by Magnat
Another race meeting will be held next Sunday with the first race commencing at 1.45pm. This is a marathon 11 race all-trot meeting with race distances being 2,140m and 2,640m.
This meeting’s main highlights consist of two semi-finals from the Sette Giugno Cup reserved for Premier class trotters over the short 2,140m distance and two high quality “normal” Gold class races over the longer 2,640m distance (which is also the distance of all the other races).
In addition, we will also have the presentation of the Driver of the Month Award for April (kindly sponsored by M. Demajo Wines & Spirits Limited through their brand Johnnie Walker) to Julian Farrugia. Well done Julian!
Sette Giugno Cup
Now in its sixth edition (the first editions were titled as “MRC Premier Trot”), this championship is reserved for Premier class trotters of all nationalities (excluding French trotters which are competing in the Le Trot Prix de Vincennes championship reserved for them).
In these semi-finals we find 20 participants aged between 7 and 13 years split equally over two semi-finals, 15 of which hail from Sweden, 3 from Germany and one each from Denmark and the Netherlands. The first five from each semi-final make it to the final which will naturally be held on the 7th June public holiday.
The first semi-final comprises Zandina Boshoeve coming from three consecutive wins (four so far this year), Zalgado Transs R coming from two wins and five places, Utah Hornline and Vanmaker Limburgia which both placed twice in their last races, Midnight Passion, relative newcomer Yanantin Boko, BOV Tazza l-Kbira finalist Poppes Fighter and Equestrian Festival winner Absolut Spender which all placed well in the last couple of months, as well as past Sette Giugno Cup winner Zilver Boko and Rocky Composite.
The participants in the second semi-final are BOV Tazza l-Kbira winner Cloria Victis at its return to racing after its memorable win, The Bad Rock which won and placed twice in its last four races, Vejby Boom with two wins and a place in its last four races, New Star D K coming from a win and two places, P.A. Surprise which won its last race, Sultan November which placed twice in its last three races, Opal Hall which was runner-up in its last race, Chiara Sisu which placed in its penultimate race registering a very good time of 1’13’5 per kilometre on 1,640m, Lage coming from a good fifth place and from two good times of 1’14’1 and 1’14’4 per kilometre on 1,640m and 2,140m respectively, as well as Swedish 9 year old gelding newcomer Brio.
Undoubtedly an impressive list of horses, most of which are coming from promising performances. It will truly be a mighty struggle for any one of them to win or at least make it to the final!
Normal class races
The meeting also include two strong “normal” Gold class races on the longer 2,640m distance, with fields of 15 and 14 horses respectively.
The first includes in-form horses such as Lost Photo which won twice in its last three races, Oolong which won its penultimate race, Wies Buitenzorg which was runner-up twice in its last three races, Nubi Lens – runner-up in its last race, Assikura Gold class championship winner Phenix de la Roque, Made In Hoff which placed in its last race, Orion du Vaumicel and Nitesco d’Antony which both placed in their penultimate race and various other horses which are capable of rising to the occasion.
The second race includes horses such as Purple Hall coming from two consecutive wins, Razor Shadow with two wins and a place in its last three races, Partner Blue which won a couple of months ago, Quio de Nappes and Versace Boko which both placed over the last month and many other popular horses.
The remaining races are three for the Silver class, three others for Bronze class trotters and one for the Copper class, all over the 2,640m distance.
These are all very balanced races with many in-form participants. Thus for instance, the three Silver class races include no less than six horses which have won in the last couple of months, i.e. Quirinus Vrie, Foot Stompin Music, Neo de Mira, Rocky Mati, Qumran de la Motte and Zizazimoko whilst six others were runners-up over the same period, i.e. Blott Tooma, Record du Mexique, Ringo Flower, Love Heart, Regent de Tillard and Quooper de Connee.
We also have two Swedish 8 year old newcomers in this class, i.e. Aces Oliver and All American Class.
So, this should be another interesting meeting, with a bumper number of races, the start of another Premier class championship and various other “normal” class races involving a mix of popular participants and newcomers, as we gradually start nearing the end of the first part of the season.
Last Meetings
The last two meetings were replete with attractions, the three most important of which being the Ladies International Championship, the start of the Le Trot championship reserved for French trotters and another entertaining Premier class race. All these races were on the short 2,140m distance.
Interestingly we also saw a number of foreign drivers forming part of the contingents of the countries participating in the Ladies International Championship, participating in the races held during these two meetings.
Ladies International Championship
Malta’s Laura Cunningham on Monte Cinto Mag took an immediate lead in the first leg (reserved for Copper class trotters), a lead maintained until the start of the final straight when Hotchemin driven by Dutch Samantha Stolker attacked strongly three wide and managed to go in front with 200m to go and then sprinted in an impressive manner to claim its first seasonal win (its fifth in Malta) two lengths ahead of Nympheta de Bisoir (Ilaria Vecchi – Italy), Stormy Sand (Monica Sahlgren Fromell – Sweden), Monte Cinto Mag (Laura Cunningham – Malta) and Monticello (Patricia Gordin – Sweden). The race time was 1’18’7 per kilometre.
Italian newcomer Over del Sole driven by another Italian, Ilaria Vecchi took an early lead in the second leg (Silver class), remaining in front until the final straight when it came under severe attack from no less than six other horses.
The strongest of the lot was Darling Sjohammar driven by Estonian Natalia Abdalla, running in the middle of the racecourse, which went on to notch its second consecutive and seasonal win, three quarters of a length ahead of Love Heart (Sophie Blanchetiere - France), followed by newcomer Roc Magister (Samantha Stolker – Netherlands), Lucas Ness (Laura Cunningham – Malta) and Insomnia Grif (Heli Kantennen Heikkila – Finland) in that order. The race time was 1’17’5 per kilometre.
Thus the winner of this championship was Samantha Stolker of The Netherlands with 32 points, followed by Sophie Blanchetiere of France with 24, Ilaria Vecchi of Italy on 23, Estonian Natalia Abdalla with 21 points and Maltese Laura Cunningham with 20 points.
Congratulations to Samantha Stolker for winning this championship. The presentation was made by Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport, the Hon Mr Chris Agius, in the presence of Malta Racing Club Chairman Dr Matthew Brincat, among others.
Premier class
Isalus took an early lead in the Premier class race but it was overtaken by Lage after the first 350m. However the real action arrived in the backstraight as Yanantin Boko started an advance which led it to come head to head with the race leader with around 500m to go.
These two horses entered the final straight together with Yanantin Boko going in front at the start of the straight, but at this stage we saw Prieure’ sprinting impressively four wide and managed to pip Yanantin Boko in the last few metres, to claim its second consecutive and seasonal win in the seasonal best time on this distance so far of 1’14’0 per kilometre, just half a length ahead of the same Yanantin Boko, closely followed by Vanmaker Limburgia and Zalgado Transs R in that order.
Le Trot championships – Prix d’Enghien
Quozak Prior took an early lead in the first Prix d’Enghien heat held on Friday. The situation in front remained the same until the final straight when from the inside lane we saw coming Pan des Couperies which took everyone by surprise, sprinting splendidly to go in front in the middle of the straight to claim its first seasonal and second win in Malta, nearly two lengths ahead of the above-mentioned Quozak Prior, followed into the semi-finals by Quintet and Niky du Donjon. The race time was 1’16’4 per kilometre.
The second heat was nearly a photocopy of the first with newcomer Quouky de Morgane going in front early on and once again maintaining its lead until the final straight when Pile Ou Face came three wide to attack the race leader successfully, managing to go in front around 200m from the end and claiming its second consecutive and an impressive fifth seasonal win (its ninth win in Malta) by about two lengths from the fast finishing Ollico Pellois, followed by fellow qualifiers Quelino d’Amour and newcomer Quito de Femisson. The winner’s time was 1’16’5 per kilometre.
Then on Sunday, we first saw newcomer Quarus de Levres going in front after the first half kilometre of the next heat, but in the backstraight we saw the advance of other newcomer Quito Soyer which attacked the race leader and managed to come head to head with the latter and these two horses entered the final straight together.
However Quito Soyer was stronger on the day, going in front at the beginning of the straight and continuing on its way to a dream debut in 1’16’6 per kilometre, more than a length ahead of Pepone du Castelet, followed by Orage du Pont and another newcomer Quel Imprevu, which all made it to the semi-finals.
The next heat had little story as other than a short interval when Quel Noir went briefly ahead, Quart de Cidre was in front all the time, managing to increase its speed further in the last half lap, to dominate the final straight and notch its first win in Malta in the best time of these Prix d’Enghien heats of 1’16’2 per kilometre (although newcomer Ravenovillais and Panda des Fleches made last weekend’s best time, in the Prix de Cabourg (Silver class) with 1’15’9 per kilometre), some five and a half lengths ahead of Qadjar Turgot, followed into the semi-finals by Quel Noir and Pissaro.
Oolong took the lead around 1,500m before the end of the final heat, but around 400m from the end Nagano Phedo was positioned within striking distance of the race leader, launched its attack soon afterwards to go in front at the early into the final straight and going on to claim its first seasonal win (its ninth in Malta) in 1’16’3 per kilometre, a length and a half ahead of newcomer Qualisman, followed by Oeillet de Phens and Quattro du Gite which were the last Gold class horses to make it to the semi-finals.
Two hundred seconds (Part Three – The Aftermath)
Two weeks ago we left off this year’s BOV Tazza l-Kbira’s story with the race over and awaiting the judges’ official result.
The result does not take long to arrive with the winner being confirmed. The crowd is now in feast mode, the tension is over, as if all of us have finished an exam.
Many faces are smiling but there are others who look somewhat sad, perhaps even dejected, because their favourite horse has not managed to make it this year.
That is the nature of sport, there has to be one winner with the rest all wishing to be there instead of him. But next year will also arrive and with it another challenge, another opportunity to make it to the winners’ circle!
And suddenly, in a matter of a few minutes, wearing the winner’s blanket and a garland of flowers, now walking slowly out of the paddock, in distinct contrast to its blistering speed a few minutes before, with Charles Degiorgio on the sulky and surrounded by its owners holding it from its mouth rein, Swedish gelding Cloria Victis – at 10 years of age the youngest winner since Nemo des Bruyeres in 1989, at the eighth Tazza l-Kbira edition since then - comes out to receive the crowd’s plaudits.
Unnoticed, the Malta Racing Club’s hard-working officers and employees have now raised the Bank of Valletta banner on top of the screen in the winners’ circle and prepared the beautiful 80th anniversary trophies and the bouquets of flowers for the presentation ceremony. The distinguished guests are now all there awaiting the arrival of horse, driver and owners.
All around, an atmosphere of cheering and clapping but in an orderly manner, compared to what used to happen until the eighties. And indeed, my mind travels back to those times when specatators used to spill into the racecourse after the final to mill around the winner and its driver, congratulating them and often carrying the driver shoulder high.
I remember myself as a young boy feeling sorry for the winning horse which was itself not carried shoulder high, notwithstanding its exertions during the race – little realising what it takes to carry a horse weighing half a ton :).
Nothing of the sort now, with the winning celebration being held in a much more dignified and professional atmosphere.
Around me however, the race seems not yet over as various veteran spectators continue to debate its technical details, analysing it and re-analysing it in an expert manner and comparing individual horse timings. It really seems to have lasted much more than 200 seconds!
In the meantime, Charles Degiorgio (at his first win in this final) has descended from his sulky and is being interviewed by various journalists and commentators. He gives Lorraine Cunningham a diplomatic answer which she is not happy with and thus he has to admit that in all honesty he had faith in Cloria Victis all-along and had trained him for the last months in a way to peak in this race.
The horse is clearly still nervous after the race. This does not escape the hawk eyes of the people around me who comment about that too, but for those of us who have participated in athletics that is no surprise, because we all know how nervous and full of adrenalin one feels at the end of an important and challenging race.
And then photos all around ... of the horse, of the owners, driver, members of the family and friends, with the horse. It is truly a moment of glory for all of them, one which enables them to forget all the sacrifices they did in preparation for this big day and to savour this golden moment in the limelight.
And finally the presentation ceremony led by Bank of Valletta Chief Executive Officer Mr Charles Borg accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth & Sport the Hon Chris Agius and Malta Racing Club Chairman Dr Matthew Brincat.
Mr Borg presents the historic Cup to driver Charles Degiorgio who holds it high triumphantly whilst making a V sign of victory with his other hand, as the owners also raise their hands in sign of victory.
The owners of the placing horses also go up to take their trophy and prizes, naturally not as happy as the winners, but they also have the satisfaction of having their and their horses’ name in the history of this great Cup.
And suddenly it is all over. The horse seems relieved to get away from the noisy crowd (it probably must be thanking its lucky stars to be a horse because these human beings are clearly ununderstandable :)) and on its way to a much needed shower and some well deserved rest.
I walk down from the spectators’ stands to the winners’ circle where I meet one of the distinguished guests who comments to me smiling “I never thought that horse-racing is so exciting!”
At the edge of the winner’s circle I also meet Malta Racing Club Chairman Dr Matthew Brincat and some MRC personnel and take the opportunity of congratulating them for a truly well-organised event. To those whom I did not meet, I take this opportunity to say “a big well done” for all their efforts.
Perhaps not everyone appreciates that even if the race lasted just 200 seconds, to be organised to its impeccable standards it required months of preparation by a whole lot of people. Well done once again to all of them!
We wish you another great meeting next Sunday.
