Combs Hanover has put together terrific numbers to start the year for trainer/driver Paul MacDonell, but in order to improve those stats the trotter was going to have to swim with the sharks in the Preferred ranks at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
It was a Tuesday evening test that Combs Hanover passed with flying colours.
Sent off as the 4-5 choice in the $34,000 affair, the gelding got away seventh for MacDonell while Pikachu Hanover fired to the lead and supplied the field with fractions of :27.1, :56.3 and 1:25. MacDonell was eighth and parked at the half with his charge, and then seventh and parked three-wide around the final turn and all the way to the three-quarter pole.
It didn’t derail the trotter in his quest to win again, mind you. He stormed home in :27.2 to win by 1-3/4 lengths over Perfetto in 1:53.2. Muscle Fashion rounded out the top three finishers in the nine-horse affair.
Chris and Michael Storms of Picton, ON own the four-year-old son of Archangel-Chez Lucie. It was the fourth win of the season for the seven-time winner who pushed his lifetime earnings to $135,730 with the win.
To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results – Woodbine Mohawk Park.