Driver standings tied going into New Year’s Eve

Charlottetown, PE – It's too close to call. Drivers Jason Hughes and Marc Campbell are in a dead-heat going in to the special New Year's Eve harness racing presentation Thursday at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Post time is 7pm. The evening also features on-track promotions, prize draws and live entertainment by the Johnny Oliver Band. The live broadcast will go to air at 6:30pm at www.redshores.ca or HPI TV, Canada's Network for Horse Racing, a specialty digital channel devoted exclusively to horse racing coverage across North America and around the world.

Hughes and Campbell battled for the top spot during NYE 2014 and ended up tied at 126 victories. This year they go into final card with 111 wins. Campbell is down to drive seven horses while Hughes is listed on nine.

Eagle Jolt (Campbell) is the 5-2 choice in the New Year's Eve pace scheduled for post time at 9:51pm. The pacer, owned by Wilbur and Marie MacDonald, Orwell Cove, PE, is coming off a 1:58.4 score on Boxing Day and leaves from post 2 next to rail sitter Sam (Hughes) from Foxyhall stable, Summerside, PE. The other triactor candidates include DBS Rosco with Kenny Arsenault, Prince Adam for Gary Chappell, Smiley Bayama with Ron Gass and Likely to Win with Corey MacPherson. MacPherson has been on fire parading an incredible 15 winners over the last three events. He moves into third with 84 wins on the season at Charlottetown.

Bunny Mach will make her last start in race 8 named in her honour. The 10 year-old mare will retire from the racing ranks with an impressive resume of 257 lifetime starts, 43 victories, 35 seconds and 33 thirds. She took a record of 1:52.2 as a five-year-old at Mohawk Racetrack and banked $272,833 in her career. Jason Hughes will do the driving for owners Donald and Steven MacRae, Vernon Bridge, PE.

The horses will be back live on Sunday January 3, 2016. Post time is 12:30pm. The 15 dash program features the open trotters with Holy Molie Maggie (Chappell) listed as the favorite for owner-trainer Jeff Holmes while Idealic Life puts his three-race win streak on the line in the afternoon feature. The brown gelding is trained by Trevor Hicken for owners Perry, Robin and Luke Burke and Kent Livingston. Corey MacPherson will be in the bike.

For the complete list of entries for the New Year's Eve program or the Sunday January 3rd program go to www.redshores.ca

By Lee Drake