by Magnat

Another race meeting will be held on Sunday 10^th November hosting a 10 race card starting at 1.15pm.

The main attraction of this meeting is the Johnnie Walker Cup final for thoroughbreds over Malta’s longest flat racing distance, 2,250m.

The field is small but interesting, five participants hailing from the USA, Germany and Ireland and aged between five and nine years.  These are this year’s Mediterranean Derby winner Kimberley Downs, Timolin having three wins and three places this year, the last winner of this trophy (2011) Olllie Fliptrik, Alto Monte which made its local debut this year and Friarscourt which makes its return to racing after a seven month stop.

The total prize-money is of Euro1,050, with Euro600 going to the winner.  Furthermore, trophies and prestigious premium bottles of Johnnie Walker will be presented to the owners of the first three horses, whilst the winner will also receive a commemorative blanket.

We augur a great race for all participants and spectators.

The other races are all reserved for trotters over the short 2,140m distance.

Indeed, another highlight in Sunday’s meeting is the Premier class trot race with a full field of 16 participants having the quality fitting for a final. 

These include in-form horses such as Orcas Bac making its return after its splendid win in the Cassar Petroleum Autumn Championship and its magnificent national record on this distance of 1’13’4 per kilometre, Ohime Mag and Okilaibo runner-up and third placed respectively in the same final, The Bad Rock, coming from a win last week, True Q winner a couple of weeks ago, Ourasi Diams which placed well last week and various others.

Horses such as 2012 Sette Giugno Cup winner Zilver Boko, 2012 Skyparks Swedish Trotters Championship winner Wiss Night Hawk, Tazza l-Kbira runner-up Nino de Saintho and formerly popular horse in France Orgueil de Nganda make their return after some months’ absence.

We also have two interesting newcomers registered with the highest handicap points for newcomers.

Swedish 9 year old Cloria Victis won SEK1,336,703 overseas, with 9 wins and many places.  It has a best time of 1’12’4 per kilometre on 1,640m (June 2012).  Among its best performances we find a great win on the 3,140m distance (1’15’4 per km) in January 2012, a Bronze Division win at Aby in March 2010 on 2,140m and various other beautiful performances on distances varying between 1,640m and 3,200m.  Among its best outings this year it had a 2^nd and two 4^th places on the 2,140m, 2640m and 2,650m distances.

Italian 10 year old Gently di Poggio won Euro156,263 overseas, with some 30 wins and many places.  It also has a best time of 1’12’4 per kilometre on 1,600m (August 2011).  Among its best performances we find wins in the prestigious Premio Cherokee Chief in Milan over 2,620m in 2009, in the Premio Last Hurrah in Firenze over 2,060m in the same year and in the Premio degli Occhi Belli at Turin over 1,620m last year.  As from the last months of last year, this horse was racing in Sweden.

The Gold class race features another full house of 16 trotters also including various horses coming from positive outings.  Zandina Boshoeve has a win and two runner-up places in its last three races, Charm Hammering and Mind Your Head both have a win and a place in their last two outings, Energy Launcher two places in its last three races, Baron G.L. had a good place last week and I Pitstop two positive outings in October, among others.  Italian 7 year old Malewe is also due to debut in this race.

The other races are three for the Silver class (Belgian trotter Bugatti Wulvennest is due to debut in the last of these) and two for each of the Bronze and Copper classes.

Flat racing finals are not numerous here in Malta and often the number of participants is not high either.  However, whenever they are held, such finals rarely disappoint, with spectators being regaled with some balanced, hard-fought races.  This final also includes the prestige of a traditional trophy dating back to 1939 (even though it was not always regularly contested over the years) with attractive prizes for the best performers, thanks to the appreciated sponsorship of M. Demajo (Wines & Spirits) Ltd.

Last Meetings

Two of the main highlights in the last meetings were the Malta – Alkmaar Amateur races, two interesting encounter races between Maltese and Dutch drivers on the short 2,140m distance, held during Sunday’s meeting.

In the first race, Rybo Juvel went determinedly ahead after just around 300m soon taking a good lead from the rest of the field.  The situation remained the same until the last 850m, when Caddie Drink attacked two wide and took the lead, immediately followed at striking distance by Nerlo Villetot.  The latter, driven by Julian Farrugia, launched its attack at the start of the final straight with the last 200m  being characterised by a head-to-head struggle between these two horses.

Nerlo Villetot went ahead in the last 50m to claim its second seasonal win in 1’18’6 per kilometre, a length and a half ahead of Caddie Drink (Charles Farrugia), followed by Buckens Stjarna (Tony Tanti), with Peter Wisker being the first Dutch driver in on Kaki de Peyrahout.

Quingen de Bussy went in front after just 600m into the second encounter race but this horse was overtaken by Side Spin just before the start of the last lap.  However, in the back straight Quio de Nappes driven by Julian Farrugia left the back places and advanced three wide to overtake one horse after another, coming up head-to-head with the race leader with 300m to go.

From then there was no more story to the race as Quio de Nappes stormed into the lead and sprinted throughout the final straight to enable Julian Farrugia to make them two out of two in these encounter races, with this horse notching its second seasonal win in 1’17’8 per kilometre, more than five lengths ahead of Pirate d’Urzy (Eugenio Bondin), Darco As (Mark Tanti) and Queen Streamline (Shaun Formosa), making it a full house of Maltese drivers in the leading places.

The remaining races in these two meetings were over the longer 2,640m.

The start of the Premier class race saw the lead changing hands various times until Ofackevo went in front with a mile to go.  However, soon afterwards, Nabab du Chatelet advanced on the outside lanes to leave the back places and catch up with the race leader coming head-to-head at the start of the last lap.  But with an impressive sprint three wide, The Bad Rock made great progress and stormed into the lead with 850m to go.

From then on, The Bad Rock had the race under control, increasing its lead substantially in the final straight to claim its first win in Malta in 1’16’9 per kilometre (best time last week), three and a half lengths ahead of Nabab du Chatelet, followed by Ourasi Diams and T.X. Zoogood.

Oltedo de Rieux took an early lead in Monday’s Premier class race and maintained it well into the last half lap when it increased its speed to detach itself a bit further from the rest of the field.  However newcomer Rocky Composite produced a brilliant sprint in the last 300m, to go in front in the middle of the final straight and make it a dream debut a length and a half ahead of the same Oltedo de Rieux, followed by Nicos de Peneme and Original Blue.  The race time was 1’17’7 per kilometre.

Another newcomer, Produit Fier, took an early lead in Sunday’s Gold class race remaining in front for the first 500m, when it was overtaken by another newcomer Oiellet de Phens with this horse comfortably retaining a small lead until the last half lap.  At this stage as it was receiving challenges from other horses, particulary Xray Hornline, Oeillet de Phens increased its speed to go on to make a victorious debut in 1’17’6 per kilometre, nearly five lengths ahead of Xray Hornline, followed by Nophenio de Lune and Pan de Couperies.

Onyx Lucernais took an early lead in the first Gold class race in Monday’s meeting, it was overtaken after just 500m by Reves de Magalou, but Onyx Lucernais came back to regain the lead after a few hundred metres.  Ouragan d’Any took the lead after the first kilometre but at the start of the last half lap it could not withstand Onyx Lucernais’ attack.

In the meantime, Niky du Donjon had made an impressive acceleration three wide to enter the final straight in fourth place and then to sprint strongly till the end, to overtake the race leader and claim its second consecutive and seasonal win in 1’17’8 per kilometre, two lengths ahead of Skip Dimanche, followed by Onyx Lucernais and Solid Lady Spin.

Regent de Tillard took an early lead in Monday’s second Gold class race and after being briefly overtaken by Rika Rico, the former regained its lead and maintained it comfortably.  However in the back straight we saw a strong sprint in the outside lanes by Player du Mirel which brought this horse up to second place at the start of the last half lap.

Regent de Tillard and Player du Mirel entered the final straight practically together, but the latter went in front 200m from the end to claim its second seasonal win in 1’17’4 per kilometre, two lengths ahead of the same Regent de Tillard, followed by Baron G.L. and Energy Launcher in that order.

In terms of good times last week, it is worth recording the second best time of these two meetings, i.e. the 1’17’3 per kilometre registered by Poustouf du Bleuet in the Silver class at its first win in Malta.     

An interesting week

What an active week at the racecourse!  Practically every week is really busy, but this week was truly jampacked!

It started on Friday evening with a rare postponement of the races due to heavy downpours of rain.  The meeting was thus postponed to Monday evening – most people may not appreciate the extent of administrative and logistical work that such a postponement provokes.

Then on Saturday morning, the racecourse hosted the Malta Horse Racing Academy’s opening ceremony for the 2013-14 season – the academy’s third season.  The ceremony was due to be held in the open but it finished up being held in the Council room due to the bad weather.

But it was a great occasion just the same.

Some 17 or 18 children or youths, all enthusiastic about horse-racing, together with their instructors around the Hon. Parliamentary Secretary for Reseach, Innovation, Youth & Sport Dr Stefan Buontempo, the Chairman of the Kunsill Malti ghall-Isport Dr Luciano Busuttil, Malta Racing Club Chairman Dr Matthew Brincat and other MRC officials.

The Parliamentary Secretary’s speech included a number of interesting points.  It was heartening to listen to the positive comments on the MRC’s performance and the show of confidence demonstrated by the KMS’ decision to entrust the responsibility for running the academy to the MRC, with KMS’ financial support.

The Government’s commitment to continue assisting this beautiful sport, which has been so popular among the Maltese for centuries was also extremely encouraging.

Another piece of good news was the Parliamentary Secretary’s presentation to the Chairman of the Malta Racing Club of a cheque to sponsor the Equestrian Festival which will be held once again in December this year.

It was also a pleasure to see the recently refurbished lecture room – some good work by the MRC staff – which will certainly be appreciated by academy instructors and students during the coming years, with the occasion finishing with a visit to the MRC stables and the horses which are used for the teaching of the students.  Some really clean and well-kept stables and horses.

After the holding of the races on Sunday and Monday (this time the weather held well!), on Tuesday we saw the draws for the next three meetings – an encouraging number of registrations culminating in the start of the SECF French trotters’ championships.

Then that afternoon, the MRC hosted a press conference to present the Johnnie Walker Cup final for thoroughbreds, a prestigious trophy dating back 74 years which in recent years was presented to the winner of the Malta leg of the Mediterranean Jockeys championship and which is now being relaunched with its own identity as the premier flat race on the long 2,250m.

It was a pleasure to see some truly beautiful trophies and prizes and an enthusiastic sponsor without whose help such an innovation would not have been possible.

On Thursday, the MRC also announced the receipt of two negative doping tests pertaining to the winner and runner-up of the Cassar Petroleum Autumn championship final, i.e. Orcas Bac and Ohime Mag. 

For any sportsman it is always a great satisfaction to receive negative doping tests confirming that the particular horses were clean of prohibited substances, thus confirming the results of the particular race.  This is so even more on this occasion with the great times realised by these two horses.

By the end of the week good progress had also been registered in the selection of the Driver of the Month for October – with the winner being announced next week.

All this in addition to all the usual daily tasks that are required for the running of the racecourse – maintenance work, registrations of new horses, various administrative tasks etc.

And so another week is over and another weekend has arrived.  Not bad for a week’s work, don’t you think?!  

We wish you another great meeting on Sunday.