Henry and Holliday steal the show on Ladies' Night. There was plenty of great harness racing action on Saturday night, as Hanover Raceway hosted Ladies' Night.
On the track, drivers Travis Henry and Ryan Holliday stole the show, each picking up a hat trick of wins on the eleven race card. Henry started the night off with a win steering Conway Garre to a come-from-behind triumph for trainer George Henry of Arthur.
The three year old Conway Hanover colt tripped the wire in 2:04.0 for his maiden victory. Holliday took the second half of the daily double with Stonehouse I J in 1:59.3 for Jim Kerr who trains for owners McCarthy Family Farms Ltd of Granton, Ontario.
This was a sign of things to come as Henry and Holliday would go on to have impressive nights.
Building off last week’s strong performance, Henry urged Doug and Dude to victory in the seventh race in impressive fashion. The six year old Goliath Bayama gelding cut brisk fractions of 27.1, 57.1 and 1:25.4 before putting away all challengers to win in 1:55.3, a new season’s best mark.
It was Doug and Dude’s sixth win in 18 starts this season, as the Isaac Waxman pupil looks to be bouncing back after an off year in 2011, that saw just 1 win in 24 starts.
Holliday clinched his hat trick in the night’s featured race. Aboard the post-time favourite Frenchmen, Holliday showed he was the best in the field of conditioned trotters, securing victory in 1:59.3.
Nick Henry of Mt. Forest trains the four year old gelded son of Mutineer and this victory was his fifth win in just 12 starts this year. Frenchmen has been ultra consistent lately, finishing in the top three, in six of his last seven starts.
Off the track, the women were the winners on Saturday night as there were loads of great prizes being awarded throughout the night. Flower arrangements courtesy of the Flower Shoppe and Greenhouses in Hanover and Spa packages courtesy of the Dolce Vita spa were handed out in celebration of Mothers’ Day.
Next week, Hanover Raceway hosts Hockeyville Night, were kids 13 and under wearing a hockey jersey can enter to win free bikes courtesy of Hanover Canadian Tire. Post time, as always, is 7:15.