Inverness Oran Sports

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Ambrose Gillis locks down first driving win at Inverness

Rookie driver Ambrose Gillis picked up his first career win at Inverness Raceway on Sunday, taking his own mare Susu Heaven gate-to-wire in a 2:03.3 mile.


-by Bill Dunphy

    We all learn from our mistakes.
    Ambrose Gillis felt he went too hard to the half last week with his four-year-old mare Susu Heaven. In Sunday’s first race at Inverness Raceway, he didn’t make the same mistake twice and won his first race as a harness racing driver.
    “Last week we were :58.2 to the half and she just ran out of gas. This week I changed some gear and got to the half in a better time and she had lots left to finish.
    In just his seventh start as a new driver, Gillis had two seconds and a third before finally picking up his first win.
    He said the other drivers and trainers were all supportive, helping out and giving him tips. He also credited the horsemen who gave him enough qualifying drives so that he could have his licence ready for the season, including Joey Poirier, Damian MacLellan, Erland Campbell, Kevin Deagle, and Andrew MacLean.
    Gillis said he was happiest for his dad, David, who can be seen on the grandstand side fretting like an old hen and muttering, “I just hope he gets around the track in one piece.”
    Said Gillis, “I don’t think he was particularly happy when I became a driver, but he’s enjoying it now.”
    With Redmond Doucet Jr. in Charlottetown for the weekend, eight different drivers made their way to the winner’s circle at Inverness Raceway on Sunday.
    Gerard Kennedy recorded the fastest mile of the lot, a 1:59.4 trip aboard Joe Janega’s String Busters. It was the fourth straight win for the three-year-old gelding.
    Lanny Hanscombe picked up his second win of the racing season, giving Lennan MacIsaac’s Locky a win in his first start off a qualifier, pacing the mile in 2:04.2.
    Three other horses found their way to the Winner’s Circle for the first time this year, including Malcolm MacEachen’s Tiger Town, 2:01.4 for driver Lewis MacDonell; Simon Poirier, and Chad MacDonnell’s Modern Best, 2:02.1 for driver Ryan Campbell; and in the feature, Ann and Jimmy Copley and Evan Gillis’ Shanghai BG, 2:01.1 for driver Alex MacQuarrie.
    Both Gerard Kennedy and Redmond Doucet will have their share of drives this weekend when they compete at the Atlantic Regional Driving championship at Truro Raceway this Friday. Post time is 6:30 p.m.
    The following are the complete results of last Sunday’s card at Inverness Raceway:

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 


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The Inverness Oran
15767 Central Avenue. P.O. Box 100
Inverness, Nova Scotia. B0E 1N0
Tel.: 1 (902) 258-2253. Fax: 1 (902) 258-2632
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