Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Emotions at Gloucester Park on Friday night ran high when champion reinsman Chris Lewis drove Petes Honour to victory in the $21,000 Vale Mark Lewis Pace over 2130m.
Mark Lewis, the only son of Chris and Debra Lewis, died the previous week and this race was scheduled to honour him and his outstanding contribution as a reinsman (in the United States) and as a trainer.
Chris Lewis had had tears in his eyes after the Jemma Hayman-trained four-year-old Petes Honour, the $2.20 favourite, had dashed to the front after 200m and then set a solid pace before sprinting over the final 800m 57sec. to win by two lengths from $15 chance Major Freeway.
Lewis raised his whip in a heartfelt salute with 35m to travel and then held it aloft as he passed the post.
Warm applause greeted Lewis after the win, with the Hall Of Fame reinsman saying: “It’s good to have that support under the circumstances. I think he (Petes Honour) had a good push tonight to win.”
Petes Honour has been a consistent performer who has earned $81,234 from eight wins and ten placings from 37 starts. He is by Sweet Lou and is the fifth foal out of Western Terror mare Arousing, who raced 110 times for eleven wins, 32 placings and $119,663.
Run For Mercy, an elder half-sister to Petes Honour, was retired with earnings of 132,581 from 12 wins and 26 placings from 91 starts.