On Saturday, May 25, David Dowling and Ardon Mofford will compete in the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship (ARDC), presented by Standardbred Canada, at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
The first and second-place drivers will advance to the National Driving Championship (NDC), presented by Standardbred Canada and hosted by Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Que., on July 5. The champion of the 2024 NDC will earn an invitation to represent Canada in the 2025 World Driving Championship, held in New Zealand and Australia.
Prince Edward Island's David Dowling, coming off a career-high season for wins in which he won 165 races in 2023 with his mounts earning more than $518,000 in purses, is gearing up for his first ARDC, along with Florence, Nova Scotia horseman Ardon Mofford, who has driven winners of more than $110,000 in lifetime purse earnings with 92 wins.
Standardbred Canada interviewed Dowling (DD) and Mofford (AM) to discuss their thoughts and feelings about the upcoming championship.
What were your thoughts when you got the call to participate in the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship?
DD: "I was excited to be able to compete with all the top drivers in the Maritimes. It’s nice to be recognized that way."
AM: "I was excited to get the call and have the opportunity to race in the ARDC. It’s an honour and surreal for me."
What are your thoughts on driving with the seven other drivers in the championship?
AM: "I'm in real tough, 99-1 in the morning line to come out on top. Again, it's an honour to be racing against the big guns. Most of these guys have been there before, have had a lot more drives and have been at it a lot longer than I have. I relish the opportunity to compete against them. We can only get better driving against the best."
DD: "They are all good drivers. It will be tough but I find it easier to drive against good drivers. It’s a good group of guys and I think we’ll have a lot of fun."
How does it feel to have the opportunity to represent your province in the Regional Driving Championship and possibly represent Canada in the 2025 World Driving Championship?
AM: "Wow. I mean, obviously representing Canada would be a dream come true. It’s an honour to be driving for Nova Scotia and be next to Paul Langille and Redmond Doucet, two drivers I look up to. When I was in the judge's stand, I got to see all these guys perform and to be sitting beside them in a sulky is an honour."
DD: "Well, just to represent the Maritimes would be great, it’s something that you dream of when you become a driver. I’m not getting any younger so hopefully, this will be my year."
Do you think you have any advantage over the other drivers?
AM: "I'm bigger than them and I'm older so I definitely have to say, the only advantage I've got over them is that I’m better looking."
DD: "I don’t think I have any advantage over them but it helps that it’s on the island. I know the horses a little better than the guys that are coming from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. I also think my competitiveness and being an aggressive driver help."
Are you doing anything to prep for the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship?
AM: "Absolutely. I'm fasting and working out. Trying to be in better shape to drive against them, watching replays, waiting to see what the horses are in and trying to study them, getting to know most of the drivers' styles and emulate them -- how they leave the gate, travel and make their move. Charlottetown just got rolling so I’m seeing how the horses are coming to form and who I am driving against."
DD: "No, not really. Staying healthy until that day is the main thing and hopefully, with the draw format, I can pick the right horses and make the right decisions on the track."
Is there anything special about the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship that you are looking forward to?
AM: "I'm looking forward to spending two nights over on the island. My mare, Sauble Bony, just had a foal by Somewhere Fancy and we’re getting out there to spend the day. I’m also looking forward to driving in Charlottetown, it’s a great crowd."
DD: "I like driving different horses. I like getting up on a new horse. I’m looking forward to getting together with all the guys and competing. I'm real competitive and I know all of them are too, so, I look forward to racing against them."
Dowling and Mofford will compete against Marc Campbell, Redmond Doucet, Paul Langille, Corey MacPherson, Ken Murphy and Todd Trites.
Drivers will receive points based on their finishing position and the top two drivers from the eight-race competition. The point system for scoring is outlined below.
SCORING
The Regional Driving Championships and the National Driving Championship will adopt the point system used in the World Driving Championship.
Points will be distributed based on the finishing order as follows.
Number of Starters: 8
15 points (1st), 10 (2), 7 (3), 5 (4), 4 (5), 3 (6), 2 (7), 1 (8)
Number of Starters: 7
14 points (1st), 9 (2), 6 (3), 4 (4), 3 (5), 2 (6), 1 (7)
If a horse is scratched, the designated driver will instead drive the 'also eligible' horse. If a horse is scratched or unavailable, the driver will receive five points. In case of disqualification or failure to complete the race, one point will be awarded. In the event of a dead heat, the points for the horses involved will be combined and evenly distributed among the drivers.
The first race post time for the ARDC card of harness racing on Saturday is 6 p.m. (ADT) / 5 p.m. (EDT).
To view Saturday’s entries, click on one of the following links:
Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park - Saturday Entries || Program Pages (courtesy TrackIT).
(Standardbred Canada)