Mappos Lion roars home ahead of Gold Cup and Saucer trials

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – It was déjà vu for Mappos Lion (Sunshine Beach) Saturday evening as be yet again unleashed a powerful stretch kick to knock off his rivals in preparation for the upcoming Gold Cup and Saucer Trials at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

MAPPOS LION REPLAY

Driver Ryan Desroche settled Mappos Lion in fourth in the fifth leg of the P.E.I. Free-for-all series through fractions of 28.2, 55.4 and 1:24 before advancing first-over against pacesetter Get Wings. The nine-year-old son of Sunshine Beach took aim on the leaders turning for home and powered through the stretch in 26.4 to win by one length in 1:51.1.

Taylor Doyle trains Mappos Lion ($4.00) for owners Hailee Currie of Rocky Point, P.E.I., and Carol Campbell of Baddeck, N.S.

Governor’s Plate elimination winner Arbitrage Hanover (Driven by Ken Murphy) finished second with Governor’s Plate champion Get Wings (Paul Langille) third. Jmr Speak Away and Merigo Magic completed the field in the $10,000 contest.

A trio of $22,750 Brian Andrew Memorial divisions for two-year-old trotters were also featured on the 15-dash program.

Saulsbrook Disco ($2.90) controlled every step of the filly division for trainer Landon Campbell and driver Marc Campbell. The daughter of Muscle Through It cut fractions of 31.1, 1:02 and 1:33 before trotting home in 30.2 to win by two-and-one-quarter lengths in 2:03.2 for What R The Oddz Stable of Orwell, P.E.I. Rockin Through It (Mike McGuigan) was second with Redland Trixie (Clare MacDonald) third.

Stunning Speed ($2.10) dominated the first colt division for trainer-driver Mike McGuigan. The Muscle Through It colt opened up a four-length advantage at the half and never faced a serious challenge while winning by four-and-one-half lengths in 2:02.3. Little Pond Stables of Little Pond, P.E.I., and The Coles Stable of Charlottetown own the rookie trotter. Shoe Dog Speed (Paul Langille) finished second with I Dream Of Muscles (Jim Ripley) third.

Massivearmour ($3.10) was a front-end winner in the other Brian Andrew Memorial colt division for driver Gilles Barrieau and trainer Darryl MacLean. The son of Muscle Mass led through fractions of 30.4, 1:00.4 and 1:31.3 before closing out the mile in 2:01.1. Calvin Larkin of Mermaid and Erika Bradley of Charlottetown bred and own Massivearmour. Hopthroughit (MacDonald) was second with Earl Speed (Jason Hughes) third.

Trumpster Blues ($5.30) captured the race 15 finale in 1:52.3 for driver Adam Merner, trainer David O’Brien and owner Tommy Collings of Mount Stewart, P.E.I. Rocks Shining Star (Brady Sweet), also owned by Collings, finished second with Malevolent (Langille) third.

Mantario ($22.00! supplied another upset in the Wilbur and Pauline MacDonald Memorial in race 9, rallying from fifth to win in 1:54.2 for driver David Dowling and trainer Jennifer Doyle. The Doyle stable doubled when Bet On Evil ($2.60) won race 8 in 1:56.1, also with Dowling in the bike.

Barrieau recorded three driving victories with Doctor Grenfell ($8.10) for trainer Nicholas Oakes, Massivearmour for win number 5,500 of the New Brunswick native’s career and Streakantonio ($8.80) for trainer Ron Matheson.

Marc Campbell scored four wins including victories with Big Bad Bruiser ($4.40) for Neil Bambrick, Saulsbrook Disco, Littlebit Of Lovin ($2.60) for trainer Earl Watts and Shanghai Whiskey ($2.10) for Wade Myers.

Me And The Boys ($25.40) also won to double trainer Watts, this time with Paul Langille in the seat.

The total wager was $146,631.

Live racing continues Tuesday evening at 6 P.M. at Red Shores Summerside. For more go to Redshores.ca.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Oakes, for Red Shores