If the rivalry between Charlottetown's top two pacing titans were a best-of-seven series, then it is coming to a close with a Saturday (May 27) night do-or-die for Adkins Hanover at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The ten-dash Saturday evening card gets underway at 6:00 p.m. (Atlantic), with the featured $2,400 Preferred pace lining up as race nine on the program. Mr Irresistible and Adkins Hanover have faced off five times since the season opened up with the former leading with three wins compared to two victories. Adkins Hanover made a break in his latest start but will attempt to tie things up from post five for driver Corey MacPherson, trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Perry Burke of Québec. Mr Irresistible is saddled with the outside in the six-horse field, with Jason Hughes at the lines for Jennifer Trainor and owner Danny Birt of Stratford.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac gives the edge to Adkins Hanover putting things back together to reign victorious.
"It just wasn’t his day last week, but those things can happen to the best of them," MacIsaac said of Adkins Hanover. "The horse to his immediate right (Mr Irresistible) has taken a three-to-two lead in the head-to-head battle, so this guy will be looking to even things up and send it to a seventh and deciding game."
Other entries include Rash B Havior (Mike Peters), Instant Shadow (Gilles Barrieau), Eagle Jolt (Marc Campbell) and Junebugs Baby (Myles Heffernan).
The sub-featured pace, carded as race seven, sees Howmac Missy in search of a fourth straight win. The $1,800 event has Barrieau driving Howmac Missy for trainer Earl Watts and Island owners Windemere Farms, Andrew Ward, Brittany Watts and Albert Hickox. Starcastic is favoured in the race after dropping from the Preferred ranks and drawing post one with Brian MacPhee in the bike for trainer Jackie Matheson.
A newcomer to Charlottetown will compete in the second race on the card, as Hes The Man has post seven for new owner-trainer Jeff Holmes of Orwell and driver Walter Cheverie. The maiden three-year-old son of Shadow Play shows a mile in 1:58.4 over a half-mile track so far in his short career.
(Red Shores Charlottetown)