GLOUCESTER, ON — Trotting hopples proved to be the secret ingredient for two-year-old trotting colt Mister Machine, who cruised to a 12 and a half length victory in Grassroots action at Rideau Carleton Raceway on Friday evening.

Owned by Prescott resident Dr. Frederick Albert, Mister Machine and driver Jason Gilchrist powered straight to the front from Post 5 and never faced a challenge from the field of seven trotting colts. The pair sailed across the wire in 2:03.1, the first flawless effort the colt has delivered since the Grassroots season opener at Hanover Raceway on July 5.

Aragon Seelster, owned by Maurice Darveau of Gatineau, QC and Ecurie Celine of Cornwall, picked up the runner-up share of the $15,000 Grassroots purse, while fan favourite Elderon settled for third.

Spencerville resident Louis Gilchrist trains Mister Machine, who jumped into fourth in the division standings with a total of 105 points earned through two wins and one fifth-place finish in three Grassroots starts.

The Gilchrists and Albert came within a length and a half of earning a second Grassroots trophy when King Clifford finished behind Nasty Dream in the last Grassroots division.

Ronnie MacLean trains and drives Nasty Dream for Glory B Stables Inc. of London. The Kaisy Dream son started his Ontario Sires Stakes career in the Gold Series event at Grand River Raceway on July 31, making an early break that left him well back of the field. On Friday at Rideau Carleton the colt was flawless in a come from behind effort that saw him stalk pacesetter and fan favourite Oratorio and then sprint down the stretch to a 2:03 victory, leaving Oratorio to settle for third.

Trainer Wayne Henry picked up a pair of Grassroots trophies as Archies Dream and T Js Mr Lavec sailed to identical 2:02 clockings.

In Race 5 Henry drove Archies Dream to a two and one quarter length victory over Keystone Saint and pacesetter and favourite My Rebelious Ways, trained and driven by his nephew Nick Henry. The win was the Angus Hall son’s third in Grassroots action and gives him a commanding lead atop the division standings with 175 points.

The Henry Stable of Arthur and Sopman Holdings Limited of Thornhill own the homebred colt, who was also sporting trotting hopples for the first time.

Trevor Henry piloted T Js Mr Lavec to his 2:02 victory in the sixth race, hitting the wire half a length ahead of favourite Tymal Cherub and 14 and a half lengths up on Chuckalo Malabar. The Arthur resident bred and owns T Js Mr Lavec in partnership with James Laverty of Sauble Beach and has driven the Mr Lavec colt to two wins, one third and one fourth in Grassroots action, with both of the wins following the addition of trotting hopples to the colt’s equipment bag.

With just two regular season events remaining, T Js Mr Lavec sits behind his stablemate in second-place in the point race.

Trainer Gregg McNair and driver Randy Fritz also teamed up for a pair of Grassroots wins on Friday. The duo appeared in the winner’s circle following the first and eighth races with The Midas Man and Dalton Hall.

The Midas Man was making his first Grassroots start after butting heads with the Gold Series colts since June 29. Owned by Joseph Critelli of Lockport, NY and William Switala and James Martin of Clarence Center, NY, the Angus Hall son sprinted to the front from Post 8 and sailed around the Rideau Carleton oval to a six and one-quarter length win in 2:02.3.

Favourite Snazzy Hot Rod, another former Gold Series warrior, finished second and Thundering Gus rounded out the top three.

Friday’s start was just the second of Dalton Hall’s career, but the Striking Sahbra son was no less impressive, fighting his way around the outside to a half length victory in 2:05.3. Promising Gait and Keystone Bounty recovered from early breaks to finish second and third.

Guelph resident McNair shares ownership of Dalton Hall with Leonard Gamble of Etobicoke and Dean Lockhart of Collingwood. The colt made his racing debut in an overnight at Flamboro Downs on Aug. 5, finishing fourth in a 2:00.3 mile.

The other Grassroots division went to Armbro Edward in 2:03.1.

The two-year-old trotting colts meet for their second last Grassroots event on Sept. 3 at Clinton Raceway. Ontario Sires Stakes excitement returns to Rideau Carleton Raceway next Thursday, Aug. 24 with Gold Eliminations for the outstanding three-year-old trotting fillies.

For complete results please go to:

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