Quebec native William Roy scored a pair of victories on his way to earning the 2023 Coville Cup title on Sunday, Sept. 10 at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Established in 2009, the Coville Cup features young drivers looking to breakthrough and further their careers in the industry. The 2023 edition of the Coville Cup featured eight drivers competing over four races on the 11-race card. Roy secured victories in legs two and three of the competition on his way to earning 100 points and the title of Coville Cup Champion.
"This feels great," Roy stated in his post-race interview. "I'm hoping to make my way in the industry and this is a good beginning."
Roy scored his first victory in the contest in leg two aboard the favoured Macho Phil in front-end fashion. Roy took full advantage of leaving from the rail position, hustling Macho Phil to the lead in the early stages under pressure to his outside from Montysgonemarble and Philip Reid through an opening quarter in :27.1. Roy continued to have things his way to the halfway point with Macho Phil as Reid retreated to the pocket with Montysgonemarble to the halfway point in :55.4. The field continued to chase Roy and Macho Phil to three-quarters in 1:24.4.
Macho Phil proved to be tough in the stretch as Roy encouraged the four-year-old horse home to a :30 final quarter, scoring the victory by two lengths on the wire in 1:54.4. Dont Ask Logan and Michael Armstrong rallied for second, with Montysgonemarble digging in to hold for third with Reid.
The photo finish camera was needed in the third leg of the contest, as Roy picked up his second victory in a thriller aboard Hes Got A Vendetta. Starting from the far outside in post eight, Roy could see them all at the quarter pole with Lancaster bomber and Joshua Miller cutting the first quarter in :27.4. Miller maintained the lead while Lancaster Bomber received a bit of a breather in the second quarter, reaching the half in :57.1. Business picked up in the third quarter, with Miller and Lancaster Bomber joined on the lead by Mercenary and Antonio Vecchio at three-quarters in 1:25.2 while Roy stalked from third-over with Hes Got A Vendetta.
Hes Got A Vendetta uncorked a vicious rally with Roy to join the duelling leaders and make it a three-across battle to the wire. Powering home in :28.2, Hes Got A Vendeta nailed Mercenary and Vecchio by a nose on the wire to secure the 1:54.4 victory. Lancaster Bomber and Miller held for third to round out the trifecta.
"I've raced this horse one time before," Roy spoke of Hes Got A Vendetta. "He races good from the back, and I really didn't have a choice tonight from the eight-hole and he made it up in time."
Now in his sixth-year of driving, William Roy sports a record of 39 victories in 507 career drives. Son of trainer Guy Roy, William Roy has picked up a career-high 147 drives in 2023, sporting a seasonal record of 8-16-22 in those drives.
Driver Drew Smyth kicked off the Coville Cup competition, converting a pocket trip into a 1:55.3 victory with Rock N Zeus in the contest opener while Sebastien Turenne scored in the finale with Eataams Sportsbaby in 1:54.2 to finish third and fourth in the contest, respectively. Driver Mike Armstrong utilized three second-place finishes throughout the contest to earn 75 points and finish second to Roy in the Coville Cup standings.
Also on the Sunday night card, Dylans Bank set the tone with scorching early fractions to bottom out the field and score the 12-1 upset victory in the $10,000 Preferred Pace. Dylans Bank left alertly from post three with driver Jimmy Gagnon to the tune of :26.3 to take control of the field in the opening quarter. Gagnon kept the pedal down through the half in :54.2 before opening up by three lengths at three-quarters in 1:22.
Dylans Bank coasted home in :30.2 to score the victory by a length and a half in 1:52.2. I Ama Rocket and Robert Robinson finished second, with Day Delight and Samuel Fillion finishing third. Dylans Bank paid $26.80 for the victory.
The victory was the second consecutive and eighth on the season for the six-year-old gelded son of Thinking Out Loud-Sexnvetts, trained by John MacMillan. Dylans Bank pushed his career bankroll to $177,686 for owners Val Spar Stables.
To view Sunday's results at Rideau Carleton, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway
(Headline photo, left to right: NCRHHA's John MacMillan, Darrell Coville, William Roy and NCRHHA's Gordon McDonald)