by Magnat

The first phase of the 2012 season comes to an end next Friday with the last summer meeting, which starts at 7pm and will consist of seven trot races over a 2,140m distance. 

This is a splendid finals meeting consisting of a summer championship final for each trot class plus additional consolation finals for each of the Silver and Bronze classes.  The finalists were selected on the basis of the ad hoc points system applied for these championships.

The highlight of this meeting is undoubtedly the final for Premier class horses.  Here, unfortunately, Prix de Vincennes winner Lady de Vindecy and Tazza l-Kbira finalist Arnie Sensation  have not been registered, and have been substituted by two other valid horses.

The full list of participants (11 geldings and 1 mare) originating in France and Sweden is as follows:

1.  Malin Roro, French 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro202,890 and a best time of 1’13’3 per kilometre.  It won twice and placed five times in its 15 races in Malta and has a best time here of 1’15’0 per kilometre.
2.  Net de Ginai, French 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro295,730 and a best time of 1’13’1 per kilometre.  It gained one place from its four races in Malta, with a best time here of 1’16’1 per kilometre.
3.  Veikko Hornline, Swedish 8 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK642,150 and a best time of 1’14’0 per kilometre.  It has 1 win and 3 places from 8 races in Malta and a best time here of 1’15’6 per kilometre.
4.  Power Night Star, Swedish 7 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK569,570 and a best time of 1’12’5 per kilometre.  It has won its only race in Malta in a time of 1’15’6 per kilometre.
5.  Label Chouan, French 13 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro222,716 and a best time of 1’13’8 per kilometre.  It won 9 times (including the December 2011 Prix de Cabourg and the June 2012 VOB Cup) plus 7 places since its debut in Malta 2 and a half years ago, with a best time in Malta of 1’15’0 per kilometre. 
6.  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 10 places from its 24 races in Malta and a best time among us of 1’15’0 per kilometre. 
7.  Nitesco d’Anthony, French 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro182,730 and a best time of 1’15’0 per kilometre.  It has 2 places from its 4 races in Malta and a best time here of 1’16’0 per kilometre.
8.  Mont Cenis Honey, French 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro339,520 and a best time of 1’12’5 per kilometre.  It has 4 wins (including the December 2010 Prix de Vincennes) from its 8 races in Malta with a local best time of 1’15’7 per kilometre.
9.  Oviedo Vici, French 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro231,770 and a best time of 1’13’0 per kilometre.  It claimed 3 wins and 4 places from its 15 races locally with a best time of 1’14’7 per kilometre (Malta’s seasonal best so far on the 2,140m distance).
10.  Shakira Trot, Swedish 9 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK1,477,200 and a best time of 1’12’0 per kilometre.  It has won both its 2 races in Malta so far and has a best time among us of 1’16’1 per kilometre.
11.  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 2 places from its 5 races in Malta with a best time of 1’15’6 per kilometre.
12.  Bonus Kall, Swedish 8 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK948,700 and a best time of 1’12’7 per kilometre.  It has 5 places from its 10 outings in Malta with a best time here of 1’15’4 per kilometre.

This mix of veterans and relative newcomers should certainly provide all the ingredients for another exciting top class final.

The Gold class final also includes various high profile trotters.  Aged between 7 and 12 years these already have 21 wins and a multitude of places between them this season.  Ten of the finalists have a best time this year of 1’16’5 per kilometre or better.

Consisting of six French, four Swedes, one Dane and one American, the full list of horses is:  Key Value, Side Spin, Natif de l’Hommee, Orion du Vaumicel, Love Heart, Baron G.L., Nacarat Campbell, Little Nick, Pouvoir Magique, Peasant Gallant, Naja In Blue and Ozerio.

Also extremely in-form, the Silver class finalists are aged between 7 and 14 years. They have already registered 16 wins plus a good number of places between them and eleven of them have a best time this year of 1’17’4 per kilometre or better.

Six French, four Swedish, one Belgian and one German, the full list of horses is: Newton du Pic, Bankir Zon, Koko Loco, Stoms Alex, Onwards Star, Cal Win, Lucas Ness, Geronimos Cadillac, Passons d’Ortige, Napolitano Sun, Orage du Pont and Ackaturbo.

The Bronze class horses have also won a good number of races this season (13 between them, apart from numerous places) and nine of them have a best time this year of 1’17’7 per kilometre or better, i.e. quite close to the best times of the Silver class finalists.  The participants’ ages vary between 5 and 12 years and they hail from France (seven), Sweden (three) and the Netherlands (two).

The full list is:  Stan du Bosq, Ariane A, Polytain, Marchallah, Mac du Boult, Quouky du Soir, Third Time Lucky, Sir de Landerije, Obelix Blue, Super Mack Grocer, Law Suit and One Fouteau.

The Copper class horses include the largest age variety of the finals, between 4 years and 16 years. 

Six finalists hail from each of France and Sweden, having already won eight times (and placed on various other occasions) between them this year, whilst ten of them have a current seasonal best time of 1’18’5 per kilometre or better.   The full list is:  Kung Fjalar, Orasi Index, Royal Qui, Dandy, Loulou de la Rose, Ideal de Suce, Apple Tooma, Icare de Jemma, Esmeralda Run, Leader Changerie, Jeo de Touvois and Nox Blue.

The Silver class Consolation final will see the following participants hailing from France, Sweden and Finland: Olifant du Pouy, Triangel Kall, Poete de la Sarthe, Ouraki du Drochon, Bella Notte, Quartz des Pinons, Zerbin, Ouragan de Crouay, Must du Buisson, Big Hit, Man Quick and Jet Space.

The Bronze class Consolation final participants originating in France, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and the USA are: Orio de Marancourt, Nuthan d’Emi, Syllabub, Tornado Hornline, Pretty Post, High Speed Night, Phenix d’Or, Cocos Kaos, Marlow As, Louise Wood, Pout de Quelaines and Nolan Streamline.

So far we have had another entertaining season and there is no more fitting way to end the first phase than with a meeting containing no less than seven finals.  We wish the best of luck to all participants and exciting, nail-biting races for all spectators.

Last Meetings

The last two meetings were dedicated to the Summer Championships on a 2,140m distance.

Two Premier class races were held.  In the first, Oviedo Vici took an immediate lead and maintained it throughout, but it could not resist the strong attack launched by newcomer Power Night Star in the final straight, with the latter managing to triumph by a head in a time of 1’15’6 per kilometre.  Oviedo Vici, Op Le Cosseen and Bonus Kall claimed the places in that order.

In the second Premier class race, Milord Barbes took an early lead which it maintained until the final straight, when Shakira Trot attacked in a determined manner, went ahead around 200m from the end and finished up claiming its second consecutive win by just over a length, in a time of 1’16’1 per kilometre, ahead of Milord Barbes, Label Chouan and Matrix Reloaded.

We also had three interesting Gold class races.

In the first, Quebec led the field practically throughout the race and crossed the finishing line first.  However the stewards placed this horse in third place due to an interference infringement in the final straight.  Thus, the win went to Key Value followed by Orion du Vaumicel, the said Quebec and Energy Launcher, in a time of 1’17’0 per kilometre.

Then in the last meeting we saw two Gold class horses registering their second consecutive win.
 
First it was Little Nick which led for nearly the entire race and finished first by just over a length from Nacarat Campbell, followed by Baron G.L. and Rambo Lambo, in a time of 1’16’1 per kilometre.

Then it was Pouvoir Magique which managed to go in front in the final straight and beat Side Spin, Ozerio and Nobel Pasmarick by around a length in a time of 1’16’3 per kilometre.

The remaining races were won by Passons d’Ortige (first win in Malta), Stoms Alex (second seasonal win), Koko Loco (third seasonal win) and Orage du Pont (second consecutive and seasonal win) in the Silver class, Stan du Bosq (first win in Malta), Quouky du Soir (second consecutive and seasonal win) and Sir de Landerije (first seasonal win) in the Bronze class, as well as Copper class horses Icare de Jemma (second seasonal win) and Kulls Nero (first seasonal win).

Doping test results

Recently the Malta Racing Club received ten doping test results.  Five refer to participants in the SECF championship finals for French trotters held on the 17th June, three refer to participants in the Sette Giugno Cup final held on the 7th June, whilst the other two refer to participants in the Mediterranean Derby held on the 10th June. 

Congratulations go to the owners and trainers of Lady de Vindecy, Nevaio des Bordes, Nuevo Musette, Ollico Pellois and Nympheta du Bisoir (all participants in the SECF championships finals), Zilver Boko, Happiness Photo and Wiss Night Hawk (all participants in the Sette Giugno Cup final) and Sleepwalking and Buttermilk (both participants in the Mediterranean Derby), whose results confirmed that they were all clean from prohibited substances.

Vamos a la playa

I do not think that the Righeira group ever thought that the title of their 1983 song, which is translated as “Let’s go to the beach”, would be used in a horse-racing article!  But I feel that it constitutes a fitting concluding title to the article preceding the summer break.

The first six and a half months of this season – extremely productive months - have literally flown by!

There are so many things happening at and around the racecourse that sometimes we lose track of time.

Thirty eight exciting meetings, eight trot finals or series of finals and the Mediterranean Derby for thoroughbreds, improvements to the infrastructure of the racecourse, awarding a number of drivers the “Driver of the Month” honour and so much else. 

Now it’s time for a few weeks of rest, where we all take a break and relax.  Everyone needs some rest because all this activity is inevitably tiring.

Tiring for the horses who race regularly, for their owners, trainers and drivers who prepare them, for race organisers, stewards, journalists and even for me writing these articles!

Living in a hot island in the centre of the Mediterranean, many will truly head for the beach  with their loved ones.

This counts not just for us but also for the horses.  They will also stop for a while and probably also enjoy some swimming.  A good break often works miracles for them too, those which have had an intensive training and racing regime, those which are nursing some injury etc.

But this will not be a period of rest for everyone. The Malta Racing Club will continue to work on making further maintenance and improvements at the racecourse, make all the necessary preparations for the second phase of the season etc.

Also, like all animals, horses still need people to take care of them, even during times when they are not racing.  These people continue to take care of them during the summer months, knowing that autumn will soon be with us and the horses need to be rested and well prepared for the rest of the racing season. 

As usual before the summer break, I remember with gratitude the many people who have helped me in writing these articles, admittedly quite an effort for me due to my other commitments.  

I thank the Chairman, Council and employees of the Malta Racing Club for the support they regularly provide me with. 

My extreme gratitude goes to Mr Nicholas Farrugia, whose historical records on the Maltese trot racing scene since the eighties are simply incredible and who is always extremely patient and forthcoming on the regular occasions when I seek his help.  Many thanks Nicky!  

Many others have also kindly provided me with useful information whenever I requested their help.  These include (in alphabetical order) Twanny Bugeja, Lorraine Cunningham, Tommy Cunningham, Tony Demanuele, Mike Orland, Kenneth Vella, Mark Vella and others.  I sincerely thank them all for their kind support.

In a small country like ours, where facilities are always scarce, it is through helping one another that we manage to maximise our resources.

And now, vamos a la playa ... may we all have a good period of rest. We meet again, God willing, in the first half of September, well rested and eager for a great second part of the 2012 racing season! 

In the meantime, we wish you an exciting finals’ meeting to end this first phase of the season.