Sunday 17th March 2013
8th and 9th horse-racing meetings 2013 – 17th and 19th March

by Magnat


Another two race meetings will be held over the coming days, the first on Sunday 17th March and then on Tuesday 19th March (St. Joseph public holiday). Each meeting consists of eight races being seven trot races and one flat race. The meetings’ start time is 1.30pm.


We have three main attractions in these meetings, i.e. the start of the semi-finals of the Condition Races for the Gold, Silver, Bronze and Copper classes, the semi-finals of the Chukkas Cup for thoroughbreds and two interesting Premier class races.


All trot races are over the short 2,140m distance.


We have six condition race semi-finals in each meeting (the rest being held the following Sunday, 24th March). The finalists from each semi-final are the first four from each of the Copper class races, the first two from the Bronze class races, the first four from each Silver class race (two Silver class finals will be held) and the top three from each Gold class race.


The most senior class Condition Race is the Gold class, with the two semi-finals in these meetings seeing various horses coming from positive performances, such as Orage du Pont, Keeping Quality, Oscar Mati, L’Ideal de Fersan, Blizzard AD, Niky de Memartin, Nick de Touchyvon, Jerry Eme, Reado November and many others.


The full list also includes various trotters which have performed successfully in the Premier class (and which could eventually also be promoted back to that class), some of them even quite recently.


The two Premier class races are also key attractions. Among the 15 participants, Sunday’s race sees a number of popular trotters, many being surprisingly eliminated from last week’s Tazza l-Kbira heats, including Oran, Oltedo de Rieux, Mont Cenis Honey, Ourasi Diams, Olympien Major, Mars, Label Chouan, Milord Barbes, Argus Hanover and others. All names which do not need any introduction.


We also have French 11-year old newcomer Oleron Senonchois, registered with the highest number of points for newcomers in the MRC classification. Its overseas winnings total Euro303,820 spread over 14 wins and many places, with a best time of 1’12’6 per kilometre on a 2,150m distance. In its last six races in France until its last race in mid-May 2012, it registered no less than three wins and a fourth place on distances varying between 2050m and 2925m.


Tuesday’s Premier class race also includes various trotters which have already won or placed this year, including Noble d’Ete, Net de Ginai, Troy Boshoeve, Orion du Vaumicel, Give to Get and various other valuable horses which can be serious challengers if they are in good form. Swedish 9 year old Splendido Star is also scheduled to debut in this race.


Apart from the above-mentioned newcomers, French Open Monnerie, Pelican des Champs, Quimoway d’Albizia and Quincy d’Angot and Swede Dash Boy are registered to make their debut in the Silver class.


It is a pleasure to see 12 thoroughbreds being registered to race in these meetings, in the Chukkas Cup open for all thoroughbreds. Two semi-finals are being held on a 1,750m distance, with six participants in each hailing from Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Malta and USA, three from each making it to the final.


These include horses which have already won or placed this year, i.e. Royal Fleece, Diamante Grande, Bon Santos, Timolin, Buttermilk and Henderlik, horses which are making their return after some months or years of inactivity, Four Richer, Regal Med and Privileged Boy, as well as two newcomers, Irish 6 year old Rosso Med and Italian 7 year old Bluline.


Two very varied meetings are in the offing. The semi-finals for the trot condition races and the Chukkas Cup for thoroughbreds with their restricted number of qualifiers should provide extremely hard-fought races, whilst it is always a pleasure to watch our Premier class trotters in action, providing the highest level of competition in Malta. Let’s hope that we will get a break from the recent cold weather spell, so as to allow spectators to enjoy two great afternoons of racing at the racecourse.


Last Meetings


Undoubtedly, the highlight of the last two meetings were the six Dragonara Casino Brasserie Tazza l-Kbira heats (on a 2,640m distance) held on Friday 8th March, which provided the 24 semi-finalists, four from each heat.


In the first one, Arnie Sensation took the lead at around mid-race, but could do nothing to resist newcomer Original Blue’s and Night Inlet’s attacks at the beginning of the final straight. Original Blue continued to increase in speed to finish winner by around two and a half lengths from Night Inlet, followed by fellow-qualifiers Arnie Sensation and Mig of the Wood. The winner’s time was 1’16’4 per kilometre.


The second heat saw an interesting duel in the final straight between no less than four horses, with Nicos de Peneme notching its first seasonal win beating newcomer Ofackevo by just a head on the finish line in a time of 1’17’0 per kilometre. Zilver Boko and Ouragan de Sita also made it to the semi-finals.


Then it was Odedjalo’s turn to shine, claiming its second consecutive win in the seasonal best time so far on the 2,640m distance of 1’15’4 per kilometre, thanks to a strong sprint in the final straight that led it to a comfortable win of around one and a half lengths from newcomer Okilaibo, with these being followed into the semi-finals by Poppes Fighter and Kakisis.


The fourth heat provided us with a great challenge in the final straight between Normand d’Oger and Sultan November. The former ultimately notched its third consecutive and second seasonal win, just a head in front of the latter, in a time of 1’’16’4 per kilometre. Count of Life and Nitesco d’Anthony joined the first two into the semi-finals after finishing behind them in that order.


The last half of the final straight was determining in the following heat, when at that stage we saw Nabab du Chatelet overtaking Versace Boko and taking its first seasonal win in a good time of 1’15’7 per kilometre. Simb Mark and Carnegie Hall which finished third and fourth respectively also qualified for the semi-finals.


The final heat saw a dramatic finish as then-leader Quebec was literally pipped at the post by Nino de Saintho, also at its third consecutive and second seasonal win, thus resulting in the third heat to be won just by a head. The winner’s time was 1’16’8 per kilometre. The other qualifiers were Beckham Bob and Fire.


Among the other races, it is worth mentioning the three Gold class races on the sprint 1,640m distance held during the 3rd March meeting.


These resulted in wins for Ironbar (by about two and a half lengths from Charm Hammering – after the disqualification of first horse in Global Hunt), L’Ideal de Fersan (by over two lengths from Kapro Wareco) and Orage du Pont (by about half a length from Blizzard AD – after the disqualification of first horse in Orion de Chapeau), all at their first seasonal win. Orage du Pont registered the best time to date this season, i.e. 1’14’3 per kilometre.


We also had two flat races on a 1,750m distance, one in each meeting. In the first, newcomer Diamante Grande finished strongly to win by half a length from Timolin and Henderlik, whilst in the 8th March race, a strong last half lap led Royal Fleece to claim its first win in Malta by around a length from Buttermilk and Little Anthony respectively.


Facts and Figures 2012 (Part 4): The Flat Racing Scene


It is fitting that we should end our review of the 2012 season with a look at the flat racing scene and it is also fitting that this review should coincide with the start of the first flat racing championship, i.e. the Chukkas Cup.


Maltese flat racing had a rather challenging year in 2012.


Only 16 flat races were held throughout the season which represents a reduction on the previous season. This means an average of one race every 3.75 meetings held in 2012.


Thirteen of these races were Class A races, with one Class B race and with the two finals being open for both classes.


The most popular race distance was the sprint 1,250m with 9 races, followed by 6 races on the 1,750m distance and just one on 2,250m.


The most consistent thoroughbred was Cheeky Jack originating in the USA, in its second season in Malta, at the age of 8 years last year. It won 4 times and placed twice in 3rd place in its seven races throughout the season, managing also to win the most important sprint flat race (1,250m), i.e. the Coronation Cup, after being runner-up of both the Coronation Cup and the Exotique Challenge Cup in 2011.


In the most consistent thoroughbred classification it was followed by two 5 year olds, i.e. Timolin (GER) and Darielli (USA) respectively, each winning twice and placing four times and twice respectively.


It is interesting that between them these three horses won half the flat races organised in Malta last year.


Apart from the above-mentioned Coronation Cup, another edition of the MRC Tote Mediterranean Derby, the star attraction of Maltese flat racing, was also held, this being won by 4 year old mare Sleepwalking (GB) followed by Buttermilk (winner in 2011) and Etoile du Pic.


The total number of thoroughbreds which took part in the 2012 races amounted to 33, a reduction of over 21% on 2011 (total of 42) and of nearly 33% on 2010 (total of 49).


The number of new thoroughbreds which made their debut in 2012 amounted to 10, less than half of the 22 newcomers of 2011 and the 21 of 2010. Great Britain and Ireland were the countries from which the biggest number originated, with 3 newcomers each, followed by one each from Italy, Malta, Sweden and the USA.


It is worth underlining the fact that we had one Maltese newcomer (Bon Santos), which is a rare occasion. We hope to see more Maltese newcomers in future.


The most popular age for newcomers was that of 4 years (6 newcomers), followed by the 3 and 5 year olds with 2 newcomers each. The most popular gender was stallions (6), followed by geldings and mares with 2 each.


The best time on the 1,250m distance was registered by Fyelehk (US) in 1’12’76, that on 1,750m by the above-mentioned Cheeky Jack (1’46’79), whilst the seasonal best on the 2,250m distance was recorded by Just The Best (FR) (2’21’73).


The youngest thoroughbreds racing in Malta in 2012 were the two newcomers Four Richer and Sellybegood at the age of 3 years, whilst the eldest were 11 year olds Docklands Brian and Privilidged Boy.


The Jockey of the year award was won by Ramon Grima with 82 points, followed by Demis Zammit and Michael Sultana in that order. Fourteen jockeys took part in all, no less than three of whom were Italian and with only seven managing to win or place.


No doubt not the most beautiful of statistics for our flat racing scene. We augur that all interested parties will work together to ensure that the 2013 season will be a better one for this beautiful racing discipline.


We wish you another two exciting meetings over the coming days.