Star Reinsman Within Sight Of Historic Milestone
22 December, 2016
Harness
Master Perth reinsman Chris Lewis is soaring towards an historical milestone after posting a double at Gloucester Park on December 20.
After guiding home the Peter Anderson-trained Ideal Flipflop and Pandoras Sioux for Steve Parsons, Lewis advanced to 4992 career wins.
Lewis is within sight to join champion Victorians, Gavin Lang and Chris Alford as the only Australian drivers to post more than 5000 wins.
Lang became the first harness racing driver in Australasia to partner 5000 winners when Takeiteasyonme won at Warragul in 2012.
Alford flew past the magical milestone a year later at Kilmore when he combined with the Dean Braun-trained, Macho Comacho.
Lewis drove his first winner as a 16-year-old behind Classic Heir in South Australia, a horse trained by his father, Allen Lewis.
His first success for his adopted state came at Gloucester Park behind the Ben Geersen-trained Burgundy in 1976.
He still holds the record as the youngest driver to win an Inter Dominion when Carclew took out the 1976 championship at Globe Derby in Adelaide.
He won a second Inter Dominion a decade later when Village Kid proved too strong for his rivals in the 1986 Brisbane Championship.
Lewis is the only Western Australian reinsman to win at Group One level in each of the five Australian mainland states.
He was inducted into the Western Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2010.
Julio Santarelli