Get ready to dive into the fifth and final episode of Standardbred Canada's five-part series, The Road to the Nationals!

The Road to the Nationals offered fans a general overview of the four Regional Driving Championships leading up to the 2024 National Driving Championship (NDC) from a handicapping perspective, with this final episode highlighting the main event taking place this Friday, July 5 at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Que.

Filmed out of the Standardbred Canada (SC) headquarters, and produced by Jeff Porchak, SC's Director of Digital Communications, SC's The Road to the Nationals is co-hosted by Dan Fisher, Managing Director of TROT Magazine, and John Rallis, Associate Editor of TROT Magazine. 

In episode five, Fisher and Rallis handicap the National Driving Championship, with the help of Canada’s leading driver and NDC participant James MacDonald. 

For an in-depth preview of Friday’s action, click the play button on the video below.

Check out the Pick 4 tickets constructed by Fisher and Rallis below.

The first race post time for Friday’s card of harness racing is 4 p.m. (EDT). The NDC races are Races 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The following field of eight drivers is set for the NDC:

• Tyler Borth (Ontario)
• Stephane Brosseau (Quebec/Eastern Ontario)
• Redmond Doucet (Atlantic)
• David Dowling (Atlantic)
• Phil Giesbrecht (Western)
• Mike Hennessy (Western)
• James MacDonald (Ontario)
• Robert Shepherd (Quebec/Eastern Ontario)

Points for the NDC will be awarded in each race according to the official order of finish: 15 points (1st), 10 (2), 7 (3), 5 (4), 4 (5), 3 (6), 2 (7), 1 (8).

To view Friday’s harness racing entries, click the following links: Hippodrome 3R -- Friday Entries // Program Pages (courtesy of TrackIT)

(Standardbred Canada)