Veteran pacer Batterup Hanover posted the fastest time of eight qualifiers at Truro Raceway on Sunday, April 30.
Making his five-year-old debut, the Betting Line gelding sat fourth through fractions of :29.4 and 1:00.3 before driver/trainer Paul Langille sent him to the lead on the way to three-quarters in 1:30.4 and had him pace away from the field, powering home to a eight-length victory in 1:58 flat with a :27.1 bullet. Big Engine edged out Frontier Cruise for second.
Batterup Hanover, a 12-time winner with more than $55,000 earned throughout his career, won the Cecil Ladner Memorial Invitational at Charlottetown Driving Park along with multiple top class events at Truro last season. He is trained by Langille for owners Debbie Francis, Rosanne and Chantel Langille, and Douglas Lowthers.
Delightful Wine, who was recently purchased from Ontario, looked very sharp in his Truro Raceway debut with a dominant 1:58.3 qualifying win over four other rivals. The five-year-old Bettors Delight gelding sat third through a quarter of :29.4 before driver/trainer Darren Crowe guided him to the lead and carved out fractions of :59.1 and 1:29 on the way to a handy win by 4 -3/4 lengths in a new lifetime mark. Delightful Wine is owned by the Hubtown Horse Owners Club of Lower Onslow, N.S.
Other winners in the qualifying set were: Doppleganger in 2:03.4 for driver/trainer Ernie Laffin; Shadow Of A Lady in 2:01.2 for Langille; Go With It in 2:02.1 for driver Keith Legge and trainer Gordon McCabe; Zigi in 2:02.3 for Laffin; Daddys Eyes in 2:02.4 for Crowe and trainer Rachael MacDonald; and The Midnight Train in 1:59.1 for Crowe.
The 2023 harness racing season at Truro Raceway begins next Sunday, May 7. Post time is 1 p.m. Atlantic or 12 noon Eastern time.
To view Sunday's complete qualifying results, click the following link: Sunday Results (Qualifiers) - Truro Raceway.
(With files from Truro Raceway)