If pacing gelding Doctor Royal could communicate what he was most thankful for this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, it would unquestionably be entering the care of trainer Marie-Claude Auger.
Before reporting to the Auger barn, the six-year-old pacer had just five wins in 31 lifetime starts. Auger took over the training duties in mid-July and the turnaround in form has been astonishing. In eleven starts, Doctor Royal has posted a summary of 7-1-1-1 after winning Sunday's Not Listed Preferred Handicap Pace at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
With Auger at the controls, Doctor Royal was unable to find a spot along the rail leaving from the outermost post seven and patiently forged the overland route while The Roadies (Jonathan Lachance) chopped out hot fractions of :27 and :55.4 without any form of pressure.
Cobalt Man (Guy Gagnon) started the first-up bid from third just after the half. Rose Run Slider (Stephane Brosseau) was right on his back second over, with Doctor Royal third over and sixth as the third panel flashed up in 1:24.3. Cobalt Man cleared pacesetting The Roadies turning for home, with Rose Run Slider and Doctor Royal fanning out three- and four-wide for the stretch drive. In the last strides, Doctor Royal maintained his momentum and picked off all his rivals to win by a half-length in 1:53.3 over Rose Run Slider and Cobalt Man.
Owned by Auger and 2273824146 of Nicolet, Que., Doctor Royal (Royal Mattjesty - Lady Doctor) now boasts back-to-back wins in Rideau's top class.
Also finding Rideau to her liking is Talbotcreek Suzie, a gate-to-wire winner in the co-featured $8,100 Not Listed Preferred Trot.
Driver Guy Gagnon guided the class-climbing mare through fractions of :28.3, :58 and 1:26.2, opening up a five-length cushion on the field. The bottom-out strategy paid off as Neon Lights (Lachance) and LMC Mass Gem (Jacques Beaudoin) made late rallies and gobbled up ground in the stretch but just fell short as Talbotcreek Suzie held on to win by a neck in 1:56.2.
Now a winner of three straight for trainer Yves Tessier since shipping to Rideau after spending the majority of her summer at Woodbine Mohawk Park, six-year-old Talbotcreek Suzie (Angus Hall - Sno Doubt About It) captured her 15th lifetime win with career earnings exceeding $107,000.
To view the charted lines from Rideau, click the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.