Forever Paradise formerly had a reputation as King of the Thursday night top class. The Kevin MacLean trainee will be looking for his throne back this Thursday at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park.

First-race post time for the 12-dash card is 7 p.m.

Forever Paradise will start from Post 4 with driver Gilles Barrieau in the $2,200 feature that has been carded as Race 11. The gelding is owned by Reg MacPherson and David MacKenzie of Stratford and Aaron MacKenzie of Winsloe.

Barrieau, who is the leading percentage driver in North America with over 100 starts, has a good chance to keep his masterful average afloat with Forever Paradise, who has quite a record of his own with six wins, three seconds and a third from 12 seasonal starts.

A fresh challenger has the rail in the Thursday feature in the form of Kendal Gucci. The six-year-old Life Sign mare has Doug Folkins Jr. in the bike for owner-trainer Jonah Moase of Warren Grove. Moase has been racing his stable in Ontario since the winter meet concluded in Charlottetown in February.

Other entries for the feature include The Big Bite (to be driven by Mike Stevenson), Tempo Seelster (Vincent Poulton), JRs Hurricane (Corey MacPherson), Likely To Win (Marc Campbell) and Cambest Kisser (Jason Hughes).

The ‘back-up pace’ will line up for Race 12. A pair of tough claimers is set to battle once again this week. Sinners In Heaven (Gary Chappell) has the rail fresh off a 1:56.2 victory, while Lyndale Royal (Campbell) will start from Post 3 after having scored wins in his last two starts. Both island-bred pacers will compete for a price tag of $7,200 in the eight-horse field.

A group of eight pacing mares will look to hook bridles in the ‘Fillies and Mares Not Listed Open’ (Race 9) for a purse of $1,850. Rose Valley is favoured off the rail for driver Kenny Arsenault, trainer Mike Campbell and owners Dawn and Theodore Bremnew of Jemseg, NB. The five-year-old mare will compete against the likes of Onehotvett (PP2, Wade Sorrie) and track record holder Whitesand Artist (PP6, Neil Bambrick).

The Island trot ranks will meet in Race 3 and Race 5. Kims PJs, who is trained and driven by Lenny Myers, is the favourite in Race 3, which features a purse of $1,350. Race 5 will feature Caliban Hanover, who is dropping down out of the Open competition. Caliban Hanover has been installed as the morning line choice from Post 4 in the $1,550 affair for trainer-driver Ron Gass.

To view the harness racing entries for Thursday at the CDP, click the following link: Thursday Entries – Charlottetown Driving Park.

(Red Shores)