HANOVER, ON — Local horsemen put on a clinic for their peers at Hanover Raceway on Saturday night, capturing four of eight sophomore trotting colt Grassroots divisions.

Owen Sound resident Paul Walker set the stage for the local show with a 2:01.3 triumph with Wolfman Hall in Race 2. Sent off from Post 4 as the fan favourite, Walker and the Balanced Image son carved out all the fractions and were able to hold off Village Favorite at the wire to record the neck victory. Freewheel Hanover trotted under the wire four lengths behind in third.

Frank and Linda Loyens of Denfield own Wolfman Hall, who was making his first appearance in the winner’s circle. The chestnut colt started his three-year-old season at the Gold level before dropping back to the Grassroots for the June 14 event at Georgian Downs where he finished fourth.

Walkerton native Gregg McNair followed Walker’s lead with a victory in Race 6. Ray McLean, Jr. piloted McNair trainee St Lads Speedy to a commanding four length victory in 2:00.2. Pierre Lavec and Oz Good Haul rounded out the top three.

McNair, who now makes his home in Guelph, trains St Lads Speedy for Paul Barkley of Morrisburg. Through five starts this season the Mr Lavec son has posted one win and two seconds and $13,375 in earnings, boosting his lifetime bank balance to $85,026.

Jim McClure and Wendell Waples teamed up in Race 7 to score another front end victory with a local favourite. Oaklea Nolan made his Ontario Sires Stakes debut a triumphant one and extended his win streak to three with a solid 2:01. 4 victory over Bouncyballad and Tequila Dream.

Hepworth resident Waples owns and trains Oaklea Nolan, who has been flawless through three starts at his local oval this season, posting a personal best 2:00.3 in his July 13 debut.

Trainer-driver Mark Etsell completed the local skill demonstration with a 2:01.2 victory aboard Just Do It in the eighth race. After being interfered with and knocked off stride at the start of the race, Just Do It inherited the victory when Viva Paco failed to lose ground while on a break in the stretch. Victory Balance, owned by William Thompson of Markdale, and Right Mind were also moved up one position when Viva Paco was placed back to fourth. The top three colts are all sons of Ontario Sires Stakes super sire Balanced Image.

Owned by Hanover resident Etsell, Neil Spahr of Wellesley, Robert Newton of Walkerton and Bruce Newton of Waterloo, Just Do It has put together a record of two wins, one second and one third in four starts this season.

McClure picked up a second victory on the evening with a come-from-behind effort with Benoit Baillargeon’s Industrial Strenth in Race 9. The veteran reinsman piloted the Angus Hall son to a 2:01.1 victory over Zorgwijk Fortunate and Howdoilook for owner Joanne Nestved of Dover, DE.

The other three Grassroots divisions went to I Am Irish in 2:00.2, Pleasure Valley in 2:02.2 and Runway in 2:00.3.

The three-year-old trotting colts compete in the fifth of six Grassroots events on their schedule on Aug. 27 at Sudbury Downs. Ontario Sires Stakes action is back in Hanover on Wednesday, Aug. 10 with a Trillium Series event for the two-year-old trotting fillies.

For complete results please go to:

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/results/data/rhnvrsa.html