Henry ties track record on Heritage Night.

Trevor Henry won 7 of the 12 races on Heritage Night including the race named for his father Ross. 

Henry drove Positrack in the Ross Henry pace and got away 4th behind Macs Fortune and Ryan Holiday.

Holiday led the race past the quarter in 28.3, and continued to lead past the half in 59.3 and the ¾’s in 1:29.2.  However, Henry pulled out 3 wide at the ¾ marker and took over the lead in the stretch to win in  1:59.1. 

Positrack is owned by Kevin Carter of Clinton. Henry’s other wins were in Race 1 with Kurlymo for Karl McNaughton of Clinton in 2:00.3, in Race 2 with Fast Water for owner Derrick Anderson of Grand Valley in 2:00.4, in Race 6 with Kennairn Crystal for owners Dustin and Catherine McClure of Clinton in 1:58.1, in Race 8 with Kashas Kid for owner Pat McIllhargy of Lucan in 1:58, in Race 11 with Skip Go Boom for owner Lavern Reid of Dundalk in 1:58.4, and in the final race with Carlynda Hanover for owner Jim Watt of Clinton in 1:57.4.

Hanover Raceway paid tribute to its past Saturday night, and 2 of the biggest names on the night were Keith Waples and Dave Wall.   

Waples said he raced at Hanover the very 1st year the current track was opened and believed it was in the late 1940’s, when they held on Fair meets.   Waples was good friends with the late Helen and Norm Lambertus who were honoured in race 11 and stayed to help with their blanket presentation on behalf of their son Bill, who lives in Pennsylvania.

Dave Wall meantime, said he won his very 1st professional race at Hanover Raceway and still remembers it vividly. He says he remembers feeling sick to his stomach coming around the final turn because he realized he was going to win.   Wall also said Hanover was a very professionally run track and gave kudo’s to the improvements made to the facilities over the past decade as well as the work done to make the track surface one of the best in the province.

Hanover Raceway also held a fundraiser during the nights races for 2 local horsemen. 

Stuart Sowerby has been a regular driver at Hanover for most of the past decade but suffered a broken hand, and a broken collarbone this summer. 

John Kennedy of Hanover is a local trainer and driver and owner who just recently completed reconstructive knee surgery  and will be laid up for the next 6 months.

Dougan says one of the best things about horse racing is the way tracks and people come together to help out each other out, when their fellow horsemen are injured and out of work.  Dougan says both of these men rely on Horse Racing to make a living, and trainers and drivers were encouraged to donated a portion of their earnings on the evening to the 2 men.  There was also a silent auction table with items for the racing fans to bid on.

Heritage Day didn’t come without its hurdles as the Hanover Fire Department had to be called in on Thursday to put out a fire in the judges booth.  

GM Gord Dougan says a lot of people came together to build a new judges stand in the grandstand area, and he was very proud and thankfull of the effort that each of these people made.  It wasn’t until just after 11am Saturday that the ORC judges gave the go ahead to allow the card of racing to proceed.   Dougan says he was confident that they’d be able to put it together but it takes a lot of effort to get 9 employee’s resituated with their equipment in proper working order.  

Finally,  Trevor Henry might not have been the biggest winner on the night.  Earl and Shirley Sturgeon of Gorrie won the 3,000 dollar Travel Vacation Voucher courtesy of Hanover Travel and Cruises, Transat Holidays, and Nolitours. 

Hanover Raceway continues live racing next Saturday night with Hanover Rona Day.  One name will be drawn to win a $ 2,500 home renovation voucher courtesy of Hanover Rona.  Post time is 7:15pm.

www.hanoverraceway.com