Post positions have been drawn for Trials 1 and 2 of The Guardian Gold Cup & Saucer. The $12,500 trials will be contested this coming Saturday (Aug. 10) and Monday (Aug. 12), respectively, Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.
The draw for the 60th edition of the stakes event took place Tuesday morning (Aug. 6) during a press conference at the Charlottetown Driving Park. The Gold Cup & Saucer is an open event for pacers.
The Gold Cup & Saucer has attracted 14 entrants, and thus each trial will house a field of seven. Headlining the field is 2018 Gold Cup & Saucer champ Somewhere Fancy. Owned by John Mehlenbacher of Oakville, Ont., Somewhere Fancy was a 1:50.4 winner one year ago for driver Simon Allard and trainer Rene Allard, who was on hand for the post position draw.
“It gives me butterflies just to hear how people really, truly care about harness racing here," Allard told The Guardian. “I travel the world and you don’t see it as much in other places...it’s just the love for the horses and the love for the game and how much people just truly love harness racing here – and I think that makes me want to be here every year just to see the excitement in everybody’s eyes."
Allard, who boasts wins in the Gold Cup & Saucer in 2014 (Bigtown Hero), 2016 (Ys Lotus) and 2018 (Somewhere Fancy) added that the excitement and passion for harness racing is what brings him back year after year, not the purse money.
“We won the Cup (last year) but by the time we got home we were in the hole," he said. “So, we don’t come here for the money, but we have an amazing time."
Trial 1 (Saturday, August 10)
(Post – Horse)
1. Doctor Royal
2. Somewhere Fancy
3. Czar Seelster
4. National Debt
5. Midway Island
6. Levis Day
7. Make Some Luck
8. Bettors Fire N
Trial 2 (Monday, August 12)
(Post – Horse)
1. Rock Diamonds N
2. Dreamfair BJ
3. Bet On Brett
4. Sir Pugsley
5. Brave World
6. Lisburn
7. Rose Run Quest
8. Avatar J
The $20,000 consolation will be raced next Friday (Aug. 16), while the $60,000 final will be the main event of CDP’s program of live harness racing concluding Old Home Week on Saturday, August 17.
CAN'T WAIT, GOT TO TRY AND
CAN'T WAIT, GOT TO TRY AND MAKE IT OVER SOMEHOW TO SEE BRAVE WORLD GO
Rene Allard, It is wonderful
Rene Allard,
It is wonderful to see you coming here every year also. Not only do we thank you for coming but we thank you for bringing some of your stables quality horses as well and not just your average horses. There is no doubt the horses you bring routinely race for equal and higher purses. You also provided us an opportunity to see an up and comer turn world quality reinsman when you introduced us to Louis Philippe Roy as well.
I had hoped when Foiled Again made the trip down and the Burke's won that year we may see regular returns but sadly it is not so, especially sad since senior Burke really seemed to love the atmosphere as well.
All the best to you. Not just here but with your world class operation.
Trevor Otterson
Looks like GREAT trials can't
Looks like GREAT trials can't wait to see these wonderful animals put on another GREAT show for us fans! Thanks to the owners and trainers of these GREAT horses to bring them here for us to see. We thank you men and women connected to these GREAT animals again!