By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores<\/p>\n
CHARLOTTETOWN, PE \u2013 With the first trials of the Gold Cup and Saucer, presented by Atlantic Lottery, just a week away, some heavy hitters from Central Canada make their way to Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park on Saturday during Wilbur and Pauline MacDonald Memorial Night. The MacDonald family also increased the purses on the program as a show of support to the PEI Harness Racing Industry.<\/p>\n
The capital oval shifts back to a 6 P.M. opening post time for Saturday.<\/p>\n
The $4,450 Preferred Pace has Gold Cup and Saucer hopeful Blue Hunt leaving from post 5 in race 9 of the program. Owned by Daguet Racing of Pennsylvania, Stephen Klunowski of Ontario and Donald MacRae of Vernon Bridge, P.E.I., the four-year-old son of Hunstville raced his last start at the Preferred level at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Ontario in the Jodie Cullen stable. Ashley Gamester now trains the nine-time winner with Jason Hughes in the driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n
Stablemate Bee Two Bee (To be driven by Gilles Barrieau) has post 4 after last racing in the $35,000 Governor\u2019s Plate final.<\/p>\n
Another horse making his return to the track after the Governor\u2019s Plate final is post 3 starter Roll Em (Brady Sweet) from the Brent Campbell stable.<\/p>\n
Also in the field are Batterup Hanover (Paul Langille) and First Glance (Ken Murphy).<\/p>\n
The Post Time Picks side with Blue Hunt to get it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlue Hunt has been racing in the top class at Woodbine Mohawk Park and ships home for his Gold Cup and Saucer trial prep race tonight. I don’t think Hughes will be too aggressive because he has bigger fish to fry next week but he’s the class of this field so I’m putting him on top.\u201d<\/p>\n
The race 12 finale has another horse shipping in from Ontario in post 7 starter Bob Loblaw for co-owner and trainer Ken Middleton and co-owners David Walls, James Grant and Starting Centre Stable of Ontario. Dale Spence drives the former Ontario Sires Stakes champion. The five-year-old son of Sunshine Beach was a winner his last two starts with a 1:52.3 win over Grand River Raceway and a 1:52.4 victory at Georgian Downs.<\/p>\n