Driver Scott Coulter captured both co-featured Preferred 2 paces on Wednesday evening at Grand River Raceway on Wednesday (August 30) evening, teaming up with Thoughtyoudlikeit ($7.30) and Mach Magic ($10.80) for a sweep of the night’s top events.

Thoughtyoudlikeit sprinted right to the fore and never looked back in the $11,000 Preferred 2 Handicap Pace (race nine), taking a lifetime mark of 1:52 in his fifth victory of the season. Coulter asked the five-year-old Ponder gelding for speed immediately as the gates sprung, and Thoughtyoudlikeit’s response was instant. As he and the pocket-sitting Waltzking Hanover (Scott Young) gained good separation from their four rivals through early splits of :28 and :56, even-money favourite Boomboom Ballykeel (Colin Kelly) angled out from fifth to overtake a gapping Bankshot Hanover (Alfie Carroll) and chip into an eight-length gap behind the top pair through the middle stages.

Ultimately, Boomboom Ballykeel worked into second spot up the backstretch on the second circuit, but Thoughtyoudlikeit posted a :27.4 third quarter under urging to leave Waltzking Hanover in his wake. Thoughtyoudlikeit was kept to task all the way to the winning post and amassed 10 lengths of clearance over runner-up Boomboom Ballykeel. Rockin Finish (Travis Henry) rallied from last to take third, another two lengths back.

Trainer Bob McIntosh co-owns 12-time winner Thoughtyoudlikeit with James Walker.

In the $10,000 Fillies and Mares Preferred 2 Pace (race 10), the “Tan Tornado” used similar tactics, achieving the early lead with Mach Magic before yielding to 3-1 joint favourite Heels On The Beach (Carroll) up the far side. Just as soon as Mach Magic relinquished control of the terms, she angled out to retake at the completion of a :28.1 first quarter. After rating a :57.3 half mile, the five-year-old Mach Three mare opened up to evade a stalled first-over challenge from Whistys Paradise (Jason Ryan) and her tiring pocket rival Heels On The Beach.

Mach Magic drew off by 3-1/2 lengths to win in 1:54.2 over Mea Lilley Mark (Robert Shepherd), who angled off the pegs on approach to the final turn and worked into a no-match second. Solid Queen (Travis Cullen) rallied mildly to take third over the fading Heels On The Beach, finding room to escape traffic from mid-division as the outer flow weakened and fanning three-wide off the home corner.

Anthony Beaton trains the David Lumsden homebred Mach Magic, now a 14-time winner.

To view Wednesday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Wednesday Results – Grand River Raceway.