ELMIRA, MAY 26, 2003 — When Stephen Gillard saw that the first Gold Series for three-year-old pacing fillies would be hosted by Elmira Raceway the Tavistock resident decided Rhiannon O Rhye would make her 2003 Ontario Sires Stakes debut against the top fillies in the province.
The decision proved to be a wise one as Rhiannon O Rhye captured her elimination last week and heads into this Friday’s Gold Final as one of the favourites to capture the winner’s share of the $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes purse.
“I felt she was just so handy on a half-mile track that Elmira wouldn’t hurt her as much as it would some of the other ones in terms of speed,” says Gillard, who bred, owns and trains the Gypsys Hellion daughter. “And so far it looks like it was a good choice.”
During a downpour so fierce Gillard says raindrops were bouncing six inches of the hoods of parked vehicles, Rhiannon O Rhye posted a two and a quarter length 2:01 victory in her elmination after being interfered with at the start when four of the eight starters went off stride.
“She had to turn right quickly and then turn left quickly. There was a lot of confusion in the first turn,” recalls Gillard. “I was a little concerned because of the sharp turns she made, but she is kind of a nervous filly and she seems to do that herself occasionally. She’ll see something and make a quick turn, but she’s never hurt herself. You can’t knock her off her feet.”
Rhiannon O Rhye and regular driver Jody Jamieson will return to Post 8 for the second week in a row, and will follow Putnam Kelly from Post 1. The other elimination winner, Lucky Irma, will start from Post 2 in the tenth race.
“Post 8 didn’t hurt last week, but you never know, one week it’s not a problem and the next it might be,” says the veteran horseman. “I just hope for clear sailing and let the chips fall where they may. If she’s good enough to beat them that’s great, but if she gives her usual 110 per cent and finishes sixth, that will be fine too.”
Among the other fillies Rhiannon O Rhye faces in her quest for OSS Gold is last year’s Super Final champion Ascending, who will start from Post 4. The Camluck daughter finished second by half a length to Lucky Irma last week and trainer Bill Robinson expects another solid outing from the winner of $274,234.
“He drove her kind of tough last week, moved twice on the leader and then ducked back in,” says Robinson. “She can look after herself. I’m not worried about her.”
Gerrie Tucker of Montreal, QC owns Ascending, who will get the services of Robinson’s regular reinsman Randy Waples on Friday night.
Elmira Raceway raises the curtain on its Friday night harness racing program at 6:55 pm and the three-year-old pacing fillies will be hoping for clear skies when they step onto the track for their $130,000 Gold FInal in the tenth race.