Invictus Hanover captures Ch’town feature race

Career milestone for Ramblinglily

Canadian harness racing rang in 250 years of live racing on the weekend.

Jason Hughes had lots to celebrate at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park on Sunday afternoon.

“The Blue Knight” had a driving triple on the program, including a preferred victory behind Invictus Hanover in a down-the-road score of 1:55.2 for owners Foxyhall Racing of Wallace, N.S.

Forever Paradise took a two-hole ride to finish second, with Adam Merner at the lines, while Perfect Escape (Gilles Barrieau) was third in the $2,400 race. Hughes’s other winners came with Pictonian Spartan in 1:59.1 for trainer Danny MacDonald, and Libertys Choice from his own stable in 2:01.1. Mike McGuigan kicked off the careers of a pair of promising youngsters from his own stable on the right note, scoring maiden-breaking victories for both.

Two-year-old pacing filly R Es Shabla was a 2:02 winner for owner Lloyd Parsons of Carmanville, N.L., while two-yearold pacing colt Weekend At Nannies had a maiden score of 2:00.4 for owner Glen Dunn of Summerville. Barrieau scored two wins on the 12-dash program, winning with Jd Cyril in a maidenbreaking score of 2:00.4 for trainer Kevin MacLean, and Clic K in 1:57.4 for trainer Jackie Matheson.

Walter Cheverie also enjoyed a driving double on the program honouring a number of longtime dedicated individuals to Island racing. Cheverie’s first win came with The Big Bite in 1:57.3 for trainer Matheson, and he then came back later in the card to win the $2,250 Open Mares Pace with Ramblinglily. Ramblinglily had win No. 50 of her career for co-owner and trainer Allan Jones of Riverview, N.B., and co-owner Normand Leger of Shediac, N.B. The career milestone for the seven-year-old daughter of Articulator is made even more impressive by the fact her $156,204 in lifetime earnings were garnered while never leaving the Maritimes while composing a record of 83 topthree finishes from just 93 career starts.

Live racing continues in Charlottetown on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.