Charlottetown, PE — Driver Robert Shepherd guided Smooth Lou to a career moment for the Stratford driver in winning the 62nd The Guardian Gold Cup and Saucer final at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park in the early moments of Sunday (Aug. 22).

The driver’s younger brother Patrick Shepherd trains the horse for Ontario owners Triple S Equine and Ron and Robert Woodburn as the pacer won in 1:51.1 after a first-up grind on pacesetter Somewhere Fancy (Driven by David Dowling). Somewhere Fancy set the tempo through fractions of 27.2, 56 and 1:24.1 before Smooth Lou came charging on the outside after sitting in the five-hole for a matter of strides and clearing to the lead in the final panel for the five-length win in the C$60,000 East Coast Classic.

Ideal Perception (Gilles Barrieau) was second with Legion Seelster (Richard Simard) third and Racemup (Brodie MacPhee) fourth. Somewhere Fancy faded to fifth ahead of Rock Lights (Jason Hughes), Time To Dance (Marc Campbell), Day Delight (Walter Cheverie) and National Debt (Austin Sorrie).

Also on the card, Dreamfair Zenfire won the C$8,000 Birthplace of Confederation Open Mares pace in 1:54.1 for trainer-driver Campbell.

Screen Test (Corey MacPherson) prevailed in the C$4,000 Premiers Pace in 1:53.3 for trainer Ron Gass with the two C$19,000 Joe O’Brien Memorial Gold divisions being won by Dustylanegoliath (Barrieau) in 1:53.2 and Whistler (Hughes) in 1:54.3.

Daisy River won the C$6,000 Colonel Dan Trot in a new track and Atlantic trotting record of 1:56.1 for driver Hughes and owner-trainer William Lanigan.

Campbell had a driving triple during the program and was awarded the Francis McIsaac Memorial award for the leading driver of Gold Cup Week 2021.

Hughes had four wins on the night.

Total handle was C$313,482.

For race replays and more go to Redshores.ca.