First taste of victory for Cassell

Rookie harness racing trainer Danielle Cassell harnessed her first career winner on Friday at Rideau Carleton Raceway.

She shared the honour with her winning trainee, De Chairman, who broke his maiden after fifteen tries in the conditioned contest score at 19-1.
Leading driver Guy Gagnon took the lines and tucked De Chairman into fourth behind a contested lead. The dueling leaders strung out the first through :27.2 and :56 first-half fractions until De Chairman kicked to the outside nearing three-quarters in 1:24.4. He pulled closer as the top two renewed their challenge on the final turn, and he rolled past them in the last eighth of a mile to capture the victory in 1:55.4.

DE CHAIRMAN REPLAY

Cassell trains De Chairman, a four-year-old Sunshine Beach stallion, for Shawn Veinot of Ottawa. The trainer started her career in February, finishing third and eighth with Bettor Joy and Count To Three, respectively. After qualifying two horses and scratching three in July, the 22-year-old Milton resident sent out De Chairman and earned her first lifetime training win after three starts. She was previously a groom for Frederick Bourgault.

Also on the card, trainer Ginette Rancourt won her first race since 2016. She sent out four-year-old Angus Hall gelding Sky Spirit, who picked up two and a quarter lengths in the final eighth of a mile to win in 1:58.4. It was the gelding’s first win lifetime in 17 tries.

Rancourt bred, owns, and trains the horse and listed Pierre Bovay as the driver. The Farnham resident is now 24-for-245 in her training career. Her last win came with Federal Flex gelding Skyflex on Aug. 18, 2016 at Rideau Carleton.

Rideau Carleton Raceway will see racing action again on Sunday, Aug. 15.

For full race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink