It was an excellent night for Jim Gillespie at Kawartha Downs Saturday night as he won three races on the eight-race program and a pair of bouncy pony races as well.

The young pilot’s hat trick was courtesy of Wildcat Jet who won the first race in 1:59, Wildcat Magic who took the fourth in 1:54.4 and Nothing But Bad who was home first in the sixth race to win in 1:58.3.

Kawartha also featured bouncy pony races this evening with two qualifying races, the first for four of the track’s top drivers, Gillespie, Nick Boyd, Justin Turcotte and Rob Doyle, with the second qualifying race starring four trainers Ronda Markle, Rod Hughes, Tommy Riley and Dave Gibson. The top two finishers from each heat returned for the final race off after the seventh race.

Jim won the drivers’ event and it was very tight for second between Nick Boyd and Rob Doyle with the judges giving the nod to Nick. In the trainers’ match up Tommy Riley was the going away winner over Rod Hughes.

In the face off, it was the drivers edging the trainers and the finish was so close at the wire for first place between Nick and Jim that the judges declared a dead heat.

The bouncy ponies were on loan from Grand River Raceway and the Kawartha race fans thoroughly enjoyed watching a different type of horse racing tonight featuring their favourite horse people.

Racing returns to Kawartha Downs next Saturday night with a 7 p.m. post time.

(Kawartha Downs)