by Magnat
Another two race meetings will be held over the coming week, the first on Sunday 17th February and then the following Sunday 24th February, both starting at 1.30pm. Each meetings comprises 9 races, all being trot races except for one flat race in the 17th February meeting.
The chief highlight is this season’s first final involving trotters from the Premier and Gold classes, the Assikura A championship final for trotters which are neither French nor Swedish, which will be held in th 24th February meeting on a 2,140m distance.
We have nine finalists (7 geldings and 2 stallions) aged between 7 and 12 years and hailing from Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and the USA. The full list is:
1. Sultan November, German Premier class 9 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK582,179 and a best time of 1’11’’8 per kilometre on 1,609m. It has 1 win and 3 places from its six races in Malta and a best time among us of 1’15’4 per kilometre on 1,640m (1’16’5 per kilometre on 2,140m);
2. Argus Hanover, US Premier class 7 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK494,015 and a best time of 1’11’9 per kilometre on 1,609m. It has two wins and three places in its five races in Malta and a best time among us of 1’15’5 per kilometre on 2,140m;
3. Enjoy Kronos, Italian Gold class 12 year old, with overseas winnings of DNK856,440 and a best time of 1’12’3 per kilometre. It won once and placed seven times since it made its local debut in October 2010, and has a best time in Malta of 1’15’7 per kilometre on 1,640m (1’16’1 per kilometre on 2,140m);
4. Troy Boshoeve, German Premier class 12 year old, with overseas winnings of DNK875,380 and a best time of 1’14’7 per kilometre. It won twice (including the Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship 2012) and placed 10 times in its 25 races in Malta and has a best time here of 1’15’5 per kilometre (twice) on 2,140m;
5. Ygor of Pass, Dutch Gold class 8 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK225,526 and a best time of 1’15’9 per kilometre. In Malta it has won three times and placed nine times from its 18 races and has a best local time of 1’16’2 per kilometre (3 times) on 2,140m;
6. Darco As, German Gold class 9 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK279,770 and a best time of 1’12’9 per kilometre. It has won five times among us and placed another nine times since it made its debut in October 2011. Its local best time is of 1’15’5 per kilometre on both the 1,640m and the 2,140m distances;
7. Mars, Danish Premier class 9 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK1,917,059 and a best time of 1’11’7 per kilometre on 1,609m. It has won twice and also has two places from its six outings in Malta, with a best local time of 1’15’1 per kilometre on the 2,640m distance (1’15’8 per kilometre on 2,140m);
8. Pro Shop, US Premier class 10 year old, with overseas winnings of NOK940,069 and a best time of 1’12’9 per kilometre on 2,140m. It placed third in its only race in Malta so far, with a time of 1’17’4 per kilometre on the 2,140m distance;
9. Reado November, German Gold class 10 year old, with overseas winnings of NOK466,959 and a best time of 1’13’6 per kilometre. It has placed nine times in its 15 races in Malta and has a best time locally of 1’15’6 per kilometre on a 2,140m distance.
Interestingly, despite the fact that from the five countries represented, only one is Scandinavian, all finalists have raced in the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
With five Premier class horses and four quality Gold class horses, an entertaining and uncertain final is anticipated, with the winner being anybody’s guess.
The remaining races are all over the longer 2,640m distance.
These two programmes feature no less than three Premier class races. The first includes horses with the lowest number of handicap points in this class. Eight of the thirteen participants are racing for the first time this year, with everybody’s attention being directed to evaluating their current state of form.
It also features last week’s Gold class winner Oscar Mati, French newcomer Oscar Indien and recent performers Energy Launcher, Ollico Pellois and Orion du Vaumicel, in search of better form than that shown by them recently.
The second Premier class race features three other French newcomers, Of Course Ramble, Ourasi Diams and Parabellum. Participants such as Net de Ginai, Ouragan de Sita and Versace Boko have all placed well in the last couple of weeks, whilst even this race includes various horses making their return to racing this year.
The other Premier class race will be held in the 24th February meeting and this features horses with the highest number of handicap points in Malta. Horses such as Oran, Fire and Belafonte have already won this year, whilst others such as Odedjalo and Label Chouan have placed well.
Furthermore this race also features a number of excellent performers last year, such as SECF Prix de Vincennes winners Lady de Vindecy and Nabab du Chatelet, Skyparks Swedish Premier class trotters championship winner Wiss Night Hawk and multiple winners Nuage de Bourgogne, Nevaio des Bordes and Night Inlet.
We also have three Gold class races each having a minimum of 15 participants, including recent winners and runners-up such as Lovely Mab, Simb From Abroad, Keeping Quality, Charm Hammering, Janitor, Otas Fighter and Nick de Touchyvon.
French newcomer Phenix de la Roque and Austrian newcomer Blizzard AD (only the third Austrian trotter to race locally in the last 35 years) are registered to make their debut in this class.
The other newcomers in these two meetings are French Simambo de Feline in the Bronze class, Quella des Moyeux, Quileo de Mingot, Quatrain de Retz, Quero des Erablais, Panda du Pont and Pepone du Castelet, all in the Silver class, German mare Missionimpossible in the Silver class and Swede Buckens Stjarna in the Bronze class. Indeed, the first Silver class race in the 17th February meeting features no less than six newcomers.
As was the case of this season’s first flat race, this week’s class A flat race features just four participants and is over the sprint 1,250m distance. Participants are relatively new mare Maya Queen and former Mediterranean Derby winner Buttermilk, which both placed in the last race, Little Anthony at its first outing this year, and Maltese thoroughbred Bon Santos.
This year’s first Premier and Gold class final, no less than three Premier class and another three Gold class races and fifteen trot newcomers all make for two extremely varied meetings, as horses get into better form as we approach the season’s top honours, particularly the Tazza l-Kbira.
Last Meetings
The highlight of the last meetings was this year’s first final, the Assikura B final, held last Sunday and featuring 12 non-French and non-Swedish trotters from the Bronze class and the lower part of the Silver class over a 2,140m distance.
Ackaturbo went in front in the early stages, a lead which it maintained until the final straight, when it was overtaken by Finnish Daring Daylight (Charles Camilleri) which went on to claim its second consecutive and seasonal win by around 3 lengths from the same Ackaturbo, followed by Ariane A and Baronello, in a time of 1’18’5 per kilometre.
We also had two semi-finals from the same Championship but this time reserved for the Premier, Gold and the top part of the Silver classes (the Assikura A championship), always on a 2,140m distance.
The first was characterised by an entertaining head-to-head challenge throughout the final straight between two German Premier class trotters, i.e. Sultan November and Troy Boshoeve. Ultimately it was the former which took its first win in Malta by less than half a length from the said Troy Boshoeve with US newcomer Pro Shop, Dutch Ygor of Pass and Norwegian Delicious Brother following them into the final in that order. The winner’s time was 1’17’0 per kilometre.
Even the second semi-final saw another exciting challenge in the final straight between two Premier class horses, this time between Danish trotter Mars and American Argus Hanover. The latter was the stronger of the two and claimed its second win in Malta by about half a length from the said Mars in a time of 1’17’5 per kilometre. The other three qualifiers were third placed German Reado November, Italian Enjoy Kronos which finished fourth, and German Darco As which finished in fifth place.
The other races were “normal” races, also on a 2,140m distance.
In the 3rd February Premier class race it was Veikko Hornline which took an early lead, maintaining it for around the first half of the race. However with around a lap to go, Net de Ginai went in front and held on to it until the final straight, when it was overtaken by Belafonte which went on to realise its second win in Malta by about a length from the said Net de Ginai, in the seasonal best time so far, i.e. 1’16’0 per kilometre. Ouragan de Sita and Versace Boko finished third and fourth respectively.
Two French newcomers were the protagonists of last Sunday’s Premier class race. Indeed newcomer Oran, driven by its driver in France Junior Guelpa, dictated the pace throughout the second half of the race and never lost control of the race, ultimately ending up easy winner by around 3 lengths in a time of 1’16’2 per kilometre. A strong finish gave fellow newcomer Odedjalo the runner-up position, followed by Label Chouan and Fire respectively.
In the Gold class, Natif de Salvi claimed its third win in Malta thanks to a very strong acceleration in the final straight which enabled him to finish just over half a length ahead of Nick de Touchyvon, followed by Stefan Sufflor and Mint Spirit, in a time of 1’18’1 per kilometre.
It was then the turn of Oscar Mati to go in front in the final straight and to finish up clear winner by about a length from Opal Hall, Naja In Blue and Jerry Eme, in a time of 1’18’9 per kilometre. This was Oscar Mati’s fifth win in Malta.
The last Gold class race had a very close ending, with Keeping Quality resisting Janitor’s attack by under half a length. This was Keeping Quality’s second win in Malta in a time of 1’18’7 per kilometre. Lovely Mab and Swedish newcomer Rika Rico finished behind the leading duo in that order.
Two newcomers were also the protagonists of the only flat race (reserved for Class A horses on the sprint 1,250m distance), challenging each other all the way until the finishing post. Irish Potere d’Acquisto preceded British Maya Queen by about 2 lengths at the end, with Buttermilk finishing third.
As it was Carnival Sunday, the Malta Racing Club also organized a special parade in which young children wearing Carnival costumes came out on the track with their ponies.
Meeting for owners and jockeys
A meeting was held by the Malta Racing Club last Wednesday at which all owners and drivers were invited to attend. Addressed by MRC Chairman Dr Matthew Brincat, this was an important meeting at which a variety of useful information was given, about matters such as the the financial situation of the Malta Racing Club, the attempts being made to attract races covered by the PMU as from 2014, racecourse opening times etc.
It was a pity that the meeting was not so well attended but the idea of communication between the Malta Racing Club and those participating in this sport is certainly laudible. We are sure that the information that was provided during the meeting will be shared by those present with others who were not in a position to make it to the meeting.
Malta Horse Racing Awards 2012
Last Friday 15th February, the Kunsill Malti ghall-iSport, in collaboration of the Malta Racing Club, organised the second edition of the Malta Horse Racing Awards, i.e. that for the 2012 season, at the Dolmen Resort Hotel.
No less than 13 awards were handed out during this ceremony. Drivers, jockeys and owners, current or past, were honoured during a spectacular ceremony presided over by the Hon Clyde Puli, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth & Sports and also attended by Opposition main spokesman for Sports, Hon Chris Agius.
This was indeed a very well-organised and well-attended evening, building upon the good work performed on last year’s first edition, and honoured not just Maltese best performers in this sport but was also an occasion to celebrate all that is commendable in this sport here in Malta. Truly a great occasion of sportsmanship.
Presented by Sergio Mallia, the evening was peppered also with beautiful video clips, enjoyable songs by well-known singer Mike Spiteri who also managed to link his songs to horse-racing and it ended with a small reception where those present had the opportunity of mixing with each other in a friendly atmosphere.
This ceremony will be transmitted on TVM2 on Saturday 23rd February at 9.30pm.
Well done to Mr Kenneth Vella, the Chairman and his hard-working organising committee which did a wonderful job in the organisation of this occasion.
A big thank you also to the sponsors, among which Print IT, Red October, General Soft Drinks, Dolmen Resort Hotel, Emotion Signworks, Equine Supreme and Marindex Trophies.
Fourth Edition of the Assikura Championship for non-French and non-Swedish trotters
No doubt, the vast majority of our trotters are French and Swedish, with these two countries accounting for over 85% thereof.
However, although small in number, non-French and non-Swedish trotters represent a great legacy. Horses such as Varenne (IT), Abano As (GER), Moni Maker (US), Sea Cove (US) and more recently trotters such as Brioni (GER), Main Wise As (IT) and so many others, have been considered as among the best on the international stage.
Even here in Malta, we have had some impressive performers. Horses such as Huggie Hanover and Meadowbranch Fury, both American, Teseide (IT) and Ilex Garden (FI) come to my mind immediately as being among the horses which made a name in our racecourse. And recently, the 2012 Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship for Premier class trotters was won by German Troy Boshoeve.
Interestingly, until the early nineties, these horses were more unique than rare here in Malta. In the 11 years between 1981 and 1991 we only had a total of 15 newcomers (just over one a year on average) which were neither French nor Swedish and these originated predominantly in one country, Italy.
However at the time, practically all our trotters were French. When the Swedish trotters started being imported in larger numbers as from 1992, we also saw an influx of trotters from a variety of other countries (mainly Scandinavian, but also from Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, US and others), especially non-Swedish trotters racing either in Sweden or in other Scandinavian countries.
Fast forward to the last five years, the number of newcomers from these countries went from 42 in 2008, down to 32 in 2009, reducing further to 28 in 2010 and then recovering somewhat in 2011 (31) and 2012 (32). We will see whether this upward trend continues even in 2013.
This is the fourth edition of this championship, thus starting to acquire a legacy which is passed from one winner to another.
Always held over the 2,140m distance, no horse has managed to win it more than once and we will have new winners even this year. The A championship was won by Indian Attack (DK) in 2010, Count of Life (FI) the following year and by Knockout Molar (DK) last year, whilst the B championship was claimed by Gandhi Brogard (DK) in 2010, by Boston Harbor (US) in 2011, Prince Regent (US) in 2012 and Daring Daylight (FI) this year.
Notwithstanding the number of the participants, this championship puts the spotlight onto an aspect of the Maltese horse-racing community which although small in number, is nonetheless precious, and continues to contribute to the variety at our racecourse, by making our races truly international.
We wish you another two exciting meetings over the next week.
