by Magnat
Another bumper all-trot meeting will be held at the Marsa race track next Sunday. The ten race card starting at 1.15pm includes five brilliant finals from the French trotters’ championship over a 2,640m distance sponsored by the French trotters association, the SECF.
The main attraction of the meeting is naturally the Prix de Vincennes final for Premier class French trotters with a field of 10 geldings and 1 mare aged between 10 and 13 years, being:
1. Natieu d’Echal, 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro207,585 and a best time of 1’13’6 per kilometre. It has 6 places from its 8 races in Malta with a best time here of 1’14’9 per kilometre on 2,140m (best time on 2,640m, 1’16’0 per kilometre);
2. Nuage de Bourgogne, 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro258,760 and a best time of 1’12’4 per kilometre. It has 6 wins and a place from its 12 races in Malta with a best time here of 1’14’9 per kilometre on 2,140m (best time on 2,640m, 1’15’0 per kilometre);
3. Nino de Saintho, 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro263,840 and a best time of 1’12’4 per kilometre. It has a win and a place from its 5 races in Malta with a best time here of 1’15’9 per kilometre on 2,140m (best time on 2,640m, 1’17’3 per kilometre);
4. Magic de Assigny, 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro344,350 and a best time of 1’14’0 per kilometre. It has 8 places from its 16 races in Malta with a best time here of 1’15’0 per kilometre on 2,140m (best time on 2,640m, 1’16’7 per kilometre);
5. Lady de Vindecy, 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 Summer Championship Premier class 2010 and the June 2012 Prix de Vincennes) and 5 places from its 13 races in Malta with a best time here of 1’15’3 per kilometre (twice) on 2,140m (best time on 2,640m, 1’16’4 per kilometre);
6. Oltedo de Rieux, 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro183,230 and a best time of 1’13’5 per kilometre. It has won both its races in Malta so far with a best time here of 1’16’4 per kilometre on both 2,140m and 2,640m;
7. Nono de Crouay, 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro233,725 and a best time of 1’12’4 per kilometre. It has won once and placed 6 times from its 12 races in Malta, with a best time here of 1’14’8 per kilometre (twice) on 2,140m (best time on 2,640m, 1’15’9 per kilometre);
8. Nabab du Chatelet, 11 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro205,198 and a best time of 1’13’9 per kilometre. It has won 4 times and placed twice in its 14 races in Malta, with a best time here of 1’15’3 per kilometre on 2,640m;
9. Ouest Mabon, 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro274,750 and a best time of 1’12’2 per kilometre. It has 1 place from its 2 races in Malta, with a best time here of 1’17’9 per kilometre (twice) on 2,640m;
10. Milord Barbes, 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro231,990 and a best time of 1’14’2 per kilometre. It has 4 wins (including the Summer Championship Premier class 2012) and 12 places since it made its debut in Malta in March 2011 and a best time among us of 1’14’6 per kilometre on 2,140m (1’15’2 per kilometre on 2,640m);
11. Label Chouan, 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) and placed another 9 times since its debut in Malta in February 2010, with a best time in Malta of 1’15’0 per kilometre on 2,140m (1’15’6 per kilometre on 2,640m).
With 32 wins (including 5 championships) and 51 places between them, these horses involve a mix of seasoned campaingers among us and relative newcomers, making it a really tough task to determine the winner and placing horses in this race with handsome prize-money (Euro4,250 in total).
The Prix d’Enghien (Gold class) is another great final, with ten horses aged between 8 and 12 years, winners of 9 races between them this year, together with no less than 33 places and with nearly all finalists having a best time this year of 1’16’5 per kilometre or better.
These are Night Inlet, Niky de Memartin, Onyx Lucernais, Natif de Salvi, Niky du Donjon, Magnifique Sablais, Orion du Vaumicel, Orion de Chapeau, Quebec and Onyx Speed.
The Prix de Cabourg (Silver class) final comprises ten horses aged between 9 and 14 years, which have won 12 races between them this season and have placed an impressive 36 times. Their seasonal best times range between 1’15’9 and 1’18’0 per kilometre.
The full list of participants is: Narcus du Roc, Pascal d’Ablon, Prao de Bussy, Notre Allegro, Korentin, Oscar de France, Orage du Pont, Octobre En Fete, Passons d’Ortige and Max Galbe.
The Prix de Cagnes Sur Mer (Bronze class) involve a wide age gap between the ten participants, with the youngest being a 9 year old and the eldest a 16 year old. These are extremely consistent horses, having won no less than 25 times between them and placed another 41 times this season, with seasonal best times ranging between 1’16’5 and 1’17’6 per kilometre.
The list is: Mezio Josselyn, Ouragan de Crouay, Nereus Galbe, Mirage d’Ete, Orlando Dix, Obelix Blue, One Fouteau, Polytain, Icare de Jemma and Noe de Loudat.
Finally, in the Prix de Caen, the ten horses’ ages vary between 8 and 14 years and they won 9 races between them and placed on various other occasions this year. The participants are: Lucky Sauconnier, Nox Blue, Loulou de la Rose, Kaolin de Bannes, Larissa du Breil, Lorrain d’Oliverie, Neron Pierji, Ksar, Monticello and Qualou d’Axel.
The “normal” races are two for the Gold class and one each for the Silver, Bronze and Copper classes.
The French trotters’ championships are now in their 10th year and once again these finals present us with some of the cream of the best French trotters in Malta. There will certainly be a lot to see and admire at the Marsa racetrack on Sunday.
Last Meetings
The two last meetings were held in completely different weather conditions. We had wintery weather on Sunday, with the track being muddy, whilst on Thursday the weather was sunny and dry, perfect autumn weather.
Undoubtedly, the main attraction of these two meetings was the President’s Cup final held on a 2,640m distance, in front of a good-sized crowd, during a spectacular meeting.
The race had two false starts, with Count of Life running in front of the autostart on both occasions, leading to this horse being prevented from racing in the final in terms of the regulations.
When the race finally had a valid start, Zilver Boko took an early lead but after some time it was overtaken by Mars which maintained its lead until around half the distance. At that stage, Mont Cenis Honey, which had been among the frontrunners, went in front and led the race at its pace.
However, in the last half lap Mont Cenis Honey faced challenges from various horses, principally Zilver Boko, Shakira Trot, Power Night Star and in particular Kakisis, which after occupying one of the last places in the field for a good part of the race, came 5-wide with a brilliant sprint in the last 300m.
Ultimately Mont Cenis Honey held on to the lead by just a nose to notch its third seasonal win in a time of 1’16’8 per kilometre, winning the President’s Cup ahead of Kakisis, Zilver Boko, Shakira Trot and Troy Boshoeve in that order.
His Excellency Dr George Abela, President of Malta, presented the trophies to the owners of the first four horses and to the winner’s driver Noel Baldacchino.
The remaining races were over a 2,140m distance.
In the first Premier class race last Sunday, an increase in speed in the last half lap led Net de Ginai to take the lead and to maintain it till the end, taking its first win in Malta in a time of 1’19’8 per kilometre, a length ahead of Veikko Hornline, followed by Argus Hanover and Sultan November.
Carnegie Hall took an early lead in the next top class race, but Nevaio des Bordes attacked strongly in the last 400m, took the lead and claimed its fourth seasonal win, a couple of lengths ahead of True Q, followed by Utah Hornline and Belafonte, in the meeting’s best time of 1’17’4 per kilometre.
Three Gold class races also featured in last Thursday’s programme.
Eject was in front throughout the first race and claimed its first win in Malta in a time of 1’16’7 per kilometre, two and a half lengths ahead of Jerry Eme, followed by Natif de l’Hommee and L’Ideal de Fersan.
Then, Energy Launcher attacked frontrunner Natif de Fontaine in the last 350m and went in front in the middle of the final straight on its way to its first seasonal win and promotion to the Premier class, a length ahead of the latter, followed by Janitor and Troubadour S, in the meeting’s second best time of 1’16’1 per kilometre.
The last Gold class race saw an exciting head-to-head tussle between five trotters in the final straight, with Noble d’Ete coming from the outside lanes with a strong sprint to claim its second seasonal win and promotion to the Premier class in the meeting’s best time of 1’16’0 per kilometre, half a length from Reado November, followed by Ouragan d’Any and Nick de Touchyvon.
Doping test results
Recently the Malta Racing Club received five doping test results, all referring to the Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship and Condition Race finals held on the 28th October 2012.
Congratulations go to the owners and trainers of Troy Boshoeve, Zilver Boko and Livi Cantona (first three placed horses in the Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship final), Netter Williams (winner of the Cassar Petroleum Gold class Condition race) and Simb From Abroad (winner of the Cassar Petroleum Silver class Condition race), whose results confirmed that they were all clean from prohibited substances.
Michael Sultana in France
Congratulations also go to jockey Michael Sultana for managing a runner-up position in the Prix de Badou (1,500m) in the Pau racecourse in France, when riding four-year old thoroughbred Dasho.
A great month of racing
Every month of the racing season has its attractions, but the months of June and December, at the end of the first and second parts of the season respectively, feature the largest number of finals.
This month practically every meeting includes brilliant attractions of the most varied kind, with sprint racing over the 1,640m distance, various races over 2,140m and a number of finals over 2,640m.
It started with eight hard-fought semi-finals from the French trotters’ championship, then we had an attractive “normal” race meeting with two Premier class races, followed by the President’s Cup meeting, now the French trotters’ finals.
In the last two weeks of the year, we should see more attractions, with the KPH Cup involving Premier and Gold class horses racing over 1,640m, with semi-finals and final on the same day in an Elitlopp-style system and then the season ending in style with the best horses from the President’s Cup and Prix de Vincennes finals tussling it out between them for the VOB Cup over a 2,640m distance.
Registration is open also for another major attraction, i.e. the Coronation Cup, the top sprint flat race of the Maltese racing calendar. It is a pity that at the time of writing this article, registrations for this final are extremely limited, with the possibility of it not being held this year.
Registration is also open for two other features which we have not yet seen this season, i.e. monte’ and owners’ races. The latter are typically popular, whilst it is a pity that monte’ racing, such a beautiful discipline which could add more variety to the Maltese racing scene, always struggles to find participants in Malta, due in part to tradition and to the lack of a sufficient number of jockeys.
Not just the racing is varied and spectacular this month, but even the backdrop at the racecourse, with a variety of attractions for the whole family.
Thus for instance, I was so impressed with the atmosphere during the President’s Cup meeting. The presence of Malta’s Head of State walking among the spectators, addressing the racing public, presenting mementoes to the participating drivers and leading the prize-giving ceremony, provided a stately atmosphere at the racecourse and recognition of this sport’s importance in Malta.
This was surrounded by the parade of the Police Horse Cavalry Division in the racecourse, the rendering of the Maltese National Anthem by well-known singer Enzo Gusman, the parade of participating horses, the collection for the Community Chest Fund, the welcome presence of Double Trap Olympic Gold medallist Peter Wilson enjoying an afternoon at the racecourse during his visit to Malta etc.
But in particular I enjoyed the central role given to children on this occasion. From the Shetland ponies race for very young drivers, to the parade of children driving ponies and leading the drivers in the main race, to the presentation of flowers by young girls to the participating drivers and the presentation of a token to the children by the President of Malta.
Children are not just the future of our sport but even the present, with their participation demonstrating that horse-racing is not just a sport for grown-ups. But in particular it underlines the fact that the Marsa racecourse can indeed be a place for honest fun for all the family.
Well done to the Malta Racing Club and to those volunteers which put in so much worthwhile effort in the planning and organisation of this extremely successful event and last but not least, to the sponsors without whose support all this would not have been possible.
We wish you another exciting meeting next Sunday.
