Trainer Gerard Demers stole the show Sunday, Feb. 4 at Flamboro Downs, conditioning three winners on the 10-race program.
Demers served notice in the Sunday night opener, as Hello Rocky and driver Nicholas Steward kicked off the card in $8,000 claiming company. Starting from post three, Steward landed Hello Rocky in the fourth position as Eas Ideal and Brett MacDonald laid down the first quarter in :28.2. Steward rolled the 4-5 favourite first-over to pressure the leader to the half in :58.3 before clearing to the lead at three-quarters in 1:29.1. In the stretch, Hello Rocky would fend off a final lunge by Machalko and Steve Hudon to hold sway by a neck on the line in 2:00.
The victory was the first in five seasonal outings for the six-year-old gelded son of Pet Rock-Hello Samantha who has now banked $128,218 in his career for owners Ronald Nobes and Craig Ellis.
Scott Coulter hopped in the bike for Demers to notch that trainer's second victory on the evening aboard Acefortyfour Daisy in filly and mare $10,000 claiming company. Coulter sat third in the early stages as Lili GL and J Harris had things their way to the first quarter in :28.1 before leading to the half in :59.1. Coulter found himself boxed in from fourth as the pacers reached three-quarters with Lili GL continuing to lead in 1:28.3. The rail opened up for Coulter in the final stanza, where Acefortyfour Daisy steamrolled home in :29.2 to nail Lili GL by a head on the line in 1:58.3.
The win was the first in 2024 in four tries for the homebred daughter of Dali-Justbethere who has now banked $30,271 for owner Alison Hepburn.
Demers teamed up with Coulter once again for his third victory of the night with Hugh Heff in a $20,000 claimer. The 3-5 favourite was not to be denied from the outset as Coulter cleared to the lead from post four to the opening quarter in :28.3. Coulter slowed things down to the halfway point in :59.2 before hitting the gas on the way to three-quarters in 1:27.3 under pressure from Pompano Beach and Paul MacKenzie. Hugh Heff would brush off the challenge on the final turn before strolling home in :29.2 to win comfortably by just over a length over King Jewels and Travis Cullen in 1:57.
Yet to miss the board in 2024, the four-year-old gelded son of Betterthancheddar-Danika Patrix is now a three-time winner in five starts this season, having earned $48,076 in his career for owners Ronald Nobes and Craig Ellis.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.
(Standardbred Canada)