Invictus Hanover favoured at CDP
Ramblinglily one to watch in open mares’ event
It is time to wish a very happy birthday to Canadian harness racing.
The sport turns 250-yearsold, and Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park has a special Sunday program. Post time is 12:30 p.m., as the capital city track swaps days with Summerside Raceway on this Canada Day weekend. The 12-dash card has some of the East Coast’s finest pacers butting heads in the $2,400 Race 11 preferred pace. Invictus Hanover is shouldered with the outside in the tight-knit field of five for trainer-driver Jason Hughes and owner Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S.
The six-year-old son of Yankee Cruiser makes his third start on red soil fresh off a fourth-place finish in the Cecil Ladner Memorial Invitational Pace.
Forever Paradise gets rail control for Adam Merner, and Nogreatmischief makes his second seasonal start from Post 4 for trainer-driver Walter Cheverie.
The field also includes a stable entry from trainer Jackie Matheson, with Perfect Escape (Gilles Barrieau) and Give Em Heck (Brian MacPhee) leaving from Posts 2 and 3.
Open mares
The open mares’ event will feature a couple of new faces to spice up the ranks while race favourite Ramblinglily draws Post 6, with Cheverie at the lines.
Scirocco Miley Kay gets Post 1 in the $2,250 event, and Barrieau trains and drives for owners Wayne MacRae of Fall River, N.S., and Howmac Farms of North Wiltshire.
The six-year-old daughter of American Ideal was a 1:52.3 winner in April at Pompano Park in Florida, and just qualified in 2:00 in Charlottetown. Good Luck Kathy has Post 2 as a new addition for owner Danny Birt of Stratford and conditioner Jennifer Trainor of Earnescliffe. The seven-year-old daughter of Believeinbruiser was racing the $9,000 claiming ranks at Rideau Carleton Raceway outside Ottawa, and gets the services of Hughes in her Island debut.
The afternoon program will feature races in honour of the commitment shown to Island racing by a number of individuals in celebration of the 250th anniversary of Canadian harness racing’s birth at the Plains of Abraham in Quebec.
The card has races in respect to Alex MacPhee, Allie Carr, Aubrey Webster, Bert Honkoop, Bill Lanigan, Blair Campbell, Blois MacPhail, Bob and Nina Webster, Bob Connolly, Clarkie Smith, Don Ling, Don Smith, Doug Roloson, Everett Stewart, Fred Hughes, Ian Smith, Jack Bernard, Jack Hynes, Jack Pound, Joe Smallwood, John Thompson, Keir Jones, Len Walsh, Lowell Stead, Neill MacKinnon, Ralph Sheppard, Roddie MacLeod, Sheldon Campbell, Wally McInnis and Wendell MacDonald.