The front end was the place to be on Sunday afternoon (July 22) at Truro Raceway, as all three divisional winners of the Frank and Beth Stanfield Memorial for three-year-old pacing fillies went unchallenged for their final quarter miles, and two prevailed in wire-to-wire fashion.
In the first $18,228 division (race four), Bettim Jackie ($2.80) and Gilles Barrieau made a sweeping move from fourth to overtake Chocolate Terror (Darren Crowe) after a :58.2 half before powering clear of her six rivals with authority. The daughter of Andreoli Hanover amassed 9-3/4 lengths of clearance over Maybeitsmaybelline (Kenny Arsenault), while Woodmere Ceilidh (Mary Clare MacDonald) overcame an early break to save third.
Bettim Jackie earned her tenth career win for trainer-breeder Jeffrey Lilley, who shares ownership with Blair MacLuchlan and Danny Purcell.
The second division (race six) saw R Es Shabla ($2.80) and Michael McGuigan stride clear early and never look back. The daughter of Pang Shui was unchallenged through early fractions of :28.2 and :57.4 and turn aside a first-over bid from Woodmere Wyldstyle (Corey MacPherson) through a :28.4 third quarter before putting 2-1/4 lengths on Woodmere Chella (Barrieau) for a 1:56.4 score, the fastest in the day's stakes action.
Leonard McGuigan trains 10-time winner R Es Shabla for Lloyd Parsons.
Royaltywestho ($2.20) and Walter Cheverie completed the odds-on favourites' sweep of the Stanfield in the third division (race eight) while unchallenged through a 1:57.4 mile. The Westwardho Hanover filly kept two lengths on Tobins Terror (Gary Chappell), who made a mild first-over bid to take second. Private Di (Arsenault) chased cover up the far side and lifted late to only miss second by half a length.
Trainer Joseph Baxter co-owns 13-time winner Royaltywestho with Gregory Francis.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results – Truro Raceway.