Sent at odds of 12-1, Gloire Dream got up just in time to take the $9,200 Preferred Handicap Trot at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Sunday (Oct. 31).
Driver Sam Fillion secured the early lead with the 10-year-old In Dix Huit gelding before Seeyou Men strolled past to take over control past a :28 first quarter. Crossfit tracked his move and swept to the lead passing the stands first time, shuffling Gloire Dream to third as odds-on favourite Ripped And Ready ranged first over out of fifth to a :57.2 half.
Ripped And Ready drew to near-equal terms with Crossfit to three-quarters in 1:26.2 while Gloire Dream had room to angle off the pegs and race second over to the final turn. Fillion fired the Yannick Martel trainee off Ripped And Ready’s cover coming for home and gamely edged by to score a head decision in 1:56.2. Seeyou Men finished close behind to photo Crossfit for third.
Co-owned by Martel with Ecurie Richard Moreau Inc., Gloire Dream won his first race from 24 starts this season and his 24th from 150 overall, pushing his earnings to $327,091. He paid $27.80 to win.
National Debt dashed in the nightcap to a 1:52.4 victory in the co-featured $9,200 Preferred Handicap Pace. Launching from post 7, the 10-year-old Allamerican Native stallion slid to the helm after a :27.1 first quarter and cruised under minimal challenge through middle splits of :56.2 and 1:24.2. The Yves Tessier trainee strode to the finish a 2-1/4-length winner while chased home by odds-on favourite The Light Speed, who rallied from second over in a stalled flow to snag the runner-up spot. D Gs De Vito finished third and Outlaw Kismet rode the pylons for fourth.
Owned by Francois Morin, National Debt won his 12th race from 22 starts this season and his 78th from 220 overall, pushing his earnings to $671,939. Pascal Berube drove the $7.80 winner.
Between the two features, Rideau contested the fourth preliminary of the Coville Cup. Lucky Leonard lunged to a gate-to-wire victory in rein to Darcy Clancy in the first division, outlasting Daniel LaFlamme and Sir A, who survived a parked mile to take second. Twin B Laker and driver Drew Smyth finished third while Fern Hill Bella and Benoit Hebert rallied from last to take fourth. The second split for the Coville Cup went to a victor from off the speed in Mission Three and Bernard Lavigne, who nailed late leader Mach Lee with driver William Roy in midstretch to win going away. Fren Hill Flight and Claude Larose finished third and Sebastien Turenne, driving Portrstownchris IR, finished fourth.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.