Thursday 20th March 2014
10th and 11th horse-racing meetings 2014 – 19th and 23th March

by Magnat


Two race meetings are being held this week, one on Wednesday 19th March (St Joseph public holiday) and the other on Sunday 23rd March, both meetings commencing at 1.30pm.  Ten races are on Wednesday’s card with another eleven on Sunday.


These two meetings’ highlights are simply impressive!


Primarily we have two Premier class races, one in each meeting, on the marathon 3,140m distance.


We are scheduled to watch 13 participants on Wednesday including in-form horses such as Zalgado Transs R coming from a win and two places in its last three outings, Madam di Poggio winner of its last race, Quiet Way, Ourasi Diams and Oltedo de Rieux which all placed in one of their last two outings and all the other popular participants.


Sunday’s race then presents 12 of Malta’s highest handicapped horses.  Last year’s Tazza l-Kbira winner Nabab du Chatelet, December’s Prix de Vincennes holder Ohime Mag, last week’s winner Cloria Victis, Oran with a win and a runner-up place in its last three outings, French 11 year old newcomers Percevel, Pompon de Bolero and Pouloud Keroc’H as well as all the other prestigious horses.


Sunday’s meeting also features the final of the Assikura Championship for Bronze class trotters on the short 2,140m distance.  The participants hail from France – six, Sweden – two and one each from Denmark and the United States, with their ages varying between 7 and 16 years.


Pema and Take Out Blue won the semi-finals, whilst Julian Port, Obscur de Busset, Kaki de Peyrahout and Queops de Retz won their heat and then placed in the top five in the semi-finals.  These will face the challenge of Wilma Belize (two places in its last two races), Willesden Hanover (three places in as many outings), Quingen de Bussy (runner-up and 5th in its last two races) and Quero des Erablais (which placed in both its last two races).


Undoubtedly a great final is anticipated between these fine participants!


During Sunday’s programme we also have four semi-finals from the Ray Auto Dealer Challenge Cup for Silver class horses, with the first three from each qualifying for the final.  These will also be held on the short 2,140m distance.


Heats winners Obelix Molgard, Ollico Pellois, Valles Emile, Rocky de Jervi, Roma M, Quioco Dry, Quid de la Muette, Paolin de Bannes and Partner Blue, prepare themselves to face the challenge posed by the other qualifiers, hailing from Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.


With just three qualifiers from fields of nine or ten horses in each semi-final, some really tough and hard-fought races are expected!


We also have three interesting Gold class races (two on Wednesday and one on Sunday) all on the long 3,140m distance.   The first features a mix of in-form horses, such as Troy Boshoeve and Oolong each having a win in its last two races and Noble d’Ete coming from a good runner-up place, and various horses which have just been relegated from the Premier class, such as Nagano Phedo, Paris Libere’, Nevaio des Bordes and Give To Get, among others.


In the second race, Pissaro counts a good win in its penultimate race, while Milord Barbes, Energy Launcher, Malewe, Orage du Pont, Ouest Mabon and Presidential have all placed in this class over the last couple of months.


Then in Sunday’s Gold class race, we find the attraction of two 10 year old French newcomers, i.e. Quome d’Avignere and Quazoumax, which will face the challenge of horses such as Pile Ou Face coming from two wins in its last three outings, Quipson, Means Nothing, Quintet du Vivier and Regent de Tillard which have all placed well in their last two races, together with all the other valid participants.


The other trot races are normal ones reserved for Silver, Bronze and Copper class trotters.  These feature no less than ten newcomers, i.e. French 11 year old Pernacio and 10 year olds Qualypso du Trio, Quid Pierre and Quiquafini and Swedish 7 year olds  Darling Sjohammar and Natalie Crown all in the Silver class, French 7 year old Titus du Rib, German 6 year old Boshoevens Emily and Dutch 9 year old Yfrie Beemd in the Bronze class and Italian 4 year old Ronin del Brenta among the Copper class horses. 


Wednesday’s meeting also includes a Class A flat race over the rather long 1,750m distance, featuring five participants.  Two Irish, two Americans and a Swede with ages ranging between five and ten years, the majority of these are making a return to racing after an absence of quite some time.


Thus 2012 Coronation Cup winner Cheeky Jack returns to the track after a five month absence, Diamante Grande returns to racing after a three month stop and Mr Roxy Music just returned to racing after a one and a half year absence.  These join in-form Pearl Storm which notched two wins in its two races in Malta to date and Ollie Fliptrik which placed in its last two outings.


During Wednesday’s meeting we will also see the presentation of the Driver of the Month award for January – February to winner Charles Camilleri.  A big well done to Charles and heartfelt thanks to M. Demajo (Wines & Spirits) Ltd through their brand Johnnie Walker, sponsors of this month’s honour.


Undoubtedly variety and spectacle are the themes of these two meetings, promising two entertaining racing afternoons as we prepare for the start of this year’s Tazza l-Kbira championship!


Last Meeting


The main attractions of the last meeting consisted of the Assikura Championship final for Gold class trotters, a very interesting Premier class race and an equally interesting Gold class one, two Assikura Championship semi-finals for Bronze class trotters and five heats from the Ray Auto Dealer Challenge Cup for the Silver class.  The race distance for these races was the short 2,140m distance but with the Premier and Gold class “normal” races being competed over the longer 2,640m.


Assikura Championship (Gold class) final


Phenix de la Roque took an early lead in this final and managed to set the pace for the entire race, remaining undisturbed in front until the horses reached the final straight.  At that stage, it was subjected to a strong attack by various participants, particularly Oeillet de Phens, Quintet and Prince Gaillard. 


With around 150m to go, it appeared as if Oeillet de Phens could reach the raceleader, but Phenix de la Roque driven by Charles Degiorgio found new energy and sprinted well till the end, to hold on to a length’s lead, claiming its fourth win in Malta in a good time of 1’15’1 per kilometre, from the same Oeillet de Phens, followed closely by Quintet and Prince Gaillard.


At the end of the final, the proud owners and driver of the winning horse and of the placing horses were presented with the prizes by Assikura Insurance Brokers Ltd’s Managing Director Mr Andrew Grech.


Premier Class


Cloria Victis was in the lead for most of the Premier class race and this horse even managed to increase its speed in the final straight, thus comfortably resisting the challenge coming from Vanmaker Limburgia and newcomer Petunia du Pont.  After Vanmaker Limburgia’s disqualification for racing out of track, Cloria Victis finished two and half lengths ahead of the said Petunia du Pont, with Tap Dance and True Q taking the remaining places in that order. 


This was Cloria Victis’ first win in Malta after four consecutive places in its other races to date, in a good time on the 2,640m distance of 1’15’4 per kilometre. 


Gold class


In the “normal” Gold class race on a 2,640m distance, we saw an impressive performance by the four newcomers.  In particular, French 10 year old Quiz du Lys took the lead in the last lap and managed to hold on till the end, notwithstanding the challenge posed in particular by Danish 9 year old newcomer New Star D K especially in the final straight.


Ultimately Quiz du Lys managed to have a dream debut winning by a length and a half, followed by the same New Star D K, Italian newcomer Laval, Regent du Tillard and with the other newcomer in the race, Swede Cowboy Party finishing fifth.  The race time was of 1’16’2 per kilometre.


Ray Auto Dealer Challenge Cup Heats (Silver class)


After the first five heats from this Challenge Cup took place on Saturday 8th March, the remainder were held last Sunday after the postponement of the meeting which was due to be held on Sunday 9th March.  Sunday’s heats were characterised by some comfortable wins.


Sunday’s first heat resulted in a triumph for Paolin de Bannes in 1’16’1 per kilometre, this horse claiming its third win in Malta after a dominating performance which saw it beating runner-up Sir Malouin by no less than three lengths.  Newcomer Ringo Flower did well to finish third and the remaining place in the semi-final was taken by Poustouf du Bleuet.


Then it was the turn of Quid de la Muette to notch its second win in Malta, when it comfortably resisted Zizazimoko’s attack in the final straight and won by two and a half lengths in a good time of 1’15’9 per kilometre.  Quarborandum and Andri Boko were the other two qualifiers from this heat.


Rocky de Jervi was in the lead for most of the third heat and simply had no challengers as it transformed the final straight into a formality winning by over five lengths from runner-up Pepita Ans.  This was Rocky de Jervi’s second seasonal win (and its second win in Malta from its three races so far) and the race time was 1’16’1 per kilometre.  Law Suit and Milano du Gite took the other places and were the other qualifiers from this heat.


Then Obelix Molgard claimed its first win in Malta crowning a splendid sprint in the final straight to triumph by three lengths in a time of 1’17’1 per kilometre, from fellow qualifiers Quatre de Couer, Udice Boko and Panda des Fleches.


The last heat saw Que Je T’Aime Rush in the lead for most of the distance, but in the final straight we witnessed a splendid sprint by Valles Emile on the outer lanes, with the latter managing to catch up with Que Je T’Aime Rush in the last few metres and to take a determining head’s lead at the post.  This was Valles Emile’s third win in Malta in a time of 1’16’3 per kilometre, with the same Que Je T’Aime Rush, Mr Snowman and newcomer Niffi claiming the remaining places in the semi-finals.


Assikura Championship semi-finals for Bronze class trotters


Willesden Hanover was in the lead for most of the first semi-final but could do nothing to resist Pema’s strong attack in the final straight.  The latter took the lead midway through the final straight and went on to claim its third win in Malta by nearly a length in a time of 1’17’4 per kilometre, followed into the final by the same Willesden Hanover, Obscur de Busset, Julian Port and Queops de Retz.


In the second semi-final, Take Out Blue took the lead in the final lap and continued to increase its speed, ultimately finishing easy winner by nearly three lengths in a time of 1’16’9 per kilometre.  Quero des Erablais, Kaki de Peyrahout, Wilma Belize and Quingen de Bussy followed the winner in that order and also made it to the final.


Hero from the past: Neronien – Interview with its trainer and driver Emmanuel Fenech (Part 2)


Last week we started reporting the interview with Mr Emmanuel Fenech in which we asked him to go down memory lane and to recount some stories about one of Malta’s most popular past trotters, Neronien.


Emmanuel told us how the horse had been bought and about its hyper temperament.  I asked him some more about this subject.


Question:  Can you tell us more about Neronien’s temperament and the difference between its attitude outside the racecourse and inside it?


Answer:  As I mentioned before, Neronien’s temperament was hyper.  Even if it saw a helicopter passing over, it would look at it and start running with it.  I used to say “Is this a five year old horse?”  Even if it saw a pigeon pecking in front of it it would go for it; because Louis had put up a track at his stables and I used to train him there and when it used to see pigeons pecking there it used to gallop after them. 


It was a naturally hyper horse, that was its nature.


Once Neronien had trodden on Gejtu, Louis’ employee, who used to take it out for walks, and it had torn off a toe nail.  It did not want to remove its hoof from Gejtu’s foot.  It used to know what it was doing!


It was not a sensitive horse, but one had to be on one’s guard with it because it was hyper and it could also be a bit nasty.  It would jump at you sometimes because it was not a quiet horse at all. 


And then at the Marsa racecourse, as soon as it used to see the crowd, it used to sort of look at them and used to calm down.  It seemed to know that the race was about to start.


Question:  How did George Tal-Galletti react when you told him that you had by coincidence bought the same horse of which he had given you the photo a year before?


Answer:  When we bought it I did not know that it was the same one of George Tal-Galletti’s photo.  I phoned George from France as soon as we bought Neronien.  I told him “I have just bought a horse with a big heart.  Neronien.  I tried it here in France with a six year old mare and I liked it.”  He answered “You know who is that horse?  The one that I gave you the photo of.”


Because at the time George Tal-Galletti used to receive photos of horses for sale from abroad.  His daughter used to speak French.  A year had passed since he had received that photo and nobody had bought it.  We went up to France and bought the same horse by coincidence. 


The horse had a good reputation.  1’17’4 per kilometre was a good best time in those days.  I had driven it and it was a real trotter.  And I had told Louis “If this is a good trotter we will only negotiate with the owner on the price.”  And we immediately agreed with the owner and bought it.


Question: How was the horse’s morale?


Its morale was very good and it had a big heart.  And it retained these characteristics because it continued winning till the end.  Some time before it stopped racing it was injured and it returned to racing after about six- seven months.  As soon as it went back to the racecourse it won three races. 


Question:  Can you recount some stories about memorable races that Neronien participated in?


Answer: Well, in the first Farsons Grand Final (that of 1988), the firm favourite was Neloup.  If you asked anyone who would win, they would say Neloup.  And my horse was two classes lower than Neloup.


Neronien had won good races like Neloup had done.  In the final I remember thinking “Now here we are – we will be with Neloup.”  And I managed to take the lead and when we came to the last five- six hundred metres, I turned round and saw a white sash (Neloup’s characteristic).  And when I saw Neloup coming with its driver James Carabott looking back, I thought “He will certainly overtake me easily.” 


As soon as we went round the last bend, Neloup attacked Neronien, but as soon as I touched my horse with the whip it reacted and picked up speed once again.  When Neloup attacked again, the horses went head to head and Neronien was running like hell, shaking its head and with its ears pointing back.  It’s in the video of the race.  And as soon as we entered the final straight I thought “Now you won’t overtake me”, the horse sprinted strongly and we won. 


The scene in the final sprint as soon as Neloup came head to head with Neronien was impressive.  Neronien was literally looking at Neloup, and at the same time running with its ears pointing back.  I knew that when it had its ears pointing back the horse would be hyper, aggressive.


I had won a Bookmakers Cup and a Farsons Grand Final in the first year and then I won again another Farsons Grand Final and another Bookmakers Cup.


In the second Farsons Grand Final I had beaten Mancini of Karmnu from Zebbug.  It was also a big hearted horse too which used to go in front, a very good horse which was not 100% at its best but it won some races too.


Well, I thought that the interview with Emmanuel Fenech was shorter than it actually was.  Thus, for reasons of space, we will take a look at the last part in the next edition.


 


We wish you two exciting meetings over the next few days.