The old adage stating that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish was illustrated to perfection by driver Paul Langille in Saturday’s single $16,360 Atlantic Sires Stakes division at Northside Downs.
A solid field of five freshmen colts and geldings were assembled in the ATSS event, boasting a group of colts that had all tasted stakes success. In fact, the two most successful colts in the field — Tobins Rebel and Woodmere Rollnpop — didn’t even go the gate as the post-time favourite.
That honour went to Windemere Ryan (Adam Merner) who fronted the field early. Meanwhile, the longest shot on the board — Harry G and Paul Langille — was gapped off at the gate in post four. Perhaps that room worked to his advantage as close third choice Woodmere Rollnpop (Clare MacDonald) made a break while vying for the lead heading into the first turn. MacDonald reset Woodmere Rollnpop quickly and settled him into fourth, while Harry G was fifth and more than 12 lengths back of the leader at the opening quarter. That station was reached by Windemere Ryan in :29.1, and he continued on that lead through middle panels of 1:00.2 and 1:30.3.
Meanwhile, Harry G advanced to fourth and second over after avoiding Woodmere Rollnpop during his second break in stride at the half. Langille then tipped Harry G three-wide around the final turn and found enough late kick to outsprint Tobins Rebel (Gilles Barrieau) and Windemere Ryan and trip the timer in 2:00.2.
The win was the third of the season for Harry G (Rollwithitharry – Chris N Tel Arrow), a homebred trained by Langille for owners Arleen, Chantel & Christine Gillis. The win puts the colt’s earnings at $16,730 on the season for the Gillis clan.
(Files from Standardbred Canada)