Reinsman Stuart McDonald produces brilliant display in Albany as he wins half the eight-race card

Driver Stuart McDonald enjoyed a night out at Harold Reid Paceway on Friday, finishing with four winners to his name.

McDonald claimed victory with On The Back Foot in the final event on the eight-race program to take his tally to 19 wins for the Albany Harness Racing Club season.

In the reinsperson of the year standings, McDonald sits nearly 50 points clear of the second-placed Aldo Cortopassi after his four victories last week.

McDonald’s dominant display started with Recover Lover ($3.60) who was a narrow winner of race three over 1832m for trainer Hayden Reeves.

Recover Lover won by a half-neck over Speed Force ($16) while $2.80 favourite American Monarch was third.

McDonald and leading trainer Michael Young then combined to win the Bill Kingston Pace (2690m) with star pacer Chasing Hill.

Chasing Hill ($1.36) scored a second straight win in Albany after getting up to defeat Highly Flammable ($41) by 3.4m at the finish.

Reeves and McDonald claimed race seven over 1832m as Crowded Reactor sprinted home to just grab Sub Mariner in the shadows of the post.

Crowded Reactor was three wide for much of the race but McDonald saved him up for one burst on the final lap and they edged out Sub Mariner ($81) by a head.

Young made it a double as McDonald brought up his fourth winner when On The Back Foot claimed the Albany Scaffold Hire 3YO Westbred Pace (1832m).

On The Back Foot was well supported into a $1.80 favourite and won impressively, downing Codename Elliot by 20.1m.

Manjimup trainer Debra Sutton tasted success in the Society Chutney Pace (2265m) with driver Emily Johnson helping Just A Pet hang on in a close finish.

Just A Pet ($6) held off the late challenge of $1.30 favourite Pecunious from the Young stable and driven by McDonald to score victory by a head.

Cortopassi did have a winner on the card, saluting with the Bob Poolman-trained Bazaar Package in race two.

Bazaar Package started at short $1.30 odds and won by 24.5m.

Albany trainer-driver Tim Stone won the J&S Castlehow Pace (1832m) with Koolbardi Navajo while Firefly was victorious in race six over 2684m for trainer Lang Inwood and reinsman Ashleigh Markham.

The final race of the 2023-24 Albany season will be held on Friday night, headlined by the $11,000 MCC Constructions Denmark Cup (2265m).