Harness trainer killed at Cranbourne track remembered

By Tammy Mills
Updated September 15 2014 - 10:08pm, first published 9:39pm
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven
Danielle Lewis. Photo: Channel Seven

A Cranbourne harness racing trainer and driver killed on the track on Monday morning has been remembered as a "diamond in the rough with a heart of gold".

Danielle Lewis, 28, was training at the racetrack in Melbourne's south-east was found unconscious in a garden bed at 7.10am and was unable to be revived.

"One of the horses must of got a fright, taken off and the cart has hit something on the track and she's been flung," trainer Bill Walker said.

"One thing the paramedics said is that she wouldn't have felt a thing, it would've been that quick."

Ms Lewis, a friend of Mr Walker's daughter Simone, had been living with them at their Pearcedale home for the past eight months after moving from the Yarra Valley.

"When she came on hard times, we couldn't stand her living out of her ute," Mr Walker said.

"We gave her as much of a home as we could. She had been down on her luck and she was just coming out of it."

Ms Lewis, who had driven pacer Kiss Kenny to seven victories including an Australiasian Breeders' Crown repechage, had picked-up two horses to train and was working for Oliver Racing at Caulfield.

"She was a diamond in the rough with a heart of gold, she called a spade a spade," Mr Walker said.

"We're a very tight-knit family and shared everything. She only sat there at the kitchen table the other day - most times we had meals together, discussed politics, the news - and she said she never had anything like this.

Harness Racing Victoria executive officer John Anderson said Ms Lewis' death was a "terrible loss" for the industry.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner and WorkSafe is investigating the death.

- with Robyn Grace.

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