by Magnat
In last week’s write-up we expressed our hope that the weather will be kind on us. Well, it was so only partly!
Indeed, Saturday’s meeting was held as planned but heavy downpours of rain on Sunday morning meant that Sunday’s race meeting had to be postponed.
Now, the same meeting will be held next Sunday 16th March commencing at 1.30pm. However the meeting will have an important addition, i.e. Assikura Championship final for Gold class trotters, which will become one of the main attractions of this meeting.
This means that the meeting will now consist of 10 trot races.
Although we have already provided a preview of the other races, we felt that given the importance of the addition of this final, it is only fitting that a short preview relative to this race would also be given.
This final which will be competed over the short 2,140m distance will feature eight geldings and a mare, hailing from four different countries, i.e. France – 6 participants, plus a participant from each of Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Aged between 9 and 14 years the full line-up is:
1. Olry Meslois (French 12 year old with overseas winnings of Euro186,550). 1 win and 4 places from its 11 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’14’8 on 2,140m;
2. Happiness Photo (Danish 14 year old with overseas winnings of DNK705,482). 1 win and 9 places from its 21 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’15’1 on 2,140m;
3. Wies Buitenzorg (Netherands 10 year old with overseas winnings of Euro31,390). Only mare in the line-up. 2 wins and a place from its 4 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’15’7 on 2,140m;
4. Charm Hammering (Swedish 9 year old with overseas winnings of SEK301,400). 8 wins and 8 places from its 28 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’13’2 (personal best of its entire career) on 1,640m and 1’14’7 on 2,140m;
5. Prince Gaillard (French 11 year old with overseas winnings of Euro118,540). 1 win and 9 places from its 12 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’15’3 on 2,140m;
6. Phenix de la Roque (French 11 year old with overseas winnings of Euro131,800). 3 wins and 9 places from its 19 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’13’3 (personal best of its entire career) on 1,640m and 1’15’7 on 2,140m;
7. Oeillet de Phens (French 12 year old with overseas winnings of Euro157,848). 1 win and 2 places from its 6 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’16’0 on 2,640m (1’16’7 on 2,140m);
8. Quintet (French 10 year old with overseas winnings of Euro141,400). 1 win and 1 place from its 3 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’15’3 on 2,140m;
9. Quid d’Aliermont (French 10 year old with overseas winnings of Euro126,030). 1 win and 2 places from its 3 races in Malta with a best time locally of 1’16’2 on 2,140m.
With some 19 wins and no less than 45 places between them and with nearly all of them having a best time in Malta of 1’16’0 per kilometre or less, a great final is anticipated, with a truly uncertain outcome.
The total prize-money for this race amounts to Euro1,600, Euro900 of which going to the winner.
The lots were drawn during the press conference held last Tuesday afternoon at the Malta Racing Club Tote. Special thanks go to the sponsors Assikura Insurance Brokers Limited which first sponsored Condition Races in Malta in 2007 and then started sponsoring a championship (until last year reserved for non-French and non-Swedish trotters) from 2010 onwards.
The remaining races are those announced last week with a splendid Premier class race, a very interesting Gold class race (both on the longer 2,640m) and the remaining five heats from the Ray Auto Dealer Challenge Cup for Silver class trotters on the 2,140m distance. Information about these races may be found in last week’s article.
So, we may be surely be forgiven for daring to hope once again that this time the weather will be truly kind to us so that this meeting may finally be held. Indeed, we dare to hope that now that Spring is round the corner, we may be regaled with some glorious typically Mediterranean sunshine to be a fitting backdrop for what promises to be a great meeting!
Last Meeting
The races contained in last Saturday’s meeting consisted of the start of the Ray Auto Dealer Challenge Cup for Silver class trotters with the first five heats and three interesting “normal” races, two for the Gold class and the remaining one for Bronze class trotters. The Silver class championship heats were held on the short 2,140m distance with the “normal” races being on the longer 2,640m distance.
Gold class
Milord Barbes was the fastest at the beginning of the first Gold class race, maintaining a healthy lead for most of the race. The situation remained the same until the backstraight when Net de Ginai advanced close to the race leader.
These two horses were the first to enter the final straight but suddenly they were overtaken by various horses finishing strongly, key among which being Troy Boshoeve which managed to take the lead in the last 100m and went on to claim its third win in Malta, half a length ahead of Noble d’Ete followed by Orage du Pont all preceding the original race leader Milord Barbes. The race time was 1’17’5.
Madam di Poggio took the lead after the first couple of hundred metres of the second race, but holding on to this lead only briefly, until it was overtaken by Pro Shop with two laps to go. Second placed Nitesco d’Antony started its attack at the start of the last lap and went ahead briefly with 700m to go.
However with 500m to go it was soon overtaken by Madam di Poggio which opened a considertable lead from the remaining horses, a lead which it maintained until the end, to claim its first win in Malta and promotion back to the Premier class in a good time on the distance of 2,640m of 1’15’8 per kilometre, nearly five lengths ahead of Nubi Lens followed by Nitesco d’Antony and Give To Get.
Ray Auto Dealer Challenge Cup Heats (Silver class)
Lucas Ness took an early lead in the first heat followed by a compact group of horses. The situation remained unchanged until the last half lap when Lucas Ness actually accelerated to open a two and a half length lead. However, in the final straight we witnessed a nail-biting sprint from Partner Blue four wide to come from nowhere, catch up with the race leader in the final metres and claim its first win in Malta in 1’16’4 per kilometre, a length ahead of Lucas Ness followed by Newman and Pactolgo which both made it to the semi-finals.
Newcomer Livi Dida went in front at the beginning of the second heat, leading the race until the backstraight. However with 850m to go, Ollico Pellois went three wide to attack the race leader and to took the lead in the middle of the backstraight. Ollico Pellois continued to increase its speed and opened a four length lead but Wonderofyou took on the challenge and followed the raceleader reducing the lead to just a length and a half by the time the horses entered the final straight.
The final straight was a beautiful struggle between these two horses both sprinting at full speed with each respective driver encouraging his charge. Finally Ollico Pellois held on by a head to claim its fifth win in Malta in 1’16’0 per kilometre ahead of a courageous Wonderofyou, followed into the semi-finals by Noli de Marray and Ormuz.
The third heat had little story as Quioco Dry took an early lead and controlled the race throughout. It even managed to increase its speed in the last 600m. Into the final straight Razor Shadow tried its best to challenge Quioco Dry, but the latter was never really at risk and comfortably won its second race in Malta in these heats’ best time of 1’15’6 per kilometre, two lengths ahead of the same Razor Shadow. The remaining qualifiers were the other placing horses Bankir Zon and Oscar des Racques.
Roma M made a determined advance after the first few hundred metres of the next heat, to go in front after just 500m, and from then on the race had a similar outcome to the previous one with Roma M maintaining the lead and accelerating strongly in the last half lap.
The final straight was a triumphal march for Roma M as it had no challengers on its way to claiming its second win in Malta in 1’16’8 per kilometre, nearly five lengths ahead of Pittacos, followed by Pirate d’Urzy and Lonestar Somolli, which all made it to the semi-finals.
Insomnia Grif took an early lead in the last heat, followed for a considerable part of the distance by Frisco Pe. The situation remained the same until the start of the final straight, when Frisco Pe launched its attack, sprinting in an irresistible manner to go in front in the middle of the straight and take its second win in Malta, three quarters of a length ahead of Reveal Champ Blanc, with the last two qualifiers being Quick Et Rare and Command Coger. The race time was of 1’17’2 per kilometre.
Bronze class
The remaining race was a “normal” Bronze class one which saw French 8 year old Seigneur du Dropt winning its first race in Malta by just a head from Emil Brebro in a time of 1’18’3 per kilometre.
Ludovic Ghigo competing at Cagnes Sur Mer
We conclude this week’s mini-article caused by the postponement of last Sunday’s races by congratulating Ludovic Ghigo for his initiative in taking part in a race open for amateur trotters (having prize-winnings of less than Euro111,000) at the Cagnes Sur Mer racecourse in France.
This was the Prix Version Femina or Prix de Livourne on the sprint 1,609m distance in which Ludovic’s charge, 9 year old outsider Rallye du Ravary, finished 8th making its absolute career best time of 1’14’5 per kilometre.
We are sure that participation in such a race in a prestigious racecourse overseas such as that of Cagnes Sur Mer was a great experience for Ludovic; one which will continue to enhance his value as a driver. Well done Ludovic!
We wish you an exciting meeting next Sunday.
