Mickie Mantle strikes again in $100,000 Robert Murphy Memorial

Mickie Mantle (Custard The Dragon) won back-to-back major West Coast harness racing events in the $100,000 BC-bred Stake Robert Murphy Memorial Final on Friday (Nov. 24) at Fraser Downs.

Kelly Hoerdt dropped the gelding in the three-hole as Rum N Raisings (John Abbott) blitzed out a :26 first quarter. The top three remained in position to the half in :55.4.

Mickie Mantle tipped off the pylons on the backstretch and advanced with Rum N Raisins holding strong on the front. The top two battled around the turn and into the stretch until Mickie Mantle kicked clear in deep-stretch. With a trio of horses closing in, Mickie Mantle got home a winner in 1:54.2.

Chief Is Boss (Dennis Johnston) charged for second at 50-1. Usual Suspect (Scott Knight), who trailed to the half, got up for show.

MICKIE MANTLE REPLAY

Mickie Mantle’s victory made it back-to-back stakes wins after his Alberta Sires Stakes Super Final. He also defended the BC-bred Stakes title he earned last year in the Robert Millbank Memorial. The gelding has come into his own late in the season for trainer Kelly Hoerdt, who co-owns with Fred Gilbert of Brandon. The sophomore is now 11-for-23 lifetime with $234,998 in earnings.

The sister series for fillies also concluded on the card in another close finish. Red N Ready (Betterthancheddar, Phil Giesbrecht) sat the three-hole with favourite Side Piece (Brandon Campbell) showing the way, aiming for her sixth straight win. In a similar move to Mickie Mantle’s, Red N Ready slid out on the backside, slingshotted forward, and remained on the rim around the final turn. Side Piece and she fought down to the line, and Red N Ready nailed her opponent by a neck for the 8-1 victory in 1:53.3. Kahala Storm (Jeff Hunt) was nine-and-a-half lengths back in third.

RED N READY REPLAY

It was Red N Ready’s sixth win in nine tries this season as a rookie. The filly, trained by Kyle Chadwick for Robert Chadwick of Surrey, has now earned $73,800. The Friday win was her first start in a stakes final and came after one start in the series’ preliminary legs.

Sunshine Boy (Sunshine Beach, Campbell) won his fourth straight Preferred on the night. He moved up from fourth in the third panel and forged to the front in the stretch to win in 1:54. The Jim Marino-trained gelding now boasts a record of 21-for-65 lifetime and a bankroll of $235,828. Marino co-owns him with J J J Stables of Prince George and Paul Sanders of Surrey.

SUNSHINE BOY REPLAY

Fraser Downs will be back in action on Thursday, Nov. 30.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink