Five in a row for top Atlantic gelding

Merigo Magic (Tobago Cays) added a fifth win to his unbeaten three-year-old harness racing season with an open-length victory in the Atlantic Sires Stakes (AtSS) A division for sophomore male pacers on Saturday at Northside Downs.

The gelding hurtled his way through the first quarter, opening up by five lengths as he put up the opening fraction of :28.2. Adam Merner settled him down to a half in :59.2 and three-quarters in 1:29.3 with Check Your Chip (Myles Heffernan) attacking on the backstretch. Merigo Magic put distance between himself and the challenger on the final turn and stretched his lead to three-and-three-quarter lengths as he sealed the victory in 1:58.1. Check Your Chip was a tough second. Pauls Crown (Marc Campbell) completed the ticket.

MERIGO MAGIC REPLAY

It was the third stakes win in a row for Merigo Magic after a PEI Colt Stakes Gold division and his split of the Donnie and George Turner Memorial. Melissa Rennie trains the gelding, who is now 10-for-15 lifetime with $71,890 in earnings, for Mike May, Hernan McQuaid, Derrick Cameron, and Ian Walker.

Tobins Chester (Shanghai Phil, Campbell) took the second AtSS A split. He popped the pocket going down the backside and soared to a four-and-a-half-length score in 1:55.4. Jackies Boy (Heffernan) and Dunsan Harry (Merner) were second and third, respectively.

TOBINS CHESTER REPLAY

Tobins Chester, winner of the Atlantic Breeders Crown at two, has racked up $64,971 in career earnings and has won nine of 13 starts. He is two-for-three this season for trainer Ashley Gamester and owner Donald MacRae.

The B division winners were Jack Boswall (Tobago Cays, Campbell, 1:57.1) and Beers On Me (Source Of Pride, Campbell, 2:00.1).

Campbell was the most frequent visitor to the winner’s circle on the 14-race card with four trips.

Racing will continue at Northside Downs on Saturday, Jun. 29.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink