Porthill Alf Morning Line Favorite at CDP; Big Day Sunday at SRW
Harness Racing PEI Sports
By Lee Drake
Charlottetown, PE – The stage is set for another big weekend of harness racing at Island tracks in Charlottetown and Summerside. The CDP will go Saturday night at 7pm while Summerside Raceway holds a Sunday afternoon card with a 1pm post time.
Porthill Alf, a veteran pacing star trained by Duane MacEachern, has been established the morning line favorite, 5-2, in the feature event Saturday night at the CDP. Marc Campbell will do the driving for owner Marvyn Webster, Kensington, from post 5. There is a powerful group of candidates ready and willing to spoil the party and take the major share of the $2,400 purse including Pans O Silver, a winner in his last venture for driver Brian MacPhee, and Mighty and Strong, who has been playing with the big boys all season.
Race analyst, Les MacIsaac, is staying with last week’s winner Porthill Alf for top honors. “He toyed with seven rivals last week and in pretty good time given the track rating,” explained MacIsaac. “He likes to be handy the front which makes the start crucial so if he can get there or close to it his chances go way up.” The field includes standouts like Riccaas Sun, Timeless Hanover, Whitesnad Whisper. Whos Smiling Now and Lakota Hall.
The action shifts to Red Shores at Summerside Raceway on Sunday. Post time is 1pm. The top billing event is slated race 11 with Princess Julia, from the Ian Smith racing stable, getting a lot of respect after being charted in the 1:56 range three times this season. Earl Smith will guide her from post 7 with challenges coming from Casual Motion and Joey Pineau on the inside 9 (pp4) while Smart Barney, who can really bust the gate, leaving on the outside. Chester The Name, Dance Hanover, Best of Life and Elm Grove Tanner, who is riding back to back winning performances, completes the field.
Three divisions of the PEI Matinee Tracks Race Series will also be contested on the card. Last year’s winning owner, Freeman Coughlin, has two entries in the “A” class, Springbrook Maple and Brace For The Chill, but they’ll face a stiff challenge from Leo Bernard’s points leader Little York Ed.