Arc Light upsets field in Charlottetown

In line to a red-hot Marc Campbell, Arc Light came first up and rewarded her backers in the featured fillies and mares preferred pace Thursday at Red Shores at the Charlottetown Driving Park.

Sent off at 6-1 odds in the $3,100 top event in Race 11, Arc Light settled away third at the start while race favourite Woodmere Skyroller (Gilles Barrieau) cut out the opening fractions of 28.4 and 58.2. Campbell then committed Arc Light first-over before the three-quarters of 1:27.3 and saw his charge shake loose in the stretch drive for a 1:56.2 victory by three quarters of a length over Woodmere Skyroller. Ladylike (David Dowling) completed the triactor combination.

Campbell also trains Arc Light for owners Crossroads Racing Stable of Stratford.

The Campbell barn was hot on the evening with a trio of winners in three straight races.

Roselily won the fillies and mares preferred two pace in 1:56.2 for trainer-driver Campbell followed by Freddie winning his 70th lifetime in 2:00.2 in Race 10’s horses and geldings open trot. Campbell also scored a catch-driving victory with The Time To Win (1:58.3) for trainer Ron Matheson.

Matheson had a trio of parades to the winner’s circle with his other two victories coming courtesy of driver Barrieau, who steered Outrageous Song (1:59.2) and Thebossisagirl (1:59.2) to wins. Barrieau also found the wire first with Wanna shake your tree (1:57.2) from his own barn for a driving triple that continues his grip on the Charlottetown driving standings.

The $2,700 fillies and mares open trot was claimed by Hop Up (2:00.2) for driver Corey MacPherson and ownertrainer Keith Campbell of Victoria West.

The father-son combination of trainer Clifford Murphy and driver Ken Murphy hooked for a pair of wins on the night with a maidenbreaking score for Fern Hill Flame (2:01.1) and the 26th lifetime win for Killean Finale (1:58.4).