AS the captain-coach of Bathurst Panthers Doug Hewitt knows all about winning on Sunday afternoons, but his talent extends beyond being a star halfback for that Group 10 Rugby League outfit.
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Hewitt is also pretty handy when it comes to harness racing.
On Sunday afternoon at the Bathurst Paceway Hewitt steered four winners - No Nay Never ($1.50 favourite), Gotta Kick ($2.25 favourite) and the The Mustang ($6.50) for his father Bernie and Kash Us Back ($15) for his sister Gemma.
It was the most winners Hewitt had steered at the one meeting during his career in the gig.
The most thrilling of his victories was his first aboard three-year-old No Nay Never in the Parkview Hotel Pace (Heat 1) over 1,730 metres.
It looked as if the Darryl Munro trained and driven Double Effect ($21) would post an all the way win, but No Nay Never flew home and got up in her final stride. The margin between the pair was a short half head.
Hewitt admitted he was not sure if the Heston Blue Chip x Soho Leigh filly had done enough to reel in Double Effect, who held an advantage of around 15 metres over No Nay Never as they hit the final bend.
"At the top of the straight I thought he had too much of a lead, even as she hit the line I didn't know if I got there," he said.
"She's only sort of got one speed this horse, so I'm glad she just kept on coming."
While No Nay Never kept on coming, just as critical was Double Effect tiring in the final metres. The seven-year-old gelding had faced a wind which gusted up to 39km/hr for the whole trip.
"We were talking about it before the race, there is a fair bit of wind so it's going to be tough out there at the front facing the wind or without cover," Hewitt said.
"When they kept running along I looked for a bit of cover, I knew she couldn't do it facing the breeze the whole way.
"So she got a little rest there under the helmet for half a lap."
No Nay Never clocked a 1:57.6 mile rate as she made it two wins from 19 career starts.