Sunday 27th October 2013
40th horse-racing meeting 2013 – 27th October

by Magnat


The next race meeting will be held on Sunday 27th October, consisting of 8 trot races and starting at 1.45pm.


The highlight of this meeting are five finals of the Cassar Fuels autumn Condition Races for the Gold, Silver A, Silver B, Bronze and Copper classes, all on the short 2,140m distance.


The senior final in this meeting is that for Gold class trotters, which presents a mix of French and Swedish participants (9 geldings and 1 mare), a number of which are still relatively new for Malta:


1. Prince Gaillard, French 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro118,540 and a best time of 1’14’9 per kilometre.  It has placed three times in its four races in Malta with a best time among us of 1’16’7 per kilometre (twice) on 2,140m;


2. Charm Hammering, Swedish 8 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro301,400 and a best time of 1’14’6 per kilometre.  It has won 5 races and placed 4 times in its nineteen races in Malta so far, with a best time of 1’15’3 per kilometre on 1,640m (1’16’0 per kilometre on 2,140m);


3.  Nacarat Campbell, French 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro149,280 and a best time of 1’14’1 per kilometre.  It has won seven times (including the 2011 and 2012 Summer championships – Gold class and the Pavo Feeds Cup 2011) and placed another 6 times in its 17 races in Malta, with a best time among us of 1’15’3 per kilometre on 1,640m (1’15’5 per kilometre on 2,140m);


4. Quel Noir, French 9 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro175,130 and a best time of 1’13’2 per kilometre.  It has placed in its only race in Malta with a time of 1’16’3 per kilometre on 2,140m;


5.  Veikko Hornline, Swedish 9 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK642,150 and a best time of 1’14’0 per kilometre.  It won twice and placed another 10 times since its local debut in March 2012, registering its best time here in Malta of 1’14’8 per kilometre on 2,140m;


6. Nitesco d’Antony, French 12 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro182,730 and a best time of 1’15’0 per kilometre.  It won once and placed 9 times in its 22 outings in Malta so far and has made its all-time personal best here in Malta with 1’14’3 per kilometre on 1,640m (1’15’8 per kilometre on 2,140m);


7.  Midnight Passion, Swedish 7 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK447,250 and a best time of 1’13’4 per kilometre.  It won four of its five races in Malta so far and has a personal best time among us of 1’15’3 per kilometre on 2,140m;


8.  Premier Avril, French 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro176,140 and a best time of 1’13’0 per kilometre.  It placed in one of its two races in Malta so far with a best time here of 1’15’4 per kilometre on 2,140m;


9. Pitchpin des Bois, French 10 year old, with overseas winnings of Euro132,004 and a best time of 1’13’5 per kilometre.  It won twice and placed another time in its eight races in Malta with a best time among us of 1’15’1 per kilometre on 2,140m;


10. Skars Hanna, Swedish 10 year old, with overseas winnings of SEK543,000 and a best time of 1’12’7 per kilometre.  It won twice and placed another three times in its ten races in Malta with a best time here in Malta of 1’14’8 per kilometre on 1,640m (1’15’1 per kilometre on 2,140m).


With 25 wins (including three championships) and 38 places between them this is a very interesting set of trotters (aged between 7 and 12 years) some of which have already proven themselves and others are exciting new ones!


The Silver A final is another great one with six Swedish trotters, two French, one Dane, one Finnish and one Italian horse (no less than five nationalities) aged between 7 and 11 years.  With 10 wins and 32 places between them and best times of between 1’14’9 and 1’17’2 per kilometre, the full list of participants is:


Mind Your Head, Dacoit, Lacoste I.T., Quel Gibus, Insomnia Grif, Manuel Jet, Matador Knick, Paleo de la Dives, Zandina Boshoeve, Prince Lu and Mint Condition.


The Silver B final features broadly the same level of horses, but in this case with a predominance of French trotters, i.e. ten, together with one Swede and a German, all aged between 7 and 15 years.  With 19 wins and 51 places between them and best times of 1’15’6 and 1’17’2 per kilometre, the full list of participants is:


Passons d’Ortige, Queen du Sablier, Lys de l’Oasis, Socrates, Magnific As, Pile Ou Face, Pittacos, Pilote de Nganda, Nasdaq du Closet, Swahili de Nacre, Quaid Tejy and Quioco Dry.


Ten are the participants in the Bronze class final – four Swedes, three French, one Dane, one Dutch and one US (again, five nationalities), aged between 6 and 17 years.  With 13 wins and 25 places between them and best times of between 1’16’0 and 1’17’5 per kilometre, the full list is:


Gin T. Dalimo, Loustic d’Anjou, Petchora, Willesden Hanover, Icare de Jemma, Donna Giant, Pema, Command Coger, Andri Boko and Meadow Dancer.


We find the widest age difference between participants in the Copper class final – a difference of 12 years between the youngest of 4 years and the oldest of 16 years.  A predominance of Swedish trotters (eight), plus three French and one German having 11 wins and 37 places between them and a best time of 1’17’7 or better for eight of them, the participants are:


Hotchmin, Ingo Moon, Hulegardens Filur, Monte Cinto Mag, Royal Qui, Ballad Ribb, Claude Carnevale, Simambo de Feline, Esmeralda Run, Parce Que, Pine Wood Harry and Cocos Kaos.


The remaining three races are normal ones; two for the Silver class and one for Copper class trotters, all on the longer 2,640m distance.  Among the points of interest, we find the last Silver class race, with various horses coming from positive performances in their last two outings, such as Isebel, Law Suit, Partisan de Bouere and others, and three French 9 year old newcomers, Quebec de Chenu, Qurieux du Ponchet and Quad de Beauregard.


We do not have a Premier class race on Sunday, but five exciting Condition Race finals for the other classes, including a high quality Gold class final, more than make up for this.  Another entertaining afternoon at the racecourse is guaranteed for all spectators!


Last Meetings


The Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship final for Premier class trotters held on the 13th October over the short 2,140m distance, was the protagonist race of the last two meetings.  And what a race it was!


Ygor of Pass took the lead from among the nine participants (including Label Chouan, which unfortunately died in an accident a couple of days later), followed by favourite Okilaibo, which went in front with around 1,200m to go.  This horse gave the race an extremely strong pace, being followed first by Mark de Chamant but in the backstraight we saw Orcas Bac advancing menacingly.


Driven by Rodney Gatt, Orcas Bac went into second place around 750m from the end, followed immediately by Ohime Mag.  Okilaibo maintained the lead until early in the final straight, when it could do nothing to contain Swede Orcas Bac’s irresistible sprint of international quality with the latter resisting also Ohime Mag’s strong attack at the end to notch its fourth seasonal win with more than a length to spare, thus adding this championship to the Sette Giugno Cup won a few months ago.


The winner’s time was not just the seasonal best and its absolute personal best time but also the new national record on the 2,140m distance of 1’13’4 per kilometre with runner-up Ohime Mag making 1’13’5 per kilometre (the second best ever time made on the distance in Malta), third placed Okilaibo registering 1’13’7 per kilometre (equalling the previous national record and making its absolute personal best time) with fourth placed Vanmaker Limburgia making a good 1’14’0 per kilometre.


The remaining trot races were also on the 2,140m distance.


In last Sunday’s normal Premier class race, True Q took an early lead which it maintained for the first 600m when it was overtaken by Oran.  The latter kept control of the race always followed by True Q in the inside lane and Nabab du Chatelet on the outer lane.


The horses entered the final straight in this order, but True Q (in the inner lane) and Nabab du Chatelet (three wide), made their move around 250m from the end and soon overtook the race leader to contest the win between them.  Ultimately True Q was the faster horse taking its first seasonal win in 1’15’9 per kilometre less than half a length from Nabab du Chatelet, followed by Oltedo de Rieux and Arnie Sensation in that order.  


Nearly all the remaining races were semi-finals from Condition Races for the other classes. 


In the first Gold class Condition Race semi-final, it was Cappuchino M.S. which took an early lead followed by Regent de Tillard.  However, with around a mile to go, we saw Pitchpin des Bois advancing strongly four-wide to close in on the race leaders and to go in front at the start of the last lap, followed by Premier Avril.


From then on, Pitchpin des Bois had the race fully under control maintaining a couple of lengths lead throughout and despite Premier Avril’s attempts in the final straight, the former notched its second consecutive and seasonal win in a time of 1’15’1 per kilometre, more than two lengths ahead of fellow-qualifiers Premier Avril and Orion de Chapeau.  Rika Rico placed 4th.


Niky de Memartin went in front after a few hundred metres in the next Gold class semi-final but in the back straight we witnessed Charm Hammering’s impressive sprint three-wide, which brought it head to head with the race leader in the last 450m.  These two horses entered the final straight together but Charm Hammering managed to go in front in the middle of the straight to notch its third seasonal win in 1’16’3 per kilometre, a length ahead of Niky de Memartin followed by Prince Gaillard, with these three horses all making it to the final.  Newcomer Nouveaux de Vie placed 4th.


Ozerio went in front after around 400m from the start of the third Gold class semi-final, maintaining its lead until the backstraight when the real action started, with Midnight Passion advancing imperiously four wide and overtaking the race leader in the start of the last half lap. 


From then on, the race had no further story as Midnight Passion continued increasing its lead to arrive at the post unchallenged for its second consecutive and fourth seasonal win in 1’15’3 per kilometre, around five lengths ahead of fellow qualifiers Nacarat Campbell and newcomer Quel Noir, whilst Super Qui claiming the remaining place but missing out on the final.


In last week’s only Gold class semi-final, it was Veikko Hornline which took an early lead until it was overtaken by Nitesco d’Antony with around a lap and a half to go.  However Veikko Hornline continued following the race leader and returned in front around 900m before the end of the race.


Skars Hanna attacked on the outer lanes 700m from the end, rising from the middle of the pack to arrive head-to-head with Veikko Hornline in the last 450m.  These two horses entered the final straight virtually together but at this stage the latter found new energy and sprinted well to take a decisive lead which it maintained till the end to claim its first seasonal win in 1’15’6 per kilometre, a length ahead of Skars Hanna and the last qualifier Nitesco d’Antony.  Celebrity Photo finished 4th.


In the only flat race in these two meetings, a Class A race on the sprint 1,250m distance, it was Gold As Good which took an early lead which it extended to a healthy distance as the race progressed.  However the back straight saw an impressive progression by current Coronation Cup holder Cheeky Jack which advanced from the back places to arrive head-to-head with the race leader as they entered the final straight.


From then on there was no contest as Cheeky Jack comfortably went in front and dominated the final straight to notch its second seasonal win in the seasonal best time on this distance of 1’13’14, over seven lengths ahead of Gold As Good, followed by Diamante Grande.


Driver of the Month Award


The Driver of the Month for September is Noel Baldacchino, who won this award on the basis of the five wins and six places that he registered during that month from the 22 races he participated in.  He also managed to achieve three wins and two places in the 20th September meeting. 


He won on Law Suit (twice – Bronze class and Silver class), Mealington (Silver class), Quozak Prior (Silver class) and Phenix de la Roque (Gold class) and placed on Hulegardens Filur (Copper class), Orgeat (Bronze class), Mealington (twice – Silver class), Baron G.L. (Gold class) and Player du Mirel (Gold class).


Congratulations Noel!


We wholeheartedly thank P&M Farrugia (Tan-Niger) for kindly supporting this initiative by sponsoring this edition.


Pay attention to the speed camera!


“I’m sure that the record has been broken!” Nicky said from behind me as soon as the race ended with Orcas Bac’s win.


Is it possible that In Vitro du Bourg’s great record which had stood firm for nearly 7 years had been broken?, I thought in the minutes preceding the announcement of the official result.


But from experience I knew that Nicky is highly unlikely to be wrong! And in fact, he was’nt!  The previous record was shattered by 0.3s.  Runner-up Ohime Mag made another great time of 1’13’5 per kilometre and third placed Okilaibo also matched the previous record at 1’13’7 per kilometre!


Winner Swedish 9 year old Orcas Bac and third placed Okilaibo also established their all-time personal best time, an incredible feat for such Premier class horses which had an honourable career overseas, when one considers that they spent their youth racing in Sweden and France!


These times translate into average speeds of around 49 km per hour with their doing the last lap at averages of between 1’12’3 and 1’12’9 per kilometre, which are extremely close to 50 km per hour.  Truly international times for these trotters!


Thank goodness that they were in the racecourse and that the only official camera around was the photofinish, because had they been on some of our roads, their talented drivers, Rodney Gatt,  Ronald Cassar and Julian Farrugia respectively, would have been risking an overspeeding ticket in front of a speed camera – once they had no intention to reduce speed in the proximity of the finishing post :).


This feat also gives us the opportunity of remembering and paying homage to some great horses which have made the history of Maltese horse-racing!


The legendary In Vitro du Bourg ... which registered the impressive 1’13’7 per kilometre on 2,140m no less than three times!


Who can forget that horse’s second outing in Malta, when still at the time (but not for long) a relatively unknown quantity, it presented its visiting card to the Maltese racing community with a bang! 


It was the 3rd December 2006 when driven by James Carabott in a SECF Prix de Vincennes semi-final, aged 10, this French trotter dominated its race beating the rest of the field by around 12 lengths to stop the clock on what always remains a sensational time – 1’13’7 per kilometre, the real opening of this horse’s unforgettable career in Malta!


It would repeat this time again a few weeks later, on the 26th December 2006, when driven by the same driver in the Prix de Vincennes final, it went in front around 400m from the end and dominated the remainder of the race to finish some two lengths ahead of its closest challengers.


Nearly a year later, on the 24th December 2007, aged 11, once again driven by James Carabott, this horse repeated this show again – as proof of its great heart!  This time it was extending an unbeaten sequence to 11 races once again in the Prix de Vincennes final, when although challenged all the way by another great horse, James de l’Iton, it was stronger on the day and triumphed once again in that superb time.


James de l’Iton is indeed another legendary French trotter which also carved its name on the Maltese record list, this time in the Maltese marathon distance, the 3,140m.  It was the 16th November 2008 (aged 11), when driven by Noel Baldacchino, James de l’Iton went in front around half a lap from the end and dominated the remainder of the race (particularly the final straight) to win by over six lengths in a fantastic 1’15’3 per kilometre, from the same In Vitro du Bourg.


And who can forget Joker de Choisel?  This horse with a marvellous past in France twice registered the national record on the 2,640m distance.


The year was once again 2008, nearly 6 months to the date before the 3,140m record – the 18th May.  During the Prix de Vincennes semi-finals, in the fifth race of the programme, In Vitro du Bourg had registered the national record on the 2,640m distance with an impressive 1’14’5 per kilometre.  But the excitement had not yet finished in that programme!


Joker de Choisel, then 11 years old (driven by France Cassar), only at its third race in Malta, absolutely dominated the second semi-final (the 7th race on the card), finishing ahead of Hiracan de Brehan by a long distance and shattering the previous record, by stopping the clock at a fabulous 1’13’6 per kilometre.


But that was not all! Two weeks later, in the final, always driven by France Cassar, it repeated this great time when it took an early lead followed for most of the distance by In Vitro du Bourg.  However, in the final straight Joker de Choisel was strongly challenged by James de l’Iton, with the former managing to reach the post first by just over half a length from James de l’Iton, followed by Hiracan de Brehan and In Vitro du Bourg.


Actually, the afore-mentioned Hiracan de Brehan had also put its name on the record books some time before, this time in the sprint 1,640m distance.  On the 25th March 2007, this French trotter (then 12 years old), which had in the past also registered the national record on the 2,640m distance, starting edging close to race leader Jazz Jambolaya around 800m from the end and these two horses detached themselves from the remaining Premier class participants.


However, in the final straight Hiracan de Brehan driven by Noel Baldacchino, showed that it was the stronger horse when it had the better of Jazz Jambolaya and established the absolute national record at 1’13’1 per kilometre.


We started with a Swedish trotter and we finish with another!  This time Pajarito Nada which on the 9th December 2007, as an 8 year old, managed to equal Hiracan de Brehan’s national 1,640m record in a Premier class race.


On that day, Quick Cape had taken an early lead, but in the final straight Pajarito Nada, driven by Tony Tanti, attacked strongly and went in front some 100m from the end.  Its brilliant sprint won the day in the fantastic time of 1’13’1 per kilometre.


There are also other records in the monte’ discipline and in the standing starts, but the above are those on the most popular distances in Malta, all autostart.


The present and the past ... but one common theme, some memorable horses and times which form part of Malta racing history!


 


We wish you another great meeting on Sunday.