Winningest gelding scores again

Hugh Heff (Betterthancheddar), Canada’s 2024 harness racing leader in wins, made it three straight with a tough first-over effort at Northside Downs on Monday (Sep. 9).

Away last in a :28.4 first quarter, driver Randy Getto quickly got to work with the gelding, starting him on a first-over march on the first trip down the backside. Hugh Heff powered past rivals and reached leader Thunder Alley’s (John Kennedy) flank at the half in :59.3.

Those two slugged it out around the final turn and along the backstretch, with Hugh Heff pulling ahead at three-quarters in 1:29.1. The gelding forced the white flag from his rival on the final turn and kept marching to a four-and-a-half-length triumph in 1:59.3.

Rockinforreal (Jason MacNeil) closed past pocket-sitter Southfield Patrick (Kevin Bailey) to take second. The latter finished third.

HUGH HEFF REPLAY

Hugh Heff has now won 17 times this season, tied with Need Ur Opinion, who operates in the northeastern United States. Dana Getto trains Hugh Heff for Randy Getto of New Waterford, Susan Macsween of River Ryan, and Wayne Hardy of Sydney. The four-year-old gelding is 25-for-65 lifetime with $99,581 in earnings.

The next card at Northside Downs is set for Saturday, Sep. 14.

For complete race results, click here.

by Nicholas Barnsdale, for Harnesslink