by Diane Daniels, for Truro Raceway

Truro, NS — The first of five legs of the Robert Banks Memorial Series for older mares is slated for Sunday, July 17 at the Truro Raceway.

The mares nominated must be four-years-old or older and be Canadian sired and/or 100% Canadian owned. Sponsors include Standardbred Canada in conjunction with Atlantic Properties Management and the host racetrack. The Championship final will take place at the Summerside Raceway on September 28, 2005.

Out of town contenders declared in consist of the daughter of Western Hanover, Ten Foot High, for Joe Janega and Ivan MacKenzie, the PEI entry, Sugar P for Rylie Farms, Danny Purcell’s Justice Denied off spring, Bettim Amanda, trained out of Charlottetown by former Truro trainer/driver, Jeff Lilley, and Woodmere Rockette for Lowell Stead, also of PEI.

To date the only definite for the hometown contingent is the popular six-year-old Largo mare, La Sorciere, owned by Roy Burton of Truro. Other possible local representatives are Hilliard Graves’ Kickin In and Jema Bonofide for Fred Saunders of Truro.

Post time for this Sunday’s live harness racing action is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. with the qualifiers to hit the track at 3:30 p.m.

On Sunday, July 24, Truro Raceway will kick off the 24th annual edition of Atlantic Grand Circuit Week with the preliminary card featuring the Atlantic Sires Stakes division for the two-year-old pacing colts. In order to allow time for the opening ceremonies and extended live event, post time for the initial Grand Circuit week card is 1:00 p.m., with Opening Ceremonies meet and greet brunch to commence at 11:00 a.m.

AGCW will continue on Tuesday, July 26 with the second card of live action starting at 4:30 p.m., showcasing not only the two-year-old pacing fillies in the Atlantic Sires Stakes but also the third annual Neil “Chops” Campbell Young Guns Driving Challenge. Participants in this contest must hold a valid driving license and be 25 years of age or younger.

The finest young drivers in Atlantic Canada are preparing to suit up for the challenge and are comprised of Truro teamsters Anthony Banks, Craig Carey, Nicholas White and Ambyr MacPhee. Visiting reinsmen Gregory Bailey and Shawn Lynk from Sydney, Stefan DeCourcey out of Fredericton and Douglas Folkins, Jr. from the Exhibition Park back stretch in Saint John will all be vying for top honours. The lone female competitor came out in front in the first challenge of 2003 while Greg Bailey of Sydney is the 2004 defending titleholder.

Last Sunday’s harness racing action was dominated by Canada’s most winning female teamster, Nova Scotia’s own Clare MacDonald. MacDonald continued to rack up the numbers by scoring a single in race four, followed by a natural hat trick in heats eight, nine and 10.

Her first win came when she got the call on the three-year-old Largo colt If for winning connections Lee Blaikie and Donald Smith of Truro. MacDonald was also in the seat with Terry Osborne’s Hawaiian Lightning gelding Size Matters, registering a new life’s mark of 1:59.1, and back again in the ninth with the older pacer Monacos Luck, for Neal Moase of PEI. Monacos Luck was claimed from the Steve Morton training stable out of the $2,000 division by Walter Walker of Inverness. The $4,500 claimer Georgio En Or, owned by Ken St. John of Beaverbank, rounded out MacDonald’s afternoon with the pair drawing away from the field by seven lengths at the wire.

Reinsmen Carl Isenor and Anthony Banks each posted driving doubles on Sunday’s bill. Isenor combined with Carey Ross’ Myrriahs Bestman to capture a division of the $2,000 claimers and struck again in the 11th, picking up the catch drive on River Judy for Dave Pinkney of Truro.

Anthony Banks, a candidate in the Neil “Chops” Campbell Young Guns Challenge, nabbed his first in the sixth with the four-year-old Fit For Life mare Kim Ly for David MacDonald of Halifax. Victory number two came in the finale, with Kilkerran Ursula climbing from seven to first in seizing the 13th for Doug Ferguson of Tatamagouche.

Prominent Maritime harness racing personality Danny Romo is zeroing in on yet another career milestone. The Shubenacadie resident’s stats indicate that he currently sits with 2,975 lifetime wins, 25 away from the 3,000 marker with total career earnings of C$4 million-plus.