The Answers ran the gate and challenged strongly with Alzona for the lead before eventually gaining complete control with just over a mile left to travel.
The lead time was posted in 36.4 seconds.
Lewis allowed the Legacy Of Power gelding to cruise through the first half in a easy 61.9 seconds whilst the challengers kept circling mid-race trying to apply pressure.
Heading into the back straight for the final time, Lewis and Has The Answers travelled powerfully whilst his rivals struggled to keep pace.
Approaching the home turn, Lewis turned Has The Answers loose and he responded by exploding away to win easily with his final half covered in 56 seconds.
The overall time for the 2130m event was 2.34.2, a mile rate of 1.56.5 which is now the quickest time since the race’s inception back in 1976.
For Lewis, it was his third Australian Pacing Championship victory after success with Black Irish in 1982 and then Village Kid in 1987.
Svilicich opted for the experience of Lewis in preference to regular driver Morgan Woodley after he was narrowly beaten last start.
The victory of Has The Answers also ended the domination of the Gary Hall stable who have made it their own in recent years winning five of the last seven before tonight’s edition.
Svilicich has now put himself into a prime position of claiming back to back WA Cup’s after taking it out last year with iron tough 4yo Mysta Magical Mach.
The Gr.1 $400,000 Find Thirty Every Day WA Cup will be run at Gloucester Park on January 22.
Has The Answers has now won 27 races from 104 starts whilst his prizemoney is now in excess of $425,000.
