Teaming up to win both Preferred Handicaps was just part of a successful Sunday night (March 11) at the Rideau races for trainer Yves Tessier and driver Louis-Philippe Roy.
Upvote Hanover ($2.40) extended his 2018 season's win streak to five in the $8,400 Preferred Handicap Trot following stablemate Ufdragons Rocket's ($3.50) victory in the $8,550 pacing division for owner Francois Morin.
Upvote Hanover, a four-year-old Kadabra gelding claimed two starts into his current streak by Morin, progressed first-up from fifth after a :57.2 half to take the lead turning for home and then held off the oncoming Iholdon by three-quarters of a length in 1:57. Longshot Jetcrest came on for third to edge out the race's first leader, Ghirardelli Lindy. The win was the 11th in 31 starts lifetime for Upvote Hanover.
With Vegas Rocks taking over command after a :27 opening quarter in the Preferred Pace, Ufdragons Rocket waited until the stretch to pounce. After following in the pocket through middle splits of :55.4 and 1:24.1, Roy tipped Ufdragons Rocket outside and the 3-5 favourite surged by Vegas Rocks as that pacer broke stride in the stretch. Ufdragons Rocket won by two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Canadian Edition and Windsun Cheyenne. The 1:53 winning time was a season's-best for the nine-year-old Dragon Again gelding, who picked up his third victory this year and 45th lifetime.
The winning Preferred pair were part of a training triple during the 13-race program for Tessier while Roy, Canada's top money-earning reinsman so far this year, ended up with a total of five wins by night's end. Both horsemen currently top the 2018 standings in their respective categories at the Ottawa oval.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.