Big Surf set to take on Summerside

SUMMERSIDE, PE – A topnotch harness racing field of five will go bridle to bridle Sunday afternoon at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway.

First race post time is 1 pm for the 10-dash card.

Big Surf is the heavy favourite in the race 9 feature event for a $2,200 purse. Regular pilot Marc Campbell is in Nova Scotia for stakes action so Steven Shepherd will take the lines this week for trainer Trevor Hicken and owners Perry Burke of Quebec and Burkie By The Bay Stables of Ten Mile House. The four-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere was an impressive winner last week in Charlottetown in 1:53.2 and will have post 4 to work with this week as stablemate All Turain (Gary Chappell) has drawn post 5.

Race analyst Jared Stretch will place his faith in Big Surf to land in the winner's circle.

"The only interruption on that string of wins on his race lines is a very close second," Stretch said. "To say this guy is on fire would be an understatement."

Outside The Wire (Jason Hughes) has post 1, while Machinthesand (Walter Cheverie) has post 2, with Motorino (Terry Gallant) defending his three race win streak from post 3.

The backup pace lines up in race 6 with a field of half-a-dozen including morning line favourite Windemere Eric with owner-trainer Chappell doing the driving. Last year's leading trainer and driver Jason Hughes will sit behind the newcomer Kayas Sweetheart from post 6 for trainer Ralph Sweet and owners David, John and Kenneth Sweet. The aptly named race mare has made just one start on red soil since coming from the U.S.

Also in the field is J Rs Hurricane (Ken Murphy), Pictonian Press (Mark Bradley), Camcun (Dale Spence) and Bowyer Hanover (Cheverie).

First Art Down favoured in Red Shores Charlottetown feature

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE – A group of seven will go for top honours Saturday night in the featured pace at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

First race post time is 6 pm for the 12-dash card.

The Gary Chappell trained, driven and owned Oh To Be Me has post 2 in the race 11 $1,800 top event and the gets the nod from race analyst Les MacIsaac.

"He gets home consistently in 28 seconds and from this favourable post he should be spotted close enough to the front to exploit that burst," MacIsaac said. "We'll give him a slight edge."

First Art Down is the classifier's choice from post 3, fresh off a 1:57.1 victory last week in Charlottetown for driver Ken Murphy, trainer Clifford Murphy and owner Bruce Wood of Marshfield. Waterside Light makes his return to Island racing with post 4 for trainer-driver Kenny Arsenault and owners Larry Chappell of Marshfield and Hilliard Graves of Charlottetown. The four-year-old son of Lis Mara had been racing in Ontario in the Richard Moreau stable.

The field also includes PC Shockwave (Wade Sorrie), Cambest Kisser (Jason Hughes), The Big Bite (Corey MacPherson) and Leading Camdidate (Walter Cheverie).

Sinners In Heaven is the morning line choice in the race 9 $1,600 back-up class with Gary Chappell in the bike for trainer Earl Watts and owners Lana Murphy and River Valley Management of New Brunswick and Windemere Farms of Hampshire. The five-year-old son of Articulator will face off with five rivals including Oakrock Almighty (Ron Matheson), Unstoppable Speed (Mark McKinnon), Astor Shark (Hughes), Rash B Havior (Mike Peters) and Mcjestic (MacPherson).

Race 8 will see Arnold Dick continue his three-year-old season fresh off his 1:56.3 second place finish to Dixieland Band Sunday at the Summerside Raceway in the Bob Dewar stake. The Coastocoast Yankee colt has post 6 in the field of eight for trainer-driver and co-owner Terry Gallant and co-owners Michael Gallant and P.E.I. track announcer Vance Cameron, all of Summerside.

By Nicholas Oakes for Red Shores