A field of hardened, Island pacers line up in the Friday evening featured event with a Nova Scotia invader controlling the rail at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Old Home Week officially kicks off during the Friday evening program while the action hits its highest point during Race 9 on the program. A total of 10-dashes are programmed starting at 7 p.m., with the top class in Race 9 seeing Truro ship-in Montreal Phil take on the local contingent from post 1.

Darren Crowe trains and drives Montreal Phil for owners Dawn Ellis Abbot of Lower Onslow, N.S., and Jeff Ellis of Bible Hill, N.S. The son of Blissfull Hall has won over $700,000 in purses in his career with 77 lifetime wins. This will be the final Old Home Week for Montreal Phil as the classy pacer is currently 14-years-old and will have to retire at the end of December.

Heart And Soul is the favourite in that race with post 4 for trainer-driver Walter Cheverie fresh off a mile timed in 1:55.2 over Red Shores Charlottetown. Mick Dundee is labelled as a top contender from post 3 for owner-trainer-driver Donald MacNeill of New Haven, after winning in 1:57.3 in his latest outing.

Other entries include Southwind Ricardo (Driven by Marc Campbell), Tempo Seelster (Vincent Poulton), Likely To Win (Adam Merner) and The Big Bite (Kenny Arsenault).

Old Home Week racing kicks into high gear Saturday with a double-header program featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes for three-year-old pacing fillies during the 1 p.m. program and The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer trial 1 presented by Bounty Print will headline the 7 p.m. evening card.

(CDP)