by Magnat
With the onset of summer, the remaining meetings before the summer break will take place in the evening. The next two meetings will held on Tuesday 26th June and on Friday 6th July, both starting at 6.30pm (no Euro 2012 football on both days). Each meeting includes ten races, all of which are trot races over a short 2,140m distance apart from one flat race over the sprint 1,250m distance.
The highlight of the 26th June meeting is the VOB Grand Final for Premier class trotters, whose participants comprise five originating from the Prix de Vincennes final and the other five from the Sette Giugno Cup final.
Unfortunately Sette Giugno Cup winner Zilver Boko and Nevaio des Bordes, fourth-placed in the Prix de Vincennes have not been registered for this final, and they have been substituted by two other valid horses.
The full list of participants (9 geldings and 1 mare) originating in Denmark, Finland, France and Sweden is as follows:
1. Label Chouan, French 13 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro222,716 and a best time of 1’13’8 per kilometre. It won 8 times (including the December Prix de Cabourg) plus 6 places since its debut in Malta nearly 2 and a half years ago, with a best time in Malta of 1’15’0 per kilometre.
2. Milord Barbes, French 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro231,990 and a best time of 1’14’2 per kilometre. It has 3 wins and 8 places from its 22 races in Malta and a best time among us of 1’15’0 per kilometre.
3. Op Le Cosseen, French 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro204,210 and a best time of 1’13’3 per kilometre. It has 1 place from its 3 races in Malta and a best time among us of 1’15’7 per kilometre.
4. Count of Life, Finnish 13 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro29,437 and a best time of 1’14’3 per kilometre. It gained 10 wins and 35 places with a best time in Malta of 1’14’5 per kilometre since it made its local debut around 5 years ago.
5. Niky du Donjon, French 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro143,240 and a best time of 1’14’6 per kilometre. It has 3 wins and 3 places from 14 races in Malta and a best time here of 1’16’2 per kilometre.
6. Lady de Vindecy, French 13 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro294,170 and a best time of 1’11’9 per kilometre. It has 5 wins (including the June Prix de Vincennes and the 2010 Premier class Summer Championship) and 3 places from its 10 races locally and a best time here of 1’15’3 per kilometre.
7. Mig of the Wood, French 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro432,710 and a best time of 1’12’2 per kilometre. It has 3 wins (including this year’s Dragonara Tazza l-Kbira and the December Prix de Vincennes final) and 5 places from 10 races in Malta, and a best time among us of 1’15’0 per kilometre.
8. Skip Dimanche, Swedish 9 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK961,750 and a best time of 1’12’4 per kilometre. It has 2 wins and 4 places from its 19 outings in Malta, with a best time in Malta of 1’15’5 per kilometre.
9. Happiness Photo, Danish 12 year old, with overseas winnings of DNK705,482 and a best time of 1’13’0 per kilometre. It has 5 places from its 10 races in Malta and a best time among us of 1’15’5 per kilometre.
10. Wiss Night Hawk, Swedish 11 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK1,483,991 and a best time of 1’13’4 per kilometre. It has 2 wins (including this year’s Skyparks Premier class championship) and 6 places from 16 races locally and a best time here of 1’15’1 per kilometre.
In the next two meetings we will also have the start of the Summer Championships, one for each trot class. The finalists will be selected through an ad hoc points system with each trotter being given the opportunity to compete in two races leading to the classification from which the finalists will result. Participants do not gain nor lose handicap points as a result of the Summer Championships.
Apart from the VOB Grand Final, two other Premier class races for the Summer Championship will be held, together with four for the Gold class, six for the Silver class, four for the Bronze class and the remaining two for the Copper class.
Both Premier class races include a full field of 16 horses. The first features various horses which have been recently promoted from the Gold class through some optimal performances. These include Oscar de la Vallee (two places in its last three outings), Veikko Hornline (a win and a place from the last three races), Marini du Mont (a win and two places in its most recent races), Skyparks Gold class championship winner Lover Boy Index (two wins from its last three races) and others.
The second includes horses such as Arnie Sensation, Maximal Value, Nabab du Chatelet, Super Qui and others coming from good performances in their last couple of races, and the return after some time away from racing, for horses such as Tygo Idzarda, Mont Cenis Honey, Lipouz Lesmelchen and Malin Roro.
We also have three interesting newcomers from different countries in this class, i.e. Danish I Pitstop, Swedish Shakira Trot and Speeden from the USA.
The last two are registered with the highest number of points for newcomers in Malta.
Shakira Trot is a nine year old mare having overseas winnings of SEK1,477,200 and a best time of 1’12’0 per kilometre on 1,609m. It gained 11 wins and various places abroad, with its last win taking place in Mantorp racecourse last December on a 2,200m distance.
Speeden is a ten year old stallion having overseas winnings of DNK953,280 and a best time of 1’12’2 per kilometre, registered at Halmstad racecourse in Sweden in 2006 on a 1,609m distance. It has raced in the USA, Norway, Sweden and Italy, with its last race in September 2010.
Ten other newcomers are also registered to make their debut: French Ozerio, Plaisir d’Amour and Quebec in the Gold class, Naya Hanover (DK), Onuphus (FR), Paradise Begonia (FR) and Prao de Bussy (FR) in the Silver class, and Ariane A (NL), Nomi Poppelgard (DK) and Stan du Bosq (FR) in the Bronze class.
Tuesday’s Class A flat race comprises only four participants all having features of interest. Little Anthony has been runner-up in both its races in Malta (once in the Mediterranean Derby), Prince Yarraman returns to racing after a seven month absence, Nuage de la Tour returned to racing with a third place in May after a five month absence, while Irish four year old Honey Moon is expected to debut.
A great final for Premier class trotters, the start of the last championship before the summer break and some fine racing in (hopefully) cool Mediterranean summer evenings, should guarantee an entertaining fare at the racecourse in the coming weeks.
Last Meetings
The last two meetings were dominated by five finals from the SECF championships reserved for French trotters, which were held on Sunday 17th June on a 2,140m distance.
In the Prix de Vincennes (Premier class) final, Milord Barbes took an early lead which it maintained until the last phase of the race, when around 350m from the end Lady de Vindecy (Julian Farrugia) launched a strong attack on the outside lanes which led it to take the lead in the final straight and to retain it till the end. It took its second consecutive and seasonal win by over a length, in its best time in Malta of 1’15’3 per kilometre.
Mig of the Wood just pipped Milord Barbes for the runner-up position with Nevaio des Bordes finishing fourth and Label Chouan fifth.
The Prix d’Enghien (Gold class) provided the fastest time of the weekend, 1’15’0 per kilometre, with Nuevo Musette (Noel Baldacchino) also claiming its second consecutive and seasonal win in its best time in Malta, resisting runner-up Marini du Mont’s strong attack in the final straight to win by around a length. Oscar Mati and Podium took the remaining places.
Ollico Pellois (Noel Baldacchino) led practically from start to finish in the Prix de Cabourg (Silver class) final to register its second seasonal win by nearly two lengths in a time of 1’16’3 per kilometre. Oregon de la Foret, Pascal d’Abloy and Petrus du Vivier finished after the winner in that order.
Nympheta de Bisoir (Jonathan Farrugia) made it two winning mares in these finals, when it also led practically from start to finish and resisted runner-up November Oaks’ courageous attack in the final straight to claim its first seasonal win by less than half a length in the Prix de Cagnes Sur Mer (Bronze class) final in a time of 1’16’6 per kilometre. It’s My Way and Notre Joyeux took the remaining places.
16-year old veteran Icare de Jemma (Tony Demanuele) dominated the final straight of the Prix de Caen (Copper class) final to take its first seasonal win by around eight lengths in 1’17’0 per kilometre, a very good time for this class. Jibilo du Terme, Mistral du Chene (which had led for long stretches) and Ideal de Suce claimed the places in that order.
The Prix de Vincennes presentation was led by His Excellency the Ambassador to France Michel Van Der Poorter together with the Honourable Clyde Puli, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth and Sport, accompanied by Mr Benoit Fabrega, a senior officer of the French trot association, the SECF, sponsors of these championships. Mr Fabrega accompanied by Malta Racing Club Chairman Dr Matthew Brincat led the presentations for the other finals.
The remaining races were “normal” trot races, also on a 2,140m distance. Those of the Silver class were won by Black Guy (first seasonal win), Man Quick (first seasonal win in 1’16’6 per kilometre, the best time of the weekend’s “normal” races), Netter Williams (first seasonal win), Okilebo de Bremont (first win in Malta) and Pedros au Top (second seasonal win).
Abzolute Pepper, Prince Orange and Wonderofyou all claimed their first in Malta in the Bronze class, with the other Bronze class race resulting in the first seasonal win for Syllabub. Esmeralda Run took its second seasonal win in the only race for Copper class trotters.
Another edition of the VOB Cup
The Variable Odds Betting Cup (or the Bookmakers’ Cup) is steeped with tradition, having been around for decades. Since the eighties, the first one I remember is that of January 1982. Over the years this Cup was characterised by variety.
Variety in the years in which it was held, often once a year, but sometimes twice or three times a year or none at all (as was the case for instance between 2001 and 2008), variety in the classes for which it is open, from the Premier or A1 class (as is the case today) to the old class H – all the old A1 to H classes at some stage over the years were eligible to compete in this championship and in the nineties it was never open for class A1 trotters, etc.
Even the times of year in which it has been held and the distances (long and short) have differed over the years.
I admit that the format I like best is that of the last years, when it has been dedicated to our top class trotters and held at the end of the first phase of the season in end June – beginning July on a short distance (2,140m) and at the end of the season on a longer distance (end December – beginning January – 2,640m).
The participants now originate from a gruelling selection process, with the final being open to the first five in the Prix de Vincennes final and the first five in the Sette Giugno Cup (or President’s Cup in December) final. In turn the finalists in these other two finals are determined after heats and semi-finals in the Prix de Vincennes and semi-finals in the Sette Giugno Cup (French participants might have even run a Prix de Vincennes heat before).
After such a difficult task to qualify, being in the final is already a major achievement, but everyone tries his best to win this trophy or at least obtain a good placing. However from a spectators’ perspective, this selection process presents us with a true Grand Final, an event open for the best and most in-form trotters of all nationalities.
Over the years the list of winners of this Cup originating in the Premier/ A1 class is truly impressive. Gael (1982), Isard du Pont (1983), Kypro Pile (1985), Mistral du Vallon (1988), Neroli de Vaure (1989), Arnie Sensation (2009), Think Yatzee (2010), Lou Petoit (unnamed final with the bookmakers as sponsors – January 2011), Isolated (June 2011) and Livi Cantona (December 2011).
A new name will be carved on this Cup next Tuesday because none of this year’s finalists have won it before. But we can be assured of one thing – with the quality of the finalists we have, whoever it will be will certainly be a worthwhile successor in the steps of its illustrious predecessors!
We wish you two other exciting meetings.
