Gural Hanover Doubles Up

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Published: March 16, 2016 09:22 pm EDT

Gural Hanover, a winner of only one race last year, made his second straight trip to the winner’s circle on Wednesday, March 16 after romping to a 1:53 victory in the $24,000 Open Handicap Trot at Dover Downs.

With Andrew McCarthy driving, Gural Hanover took command after a :26.3 opening quarter and the Crazed-Givemearing gelding proved to be the best from there. Weaver Bruscemi, Little E, The Panhellenic and Burke Racing stables own the classy five-year-old, who now has earned $746,325 in his career. War Cry Hall, last week's winner, charged down the passing lane for Tim Tetrick to edge Somebody AS and Vic Kirby for second money. It ended Somebody AS’ two-win streak.

When race favourite Celebrity Pegasus broke stride early in the $18,500 sub-feature, Jackie Parker took over driving Jim Moore III’s Royal Becca J and the four-year-old RC Royalty–Becca J gelding led the rest of a 1:55.3 mile to win for the second time in his last three starts. In fact, Royal Becca J has been ultra-consistent in his last six starts with three wins and three seconds. Machuca (Ross Wolfenden) raced on the outside for most of the contest and held on for second. Royal Status (Kirby) was the show horse.

In a $17,000 Winners Over Trot, Rich Poillucci’s Maestro Blue Chip gave Tim Tetrick his second win, holding off Spunky Jack (Roger Plante Jr.) by a head in 1:54.2 to extend his win streak to five in a row. The Credit Winner-Up Front Hotsey four-year-old, who is trained by Jim King Jr., remains undefeated in 2016 and lifts his season bankroll to $30,750 and lifetime earnings to $109,423. Awsome Valley (Tony Morgan) was third.

Nova Artist, Movie Idol will battle it out in the Thursday feature race.

(With files from Dover Downs)

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