The official countdown to the 2016 Gold Cup & Saucer will get underway Saturday at Red Shores’ Charlottetown Driving Park, as the facility will open the curtains with 10 races and a 6 p.m. first-race post time.

The evening’s top class will feature the preferred pacers in Race 5 (7:08 p.m. approximate post time). Euchred has been assessed at odds of 5-2 on the morning line. He will make his ‘Island’ debut from Post 3 for driver Jason Hughes, trainer Walter Walker and owner Kayla Habicht Walker, of Inverness, NS. The four-year-old son of Shadow Play won his last start by three lengths over Flamboro Downs on March 24.

Idealic Life has been listed as the second morning line choice at odds of 3-1. Trevor Hicken trains the pacer for Perry, Luke and Robin Burke and Kent Livingston. Ideal Life is carrying a seven-race win streak into Saturday’s tilt. Hicken and Livingston will also send out Bazillion from Post 5. Brian MacPhee has been listed to drive. Bazillion has shown that he likes to leave the gate hard.

The other newcomer in the race is Bolero Trisco, who will start from Post 1. Trainer Neil Bambrick qualified the Ontario invader for owner Jonah Moase, but he will hand the lines to veteran Gary Chappell. Eagle Jolt will line up in Post 2 for trainer-driver Marc Campbell and the ownership duo of Wilbur and Marie MacDonald, of Orwell Cove, PE.

In other action, Tempo Seelster (who is to be driven by Vince Poulton) is set to contest the eighth annual PEI Poker Challenge pace (Race 10).

Race fans will be treated to a number of on-track promos Saturday. The first 150 customers who buy a race program after 5 p.m. will receive a Red Shores gift. Radio personalities Gerard Murphy of ‘Ocean 100’ and Laura Woodworth with ‘Hot 105.5’ will make an appearance on the broadcast. Details will also be released regarding the new $100,000 Dash for Cash, which will be coming in June.

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

(With files from Red Shores)