The dye is cast and last week’s rivalry is renewed as a field of hard-hitting pacers step onto the track for the Thursday night (October 27) feature at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
First race post time is 6:30 p.m. for the 13-dash card with last week’s beaten feature favourite, Doing Some Damage, going head to head with last week’s winner, Eagle Jolt.
Doing Some Damage has post position advantage in the race 12 $2,100 feature, drawing post two with Corey MacPherson in the bike for trainer Trevor Hicken and owner Kent Livingston of Cornwall, P.E.I. Eagle Jolt has been handed the outside post eight in the field of as many with trainer Marc Campbell doing the driving. One of the top pacers in East Coast racing has an unassuming role in this week’s feature, as Forever Paradise has drawn post one with ‘Magic’ Mike McGuigan driving at middle odds of 4-1.
Race analyst Les MacIsaac sees the post advantage as a large one, and hangs his hat on a Doing Some Damage victory.
“He couldn’t deliver as the chalk last week, but he still kept that streak of first or second-place finishes since Old Home Week intact,” MacIsaac said. “With his form as good as it is, the road to the winner's circle goes through him.”
Other feature entries include First Art Down (Ken Murphy), McJestic (Gary Chappell), The Big Bite (Thane Arsenault), Nashurallability (Don MacNeill) and Perfect Escape (Ron Matheson).
The Open Trot is race six on the program for a $1,850 purse. Osprey Impact is the morning line choice while riding a two-race wins streak with MacPherson in the bike for owner/trainer Paul Larrabee of Belle River, P.E.I. Campbell is in complete control of the driving race in Charlottetown with 110 wins so far this season, compared to Gilles Barrieau in second with 83 and MacPherson in third with 79. Campbell has a live mount in the Open Trot with post secen starter Freddie from his own stable, who has been trading blows each week with Osprey Impact. The pair has finished first or second to each other in their last five starts.
To view Thursday's harness racing entries, click on the following link: Charlottetown Driving Park - Thursday Entries.
(With files from Red Shores)