Green Manalishi colt captures $45,000 Balanced Image

Shutter Green (Green Manalishi S) won his third straight harness racing contest as he won the $45,000 Balanced Image Final for two-year-old trotters on Saturday (Aug. 24) at Hanover Raceway.

He tucked in third from post five before Bob McClure slipped him out approaching the first trip down the backstretch, and the colt took over at the quarter in :29.3. Shutter Green cruised along to the half in 1:00.4 but faced two challengers on the route to three-quarters in 1:31.1 as First Class Rule (Todd Ratchford) came first-over and stablemate Sound N Vision (Mark Etsell) attacked three-wide.

Shutter Green held his ground at the pylons and pulled away from the marauding pair on the final turn. Captain Suzuki then threatened from the passing lane, but Shutter Green refused to be beaten and held on by a half-length in 2:00.4.

Captain Suzuki finished second, three-quarters-of-a-length ahead of First Class Rule in third.

Shutter Green is three-for-five in his rookie season for trainer Etsell, who drove Sound N Vision in the race. Etsell co-owns the freshman with F. Grant Turner of Georgetown, Peter Porter of Port Dover, and Graham Hopkins of Chesley. The colt finished second on debut in the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots and was third two weeks later in a Gold, then broke his maiden in the Mid-Season Final Consolation. He has earned $57,492.

There were two sub-featured invitationals on the card, the Gail Murray Invitational for pacers and the Walker Memorial Invitational for trotters. Gias Surreal (So Surreal) beat open competition in the former, holding off Sportsline (Ratchford) by a neck in 1:55.1 after a battle from five-eighths. It was the millionaire mare’s 37th career win and second of the season. Don Lindsey trains the eight-year-old.

Charmbo Prince (Royalty For Life) went all the way in the Walker Invitation, reaching home a length winner in 1:59.1 over The Great Reset (Lorne House) in second and Cadillac (Trevor Henry) third. It was Charmbo Prince’s second B-track invitational win of the season; he also took the Vic Hayter Memorial at Clinton. Pam Forgie trains the seven-year-old gelding, a 22-time career winner.

Greatest Pleasure (Bettors Delight, Louis-Philippe Roy, 1:56) and Collusion Hanover (Bettors Delight, Roy, 1:56.2) won the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots fourth-leg divisions for three-year-old pacing fillies.

Hanover Raceway will resume racing on Saturday, Aug. 31.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink