Maximus Deo ($6.60) and Hp Patriote ($8.40) used opposing strategies in Sunday night's co-featured top class events to achieve the same result: a trip to Rideau Carleton Raceway's winner's circle.
Maximus Deo fired from the outside post to secure the lead over his five foes off the gate in the $6,500 Winners Over Handicap Trot.
Driven by Richard Simard for trainer/owner Chelsea Knapp, the five-year-old gelded son of Muscles Yankee lasted on the lead after carving out fractions of :28.1, :58.1 and 1:27.2. He held off What A Rush (Brett MacDonald) and favourite Unabating (Guy Gagnon) to win by half a length in 1:57 flat.
Maximus Deo boasts a near-perfect record racing at the Ottawa oval, having won four of his last five starts with his only loss a neck short of Unabating last time out on October 2.
Also assigned the outside post six in the matching Winners Over pacing feature, Hp Patriote was in no rush off the gate as he trailed early on. The three-year-old Quebec stakes champion ultimately circled his older rivals to win in 1:54.3 for driver Guy Gagnon and trainer Gerard Demers.
Hp Patriote avoided the early action as favourite Bali (Louis Philippe Roy) overtook Viper Select (Stephane Lareau) through a :27.3 first quarter and then A And C Artist (Ted McDonald) swept by on the way to the half in :56.2. Hp Patriote began to advance past the midway mark and picked up cover as Viper Select moved back out for the retake. Hp Patriote pursued Viper Select past three-quarters in 1:25 and glided by down the stretch, with Officially Rusty (Jacques Beaudoin) closing three-quarters of a length behind in second. Bali finished third.
The homebred Vintage Master gelding now has 12 wins in 16 sophomore starts and a seasonal bankroll of $67,863 for owners Ecuries GLD Inc. and Claude Hamel.
To view Sunday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Sunday Results - Rideau Carleton Raceway.