Charlottetown, PE – Aled Hanover was on the top of his game for this one. The five-year old son of Western Hanover tipped three wide at the half mile marker and opened lengths on the field to win the Preferred Pace in a torrid 1:53.1 Saturday night at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park. Alex Sobey drove the pacer to his third win in eight starts for trainer Dale Sobey and owner Ron Hall of Wallace, NS. Hall has a summer home in Summerside. It is rumored he will enter Aled Hanover for the Gold Cup & Saucer. All nominees will be announced during the annual press conference and post position draws on Tuesday at 11:30am.

 The margin of victory was charted 12-1/2 lengths over Leading Camdidate (Jason Hughes) and Every Day (Brian Andrew).

 On other action, driver Gilles Barrieau remains red hot on PEI. The N.B. based pilot, who won the top driver of Lobster Carnival Week in Summerside, pulled off a sweep of the opening leg of Spud Island Classic for open mares presented by the PEI Potato Board.

 Barrieau scored with General Luckypercy in 1:57 for her third win in a row for owners Jack Brown of Charlottetown and Jodilyn Matheson of Cambridge, Ontario. Jackie Matheson is the winning trainer.

 Top honors also went to Kaylas Sophie who held of a late charging Private Joke (John Holmes) in 1:55.1. The mare, owned by Dale Orr of Oak Bay, N.B, came within three-fifths of a second of the track record for aged mares in Charlottetown.

 Jason Hughes had two winners on the card.

 The wager was $34.874. Racing returns to Red Shores Summerside Wednesday at 7pm. Old Home Week 2012 kicks off Thursday at 7pm with Gold Cup & Saucer trial one on Saturday. Opening post time is 7pm.