by Magnat

After seven weeks of summer break, horse-racing returns at the Marsa racetrack next Friday 14th September at 6.45pm with a ten race, all-trot card, over a 2,140m distance.

Apart from horses returning after the summer break, the meeting sees also various trotters coming back to competition after a longer lay-off period.

The main attractions consist of two Premier class races each having a final-sized field of twelve horses.

In the first race we find four newcomers, Swedes Cassius Hall, Celebrity Photo and Pinekiller and French Quipo de Billeron, as well as relative newcomer Power Night Star which managed a win and a runner-up position (in the Summer Championship Premier class final) in its first two races in Malta just before the summer break. The remaining horses are in search of better form than that of the first phase of the season.

The second Premier class race sees the return of a number of popular trotters, such as five-time winner Nuage de Bourgogne and 2011 Summer Championship Premier class winner Major Chaleonnais which has not yet raced this year. The remainder are also well-known trotters, some of which have also placed in a top class final this year, such as Veikko Hornline (third-placed in the Summer Championship final) and Count of Life (runner-up in the Assikura Championship final).

The two Gold class races are equally balanced and include full 16 horse fields with the participation of various horses that were successful in their last outings before the summer break, such as Pouvoir Magique and Petrus du Vivier (both with two wins and a place in their last three races), Key Value and Victory Farming (both with a win and two places in their last three races), Little Nick (two wins in its last three outings), Why Not As (a win in its last race), Orion du Vaumicel (two runner-up positions in its last two races including the Summer Championship Gold class final) and others.

Three newcomers are also scheduled to make their debut in these two races, i.e. French Nurburgring and Oh du Pestel and Swede Zombrero Son.

The remaining races are three for the Silver class, two for the Bronze class and the other for Copper class horses. The newcomers in these races are Swedes Mr Snowman and R.S.P. Knife, Finn Daring Daylight and French Pilote de Nganda in the Silver class and Dutch Andri Boko (just 5 years old) in the Bronze class.

The first September meetings are always somewhat speculative, with everyone trying to gauge the participants’ state of form after the summer break. But with the Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship starting around the end of September, horses aiming to be protagonists in this second phase of the season should be well on their way to reaching an appropriate level of preparation...

Last Meeting

The last meeting was that held on the 27th July and this was entirely dedicated to seven Summer Championship finals on a 2,140m distance.

The most important final was naturally the Premier class one, where Mont Cenis Honey took an early lead from Milord Barbes and Power Night Star, a lead which it maintained until the final straight when Milord Barbes driven by France Cassar attacked strongly, went in front and claimed its first seasonal win and this championship, in an excellent time of 1’14’6 per kilometre, the best time in Malta on the distance for over three years.

Power Night Star, Veikko Hornline and Mont Cenis Honey took the places in that order.

The Gold class final saw an intense struggle in the final straight between Nacarat Campbell (Rodney Gatt) and Orion du Vaumicel. The win finally went to the former (second seasonal win) by just over half a length, in a time of 1’16’1 per kilometre, with Orion du Vaumicel, Pouvoir Magique and Key Value taking the places.

A strong attack in the last half lap led Cal Win (Shaun Portelli) to take the lead and to defend it successfully till the end, to win the Silver class final (its second seasonal win) by nearly a length from Bankir Zon, Orage du Pont and Onwards Star. Its time was also that of 1’16’1 per kilometre.

Another impressive increase in speed in the last half lap was crucial for Quouky du Soir (Redent Magro) to finish winner of the Bronze class final about a length ahead of Polytain, with Obelix Blue and One Fouteau taking the remaining places. This was the third consecutive and seasonal win for Quouky du Soir in a time of 1’16’4 per kilometre, its overall career best time.

The Copper class final gave us arguably the tightest finish of the day with no less than six horses sprinting together to the finish line. Ultimately Loulou de la Rose (Michael Ellul) was the fastest of the lot to claim this final and its second seasonal win in a time of 1’17’6 per kilometre. Icare de Jemma, Jeo de Touvois and Orasi Index placed behind the winner in that order.

Ouragan de Crouay (Larson Mifsud) took an early lead in the Silver class consolation final and held on to it all the way. However it had to defend it strongly from a determined attack by Ouraki du Drochon in the final metres, with Ouragan de Crouay finally managing to take its second seasonal win by just over a head, in another time of 1’17’6 per kilometre. Jet Space and Poete de la Sarthe finished third and fourth respectively.

Finally, Pretty Post entered the final straight of the Bronze class consolation final in the lead, but at that stage Orio de Marancourt unleashed a strong attack which led it to take its first win in Malta by around two lengths from the same Pretty Post, Nolan Streamline and Nuthan d’Emi in a time of 1’18’1 per kilometre.

Doping test results

Recently the Malta Racing Club received five doping test results. Two refer to participants in the SECF championship finals for French trotters held on the 17th June, whilst the other three refer to participants in the VOB Grand Final held on the 26th June.

Congratulations go to the owners and trainers of Milord Barbes and Icare de Jemma (both participants in the SECF championships finals), and Label Chouan, Lady de Vindecy and Milord Barbes (all participants in the VOB Grand Final), whose results confirmed that they were all clean from prohibited substances.

Drivers in the limelight in Summer

This summer our drivers gave further proof of their initiative and talents by managing to claim the limelight even with the Maltese racing season temporarily closed for the summer break! Seems incredible, but how did they manage to do this?

(a) Driver of the Month Award

Primarily we had the award of the Driver of the Month for July which was won by veteran driver France Cassar on the basis of his win in two finals during that month, on Milord Barbes in the Premier class final and Orio de Marancourt in the Bronze class consolation final. He also obtained another win during that month on Nacarat Campbell in the Gold class, as well as four places, two on Orion du Vaumicel, and one on each of Orio de Marancourt and Milord Barbes.

We wish France all the best! Many thanks also to Anthony Axisa Importers & Suppliers of Animal Feeds, for supporting this award by sponsoring July’s edition.

Then we had a number of our drivers being active in foreign racecourses.

(b) Amateur races in Sweden

In early August, a contingent of Maltese drivers travelled to Sweden to participate in three amateur races against Swedish drivers, which races were sponsored by Finn Tack.

We congratulate drivers Eugenio Bondin, Etienne Carabott, Ivan Carabott, Josef Cassar, Karl Debono, Gilbert Farrugia, Mario Farrugia and Ludvig Ghigo who had a fruitful and successful international driving experience.

Among the best results obtained by the Maltese drivers in Sweden we find Ivan Carabott’s win at Solvalla racetrack on trotter Ajo Zenit and Josef Cassar’s runner-up position on Vilja Brick in the same race.

Ludvig Ghigo was also successful in Sweden, winning at Mantorp racetrack on My Entertainer, while Etienne Carabott registered a good third placing in another race at Vaggeryd racetrack. Other drivers such as Gilbert Farrugia and Mario Farrugia also registered good places in these races.

Another friendly encounter between Maltese and Swedish drivers took place later in August at the Sundbyholm racetrack in Eskilstuna on a 2,140m distance. Four Maltese drivers (Charles Farrugia, Michael Ghigo, Darren Mizzi and Jason Vassallo, with the other Maltese driver, Pierre Caruana, being unlucky to have his horse scratched) and five Swedish drivers took part.

The win went to Gidds Leg driven by Darren Mizzi, with Jason Vassallo following him as a close runner-up on Careful Victory. Charles Farrugia placed fifth on Ryns Pascal.

(c) European Ladies’ Races

The interesting initiative which we saw at the Marsa racetrack last April with the organisation of a European Ladies Race continued with two other races during the summer. In August, our driver Lorraine Cunningham participated in a similar race held in Duinigt, the Netherlands, on a 2,000m distance.

The race was won by the Dutch representative Annemiek Beekman while Lorraine finished in sixth place on Atleet Vredebest, a trotter which is more accustomed to race on shorter distances.

At the beginning of this month Lorraine was also the Maltese driver in another race for European lady drivers which was held in Solvalla, Sweden, on a 2,140m distance, when she partnered gelding C. Me Run and finished in fourth place.

Then she proceeded to Finland where she participated in two other ladies' races.  The first took place at the Pilvenmaki racecourse in Forssa, where she placed fourth on Precious Day, whilst she then partnered with another outsider, the mare Tango Nights and finished in fifth place in a race held at the Metsamaki racecourse, in Turku. 

(d) Drivers taking part in other races overseas

There were also drivers who participated in other races outside Malta. Those that came to our attention were Josef Cassar who successfully drove the Danish horse Mars to a fourth place in a 3,140m race held in Orebro, Sweden (where Josef’s horse was starting with a 60m handicap), and Jason Vassallo’s two races at Visby racecourse partnering Sandrone and Mint Princess.

(e) Mediterranean Horse Racing Union drivers’ championship

The top two Maltese drivers in the current Malta Racing Club classification, i.e. Noel Baldacchino and Charles Camilleri, both represented Malta in two further legs from the MHRU drivers’ championship.

In August, Charles Camilleri represented Malta in the French leg from this championship which was held in Cagnes Sur Mer on a 2,700m distance. Charles was unlucky to be drawn to partner outsider Quimi de Bruyere, but still managed to conduct a good race, finishing in fourth place among the MHRU championship’s participating drivers.

Then on the 1st September, Noel Baldacchino represented Malta in the Russian leg held at the Ufa racecourse. Noel was unlucky in the first race and did not achieve a good placing but he then won the second race – another great achievement for him on foreign soil – finishing overall in third place in this leg.

Malta currently holds the runner-up position in the general standings with one leg to go, i.e. that which will be held in Slovenia (the current championship leaders) later on this month.

(f) European Professional Drivers’ Championship

Last but not least, on the 15th and 16th September (this weekend), current Champion driver Noel Baldacchino will represent Malta in the European Professional Drivers’ Championship organised by the Union Europeenne du Trot (UET – the European trotting association) which will be held in Hamburg, Germany.

This championship will be held over eight races during the coming weekend.

Another prestigious appointment for Malta and for Noel where he will join top professional drivers from eleven other countries. The list of competitors is indeed splendid – Enrico Bellei for Italy, Bjorn Goop for Sweden, Eric Raffin for France, Eirik Hoitomt for Norway, and all the others; well-known names across Europe.

We are sure that Noel will do his very best and will be a very worthy representative of our drivers, once again demonstrating their talent on the international stage.

A truly impressive list of international engagements for our drivers this summer! And there may also have been others who participated in races overseas but which did not come to our attention. However the above provides solid proof of how much our drivers are not just limiting themselves to domestic competition but also have the intelligence and self-confidence of seeking international exposure.

A big well done to all of them for this great initiative and for the international experience that they acquired through it.

We wish you all a great start to the second phase of the season.