Odds-on favourite April Rose went wire to wire in the $12,700 Preferred 2 Handicap Trot, winning from her assigned post in 1:55.4.
Driver Ed Hensley hurried April Rose to the front of the sextet heading to a :27.3 opening quarter with Absolut Seelster sitting second. Past the half in :57.1, April Rose encountered pressure into the backstretch from Willyorwonthe approaching a 1:26.3 third quarter. Willyorwonthe drew closer to the leader rounding the turn and through the stretch but finished a neck behind the winner and three lengths better than pocket-chaser Absolut Seelster.
A seven-year-old mare by SJs Caviar, April Rose won her fourth race from 12 starts this season and her 31st from 145 overall, earning $388,629. Trainer Ashleigh Hensley co-owns the $3.90 winner with Ed Hensley.
Racing the favourite in the $9,400 co-featured Preferred 3 Trot, the Hensleys got headed by first-over A J Cash in a 1:58.4 mile.
Sent at odds of 3-5, Its Huw You Know trotted to the top, posting a :28.4 quarter and :59.1 half. A J Cash, positioned fifth, angled off the rail moving to the half and ranged to within a neck of the lead passing a 1:29 third quarter. Its Huw You Know maintained a neck advantage over A J Cash rounding the turn but failed to maintain control through the lane, settling for second by a narrow margin. Costantino came from second over for third.
Owned by Paul Kelly and trainer Mark Winacott, A J Cash won his ninth race from 13 starts this season and his 10th from 30 overall, earning $67,572. Aaron Byron drove the $6.00 winner.
The $9,400 Preferred 3 Pace went to Boomboom Ballykeel, who collected his 40th victory with a 1:54.2 wire-to-wire score.
Clearing the lead from post two, Boomboom Ballykeel led Fool Me Once to a :28.1 opening quarter and soon faced first-over pressure from Oh K Man heading to a :57.4 half. Oh K Man remained at the throat of Boomboom Ballykeel into a 1:25.3 third quarter but stalled in his challenge when circling the final turn. Boomboom Ballykeel cruised through the stretch to finish a length better than Fool Me Once, who photoed Oh K Man for second.
Earning $938,913 through 202 starts, Boomboom Ballykeel, an eight-year-old stallion by Mach Three, races for Ballykeel Racing. Alfie Carroll drove the $11.30 winner for trainer Richard Moreau.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Flamboro Downs.