Just before Western Bill was about to take his place in last month's NSW Breeders Challenge heat, Grenfell trainer Mark Hewitt said his gelding was 'no chance'.
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Hewitt reckoned he'd be thoroughly outclassed in a strong field where he was paying $71.
Boy, has Western Bill made a mockery of that assessment since then.
That night he put in an impressive performance that belied his huge odds to finish 9.3 metres back from the eventual winner, and it caught the eye of punters, bookies and the great man himself - Mark Hewitt.
The gelding has since gone on to record two wins and a tantalisingly close second by a neck in his past three runs, with the most recent resulting in a 2.8 metre victory at Monday's meeting in Parkes.
Hewitt said he was a little surprised at the turn of the events since the Breeders Challenge heat on September 10, and is looking forward to what comes next for his Western Terror x Burning Stature gelding.
"He did better than I expected that night, but that was the start of it," he said after Monday's win.
"He had two pretty ordinary runs prior to that (sixth and fifth placings in Bathurst) and then he's had four runs now where he's just flipped a switch.
"Now I can't wait to put him in the second chance of the Breeders Challenge...we should qualify and I'm keen to see what he can do against that company with more confidence.
"He'll need to run better than that fourth in the heat, but he should measure up much better this time around," said Hewitt.
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Monday's win in the Parkes HRC Committee Pace saw the gelding go up against horses with a National Rating up to 53, and Western Bill was installed as the $1.80 favourite from gate four on the second row.
The sticky draw meant Hewitt had to bide his time, but once he find clear air he bolted forward from three-wide to take the lead and it was game, set, match from there.
"I couldn't go anywhere at the start, I just had to wait for him to settle and then when he went go he just flew," said Hewitt.
The veteran Grenfell reinsman controlled the pace of the race perfectly from the lead, with Western Bill eventually recording a comfortable win by a length over Whiskiesonthebeach ($6.50), with Parkes runner Double Standards ($34) a neck back in third.
Hewitt gave a wry chuckle when reminded about the previous conversation with Western Bill.
Is the change a form a masterly training performance?
A growth spurt?
Special hay in the morning?
Hewitt reckons it was just the gelding deciding now was the time he was going to make his mark in the Central West.
"All of a sudden he's just decided I'm ready for this, and he has performed accordingly."
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