Red Rum She Wrote held off defending champion Hugh Heff to win the $5,000 Nova Scotia Governor’s Cup Series final on a rescheduled card on Sunday, Nov. 9 at Northside Downs.
The mare utilized her inside positioning to shoot to the front off the start for Martin Bates and cut a leisurely :29.1 first quarter. Hugh Heff (Randy Getto) was flushed off the pylons by Pay Line (Ryan Campbell) before the first station and harried the leader from three-eighths on, racing alongside her through middle fractions of :59.1 and 1:28.3. Ranked Contender (Aidan Dicks) joined them three-wide on the final turn and the chasing pair chipped away at the leader down the lane, but Red Rum She Wrote reached home a neck in front to prevail in 1:58.2. Hugh Heff was a close second over Ranked Contender.
Red Rum She Wrote made it back-to-back wins after she was placed first in the second leg of the series. Bates of South Bar, N.S. owns and trains the eight-year-old Vintage Master-So Cute Hanover mare, who has won 39 of 148 starts and has earned $44,501 lifetime. She returned $4.70.
Whats Up Doc ($4.20) persisted first-over from before the quarter, took a brief tuck into the pocket, then re-emerged and collared Shir Gain (Rod Gillis) to win the $3,000 Governor’s Cup Series consolation by a length in 1:59.2. Big Boy Hill (Keigan Madden) was third. John MacLellan of Mabou, N.S. owns, trains and bred Whats Up Doc, a six-year-old Hilarious Halo-CMR Maybe Loaded gelding.
There was an accident in the seventh race that occurred on the third turn. Last Chance, driven by Adam Lynk, broke stride and began to back up, hooking wheels with the advancing Keeperoftherealm, driven by Ryan Campbell. Both Lynk and Campbell were unseated, with Lynk maintaining control of Last Chance. Keeperoftherealm got loose but was caught shortly after the race. All horses and drivers were reported to be fine and sustained only minor scrapes.
The Sunday card was rescheduled from Saturday due to weather.
To view Sunday’s harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Northside Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)