Driver Gilles Barrieau made his first pari-mutuel start back in the sulky a winning one on opening day at Exhibition Park Raceway Saturday after being sidelined from training and racing injuries late last year

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Barrieau won his first start in the third race with his own trainee, three-year-old Astronomical filly Queen Of The Isle, in 2:05.1. He returned to the winner's circle two more times on the card after guiding eight-year-old Blissfull Hall pacer Hustler Hall to a 2:02.1 triumph in the sixth dash for trainer Gary Wright and Saint John's Old Time Robbi Award winner Md Hardlys Success, a six-year-old Western Success gelding, to a 2:04.1 score in the ninth race Winners Over feature for new conditioner Richard Allaby.

Prior to Saturday's card, Barrieau returned to action in qualifiers for the meet and won his first qualifying drive as well on April 14 with the debuting three-year-old Coasttocoast Yankee colt Elm Grove Gunsmoke.

The veteran horseman was injured twice last year, breaking a wrist in a racing accident at Truro Raceway in October and later suffering a fractured femur in his right leg after being kicked by a yearling in a stable accident.

Despite his injuries, Barrieau was the leading percentage winning driver of 2011 in Canada with an average of .463. The Maritime horseman reached the winner’s circle 133 times in 452 starts. He was named driver of the year at recent awards banquets in Fredericton and Saint John for his accomplishments on track.

Stay tuned for more about Barrieau and his family in the upcoming May issue of Trot Magazine.

To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Exhibition Park Raceway.