Port Hood's rising star, 23-year-old Mark MacDonell, savoured a standout evening at Flamboro Downs on Sunday, February 25, clinching his premier driving win with Dapper Fella.
The breakthrough moment came in the seventh race of the night, featuring $8,000 claiming pacers. MacDonell orchestrated a strategic move, propelling Dapper Fella into action from a trailing position just as the field paraded in front of the grandstand before the halfway mark. Chasing down the frontrunner, Excavator, masterfully guided by Travis Cullen, MacDonell and Dapper Fella surged ahead to a resounding victory, crossing the line with a commanding lead of 6-1/2 lengths in a time of 1:58.2. Excavator settled for second place, with Go Mud narrowly edging out Just A Poor Boy in a thrilling finish for third.
Following an impressive third-place finish at staggering odds of 98-1 in the same class just a week prior, Dapper Fella's fortunes shifted as he entered the latest race as the 9-5 second favourite, delivering a profitable return of $5.70 for the win.
Mark MacDonell, marking his inaugural triumph after a modest 18 starts since his driving debut last autumn, basked in the glory of this significant win, commemorated by a refreshing cold shower orchestrated by his fellow drivers, who joyfully drenched him with buckets of water upon his return to the paddock post-race.
Notably, MacDonell not only steers Dapper Fella to success but also handles his training alongside co-owner Blenise Young. Acquired earlier in the month, the four-year-old Straight Shooting gelding has been a standout addition to MacDonell's burgeoning portfolio, accumulating an impressive tally of 15 training victories to date in his promising career.