It rained all over Midwestern Ontario, but the rain couldn’t keep away the harness racing fans on Ladies Night at Hanover Raceway.
Prizes were donated by My Scissors and I, The Flower Shoppe, Bunny and the Weasel and Ladame Reflections for fans who entered a ballot into the draw box.
On the track Ryan Holliday of Mt Forest went home with a hat-trick, however, newcomer Natasha Day won 2 races on Ladies Night.
The 36 year old Australian says she decided to come to Canada and work for Richard Moreau and try her hand in the race bike. Her 2 wins on the night give her 4 wins on the season at Hanover Raceway. Day said she didn’t think she was going to have a good night, as she suffered a flat tire on her race bike early in the night, but it was meant to be.
Day won Race 2 with Cold Shadow in 1:58.2 for owners Rebecca Geisel of Hanover and Shelley May of Walkerton, and Race 4 with Shes a star reporter in 1:58.1 for owner Wilbert Weatherall of Flesherton.
Holliday won Race 3 with Cold Shadow in 2:03.3 for owner Jeff Williamson of Blyth, Race 6 with Snegem Bianca in 2:03.1 for owners Stacey Newman and Faith Megans of Cambridge and finished the hat-trick in Race 8 with Chewey in 2:00.2 for owner Kingfisher Farms of Seneca.
13 more fans qualified for the Survivor finale by picking 4 horses in 4 consecutive races that finished in the money. Fans have 2 more chances to qualify over the next 2 weeks, and the final will be held on Saturday August 6th. Country 93 and HDTV in Walkerton sponsor the contest including a 55 inch Sony High Definition for the Champion.
Next week is Bring A Friend Day at Hanover Raceway. Fans and their newbies can register next Saturday for a chance at some great prizes from Molson and Standardbred Canada, as well as a chance at a ride in the starting car during a race.
Post time next Saturday is 7:15pm.
Gord Dougan