Fillion, Henry and Demers Triple Up + A Meet-High Handle Highlight New Year’s Day Racing In London

Samuel Fillion drove Canada’s first standardbred winner, of 2025, in Wednesday evening’s opener at The Raceway at Western Fair District. Race favourite Spooky Lou, in his Raceway debut, would come from off the pace to break his maiden, in 2:01.4, for owner’s Barry McLennan and Tom Riley. Fillion would then send So Strange all the way, in Race 5, to win for owner/trainer Keith Cullen of London and then trainer Riley/driver Fillion would strike once more for a victory, in Race 8, with the heavy fave in Del Diggity for Triple S Equine.

Samuel Fillion’s career-best season, in the sulky, was in 2024 as he would guide 309 winners and bank $2,095,450 in purse earnings. (Standardbred Canada)

Driver Travis Henry and trainer Gerard Demers continue to be a very strong combination at the Forest City oval, this meet, as the pair would make it to victory lane three times on the night. Gascoigne Sundae, coming in off an impressive 18-win campaign in 2024, was able to hold on in Race 6 for La Tag Ferme Inc… Henry and Demers would come right back in Race 7 with a dominant winner in Hes Got Swagger - capturing his 56th career win…The pair would then hit again in Race 9 with Fern Hill Breeze for owner Craig Ellis.

Travis Henry was also coming in off a career-best season, in the race bike, with 395 victories and $2,521,377 in purse money earned in 2024. (Dale Leiska)

Gerard Demers would have his first million-dollar season, as a trainer, in 2024 and he would also post career-highs of 131 victories and $1,121,575 earned on the year. (New Image Media)

The evening’s feature event would see Dows Up closing out the 11-dash program with a pocket-ride to victory in 1:58.2 for owner’s Sally Charlton and Sergio Vespa. Trained by Lindsey Kerr and driven to win by Lorne House the son of Shadow Play would take the finale over Island Beach Boy and Azucar Jack. Then came Beach Tour, Tuukka Rasp, National Debt, Arukidinme Cabbie and Thatll Be Sporty.

Other winners on the card included Smlsliketeenspirit (Austin Sorrie), Scottish Cheddar (Rob Doyle), Favaro Seelster (Garrett Rooney) and Furiosa (Colin Kelly).

Total handle on the New Year’s Day program was a meet-high $827,590.

Next race card > Friday Live Racing - Post Time 5:50 PM — The Raceway at Western Fair District

Please note there will be no live racing on Monday, January 6… The racing schedule for next week features Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evening post times at 5:50 PM.