Familiar faces

Defending champs atop of leaderboard at CN Future Links Atlantic tourney

Defending champion Allison Chandler has a five-shot lead after Day 1 of the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship junior girls division at the Countryview Golf Club in Fairview.

The Chester, N.S., native shot an opening round 3-under 69 to lead Meghan McLean, a Port Williams, N.S., native, who shot a 74 and Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj, who carded a 3-over 75.

Chandler had four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole.

Round 2 of the three-round championship goes today with the girls beginning at 7:30 a.m and the boys at 8:20 a.m. Boys There’s a three-way tie for the lead atop the boys’ standings.

Defending champion Calvin Ross, of Fredericton, N.B., is tied with Moncton’s Sam Reid and Fall River, N.S., native Shaun Margeson. They each shot 1-under 71 at the Countryview Golf Course in Fairview.

Cornwall’s Adrian Mallett is the top Islander. He is tied for fourth with Luke Gavin, of Peterborough, Ont., and Andre Savoie of Dieppe, N.B., after each shot rounds of even par.

Stratford’s Kevin Chen is in a five-way tie for seventh at 1-over 73.

Marc Campbell drove Big Surf in the first elimination, and was also in the sulky when he matched D Gs Camme’s track record. Campbell also qualified Ys Lotus in the first elimination.

The top-four finishers in each of the two $5,000 eliminations, which were held on Sunday, qualified for the Plate final.

It was announced just before Tuesday night’s draw that Junebugs Baby has been scratched from the Governor’s Plate due to sickness. His Boy Elroy, coming off a fifth-place finish in the second trial, replaces the seven-year-old brown horse that finished fourth in the first elimination, and will leave from Post 4.

Warrawee Phoenix, with a fourth-place finish in the second trial, will also leave from the inside Post 2.

The draw, however, was not kind to the two elimination winners.

Ys Lotus will leave from Post 7 while Midnight Play will have to overcome the eight hole.

Ys Lotus, a five-year-old brown gelding by If I Can Dream-Bolero Takara-Life Sign edged out D Gs Camme in a photo finish in the first elimination. Time of the mile was 1:53.4. Midnight Play, a fouryear-old charcoal gelding by Shadow Play-Midnight ArtArtsplace, won the second elimination in 1:56 flat.