By Nicholas Oakes For Red Shores

SUMMERSIDE, PE – It was a down the highway victory as Marc Campbell captured his second straight Governor’s Plate victory in the 49th edition of the Prince County Classic Saturday night at Red Shores at the Summerside Raceway at the conclusion of Governor’s Plate week racing.

The $22,000 Governor’s Plate final, presented by Summerside Chrysler Dodge, saw Campbell cut over hard off the gate to secure the front through fractions of 26.2, 54.4 and 1:23.2 without seeing a serious challenge before an open length victory in 1:53.2. Crombie A (Driven by Gary Chappell) was second with Junebugs Baby (Myles Heffernan) third. Race favourite Hot Deuce (Walter Cheverie) was fourth with Invictus Hanover (Jason Hughes) getting the final cheque in fifth place.

Do Over Hanover is owned by Allard Racing of Saint-Esprit, Que., Red Isle Racing of North Granville and Steven MacRae of Vernon Bridge and trained by Chris MacKay, who had a training triple on the card. Campbell won the 2016 Governor’s Plate final with Rene Allard trainee Ys Lotus.

Complete Player was in a world of his own on the undercard Saturday as the Tom Weatherbie trainee was on top at every call in his $12,940 Atlantic Sires Stakes A-division for three-year-old colt pacers in a new sophomore track record of 1:53.4. Mark Bradley drove the colt for owner David Kennedy of Charlottetown with Lucbobski (Danny Romo) finishing second and Nameisonthehalter (Gilles Barrieau) third. Ultimate Yankee held the previous Summerside Raceway three-year-old track record of 1:54.3.

The other Atlantic Sires Stakes A-divison was captured by Ashes To Ashes and Barrieau in 1:55.4 for trainer Jackie Matheson and owners Linda Somers of Cornwall, Alan Conway of Summerside and Lynn Livingstone of Kensington. Island Energetic (Campbell) was the runner-up with Southsidelightning (Kenny Arsenault) completing the triactor.

His Boy Elroy was victorious in the $5,000 Governor’s Plate consolation for trainer-driver Bernard McCallum and owner Dan MacRae of Baddeck, N.S., in 1:55.2. Mr Irresistible (Hughes) was second and Nogreatmischief (Cheverie) got up for third.

Ramblinglily won the $3,500 Governor’s Plate Open Mares final in 1:55.4 with Cheverie in the bike over West River Ambyr (Clare MacDonald) and Woodmere Articblue (Campbell). Allan Jones of Riverview, N.B., co-owns and trains the mare with co-owner Normand Leger of Shediac, N.B.
Jeb captured the $2,200 Premier’s Pace in 1:55.1 for trainer-driver Hughes and owners Robi Hughes, and Blair and Eric MacLauchlan, all of Stratford.

A trio of $2,500 Atlantic Sires Stakes B-divisions were won by Colin N Down (Cheverie) in 1:59, Redwhiteandboots (Barrieau) in 1:59.3 and Ryans Allstar (Chappell) in 1:57.2.

Hughes had four driving wins on the card but had to settle for second place behind Campbell in the Basil Whelan Memorial points standings for leading driver of Governor’s Plate Week.
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Barrieau had a driving triple on the card while Cheverie, Campbell and Chappell all had two driving wins.