Inverness Oran Sports

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Chestico Days Harness racing sees new Port Hood track record

Port Hood's Keith MacDonell made the trip home from Ontario for Chestico Weekend and raced in three out of Friday's five races


 August 10, 2022

-by Brad Chandler
    Every year, it is one of the highlights of the Chestico Day’s festivities in Port Hood and this year’s card of amateur harness racing at the Irish Road Horsemen’s Club track failed to disappoint yet again.
    A large crowd surrounded the track Friday evening to take in this year’s five-dash card under a slowly-setting pink sky.
    Lewis MacDonell and Travis MacLean were on the call, yet again, for this year’s races and had fans in attendance entertained all night with their quick-witted comments and over the top commentary.
    Perry MacIsaac got the card off to a hot start in the night’s first race, edging out Port Hood’s Keith MacDonell, who was home from Ontario for the weekend and DW’s Hidden Star in a time of 2:03:1.
    Port Hood’s Monica Sutherland notched her name in the win column for the first of two times Friday during the cards second sprint, the John Hughie and Rachel MacIsaac Memorial race, finishing with RE’s Aiden in just over 2:04. Luke MacEachern and AB’s Future placed second, with Rick Beaumont and Miss Chilipepper sitting in third.
    Keith MacDonell and 14-year-old PH Showboat, who was in her final Chestico Days race, followed in fourth.
    Sutherland landed a double header in the following race, taking Docs Ron Henry to the finish line in 2:03.1 to grab her second win in the Phonsie MacEachern Family Pace. Lofty Shadow (Keith MacDonell) placed in second, Tiger Town (Cameron MacEachern) came in third and JJ’s Knights Image (Scott Beaton) fell to fourth.
    The Karen and Bernie MacDonald Memorial race saw Justin Sutherland and Windermeredontmatter edge out Monica Sutherland who was eyeing a hat-trick on the night with East Coast Mariner, in a win time of 2:04.1. Twisted Frisco (Todd Sutherland) placed third with OK Gladiator (Malcolm Kennedy) trailing in fourth.
    The five-horse feature to close out the evening was the Donald B-Marie-Johnny Gillis Memorial Race and saw Port Hood’s Mark MacDonell and New York’s Klis brothers stable’s Rhodena Road break a new track record with a finish time in 2:00.4.
    MacDonell, who returned from Prince Edward Island for the weekend’s festivities, told The Oran after his win that this race was special.
    “It was a great experience to get to drive Rhodena Road at Chestico Days. He is a very nice horse that has proven himself on a big stage. It means a lot to me to be able to get the chance to do that, these nights are what hooked me into the racing world and to come home for a fantastic Chestico is incredible,” he said. “A big thank you to Neil MacInnis for the opportunity [to ride] Rhodena and also [to] the boys from the track [and] all the volunteers that put in a tremendous work ethic to pull off a very successful night.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 

 

 

 

 


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