from Standardbred Canada

Mississauga, ON — Fields are now set for the fourth leg of the 2017 World Driving Championship, set for Wednesday (Aug. 16) at Hippodrome 3R in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

The WDC will kick off with its first leg on Saturday (Aug. 12) at Century Downs in Balzac, Alberta. To view the draw and complete information for the first leg, click here. The Championship will then continue on Monday (Aug. 14) with the second leg, which will take place at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario. To view the draw and complete information for the second leg, click here. The third leg will take place on Tuesday (Aug. 15) at Georgian Downs in Innisfill, Ontario. To view the draw and the complete information for the third leg, click here.

Eleven of the top harness racing drivers from around the globe will compete in the fourth of five legs. Drivers will earn points based on their finishing position and the top point-earner will be declared the 2017 World Driving Champion and win $25,000 in prize money.

The Hippodrome 3R leg consists of four races, with the WDC races slated for races five-eight. Each race will feature 11-horse fields.

Here are the entries for the World Driving Championship races.

World Driving Championship – Race 1 (3R – Race 5)
Purse: C$4,000 – 1 mile, Pace (Eight horses on the gate; three trailers)
Approx. Post time: 8:54 p.m.

(Post – Horse – Driver – Country)
1. Loves A Challenge – Rik Depuydt (Belgium)
2. Eataam Whosurboy – Gerhard Mayr (Austria)
3. Negligent Hanover – Mark Purdon (New Zealand)
4. Lacaille Gabe – Noel Baldacchino (Malta)
5. Maracasso – Marcus Miller (USA)6. Ninoscredit – James MacDonald (Canada)
7. Imagine Speed – Dexter Dunn (Defending Champion/New Zealand)
8. Taylor B Swift – Bjorn Goop (Sweden)
9. First Shot – Eirik Hoitomt (Norway)
10. Cabernet Seelster – Shane Graham (Australia)
11. Fire Luck – Mika Forss (Finland)

World Driving Championship – Race 2 (3R – Race 6)
Purse: C$4,000 – 1 mile, Trot (Eight horses on the gate; three trailers)
Approx. Post time: 9:24 p.m.

(Post – Horse – Driver – Country)
1. (PP5) Holiday Spirit – Eirik Hoitomt (Norway)
1A. (PP7) Tymal Recap – Marcus Miller (USA)
2. (PP1) SOS Justice – Dexter Dunn (Defending Champion/New Zealand)
3. (PP2) Kim Sorel – Rik Depuydt (Belgium)
4. (PP3) Chinnys Wings – Mika Forss (Finland)
5. (PP4) Crown Point – Gerhard Mayr (Austria)
6. (PP6) Echos Funky Claude – Mark Purdon (New Zealand)
7. (PP8) Tuscans Memory – Noel Baldacchino (Malta)
8. (PP9) Y S Suzanne – Shane Graham (Australia)
9. (PP10) Abundasass – Bjorn Goop (Sweden)
10. (PP11) Federal Strike – James MacDonald (Canada)

World Driving Championship – Race 3 (3R – Race 7)
Purse: C$4,200 – 1-1/16 miles, Pace (Eight horses on the gate; three trailers)
Approx. Post time: 9:54 p.m.

(Post – Horse – Driver – Country)
1. Shanghai B G – Mika Forss (Finland)
2. Iron Phil – Mark Purdon (New Zealand)
3. Noloseblues – Rik Depuydt (Belgium)
4. Terror Suspect – Bjorn Goop (Sweden)
5. Jolts Prayer – Dexter Dunn (Defending Champion / New Zealand)
6. Orator – Noel Baldacchino (Malta)
7. Now What Hanover – James MacDonald (Canada)
8. Dont Tell Mom – Shane Graham (Australia)
9. Davinci Seelster – Marcus Miller (USA)
10. Tickle My Fantasy – Gerhard Mayr (Austria)
11. Old Fashioned Gal – Eirik Hoitomt (Norway)

World Driving Championship – Race 4 (3R – Race 8)
Purse: C$4,400 – 1-1/16 miles, Pace (Eight horses on the gate; three trailers)
Approx. Post time: 10:24 p.m.

(Post – Horse – Driver – Country)
1. Wine After Five – Mark Purdon (New Zealand)
2. Hard Rock – Dexter Dunn (Defending Champion / New Zealand)
3. Jds Caleb Man – Shane Graham (Australia)
4. Danzig Moon – Eirik Hoitomt (Norway)
5. Tidewater Tomahawk – Noel Baldacchino (Malta)
6. Wild River Swan – Mika Forss (Finland)
7. Appleby Hanover – Bjorn Goop (Sweden)
8. Astreos Boy – Gerhard Mayr (Austria)
9. P L Gyro – Rik Depuydt (Belgium)
10. Winoc Jimmy – James MacDonald (Canada)
11. Road Warrior – Marcus Miller (USA)

Post time for the first race on the card is set for 7:18 p.m (EDT). The action off the track includes a meet and greet autograph session for race fans with the WDC drivers starting in the Grandstand at 5:45 p.m., Participation 150, a presentation by the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame as well as a miniature horse and face painting for kids. After the fourth race, 3R officials will conduct the post position draw for the 2017 Prix d’Ete.

The defending champion, New Zealand’s Dexter Dunn, represents the International Trotting Association. The World Driving Championship will also consist of the following top-ranked international competitors: Shane Graham of Australia; Gerhard Mayr of Austria; Rik Depuydt of Belgium; James MacDonald of Canada; Mika Forss of Finland; Noel Baldacchino of Malta; Mark Purdon of New Zealand; Eirik Hoitomt of Norway; Bjorn Goop of Sweden; and Marcus Miller of the United States.

After the Hippodrome 3R leg, the drivers will head to Prince Edward Island’s Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at Charlottetown Driving Park for the fifth and final leg of the Championship, which will take place on Friday (Aug. 18) and will be one of the major highlights of Old Home Week.

The World Driving Championship — along with the 25th anniversary edition of the World Trotting Conference, to be hosted in Charlottetown — are both held every two years and will coincide with the 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada, and Canada 150 celebrations.

Important Links:

Full entries for Wednesday’s card (morning line odds to be added when available)
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/racing/entries/data/e0816trrvsn.dat

Electronic program pages for the World Driving Championship races:
https://goo.gl/jbFP2B

For more information about the 2017 World Driving Championship, visit www.worlddrivingchamps.com.