This afternoon a press conference was held regarding the President’s Cup Final to be raced on 22nd November.
As last year it has once again been decided that the President’s Cup is raced in November in order to give a chance to all the Premier category horses to participate. 42 horses took part in 4 heats on 18th October from which 20 qualified to yesterday’s semi finals after they were postponed from the previous week due to inclement weather. The distance for this final is 2140m.
As usual this 15th edition of the President’s Cup falls under the patronage of H.E. The President of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca who will also be present during the specially prepared programme in order to make the winner presentations. We would also like to express our thanks to the local company Philip Agius & Sons for helping out financially in the organisation of this race.
As has now become tradition, it is the owners themselves who will choose the number with which their horse will depart behind the autostart. This will happen according to the order of finish and timing in the semifinals.
Another custom of this race is that the children attending the Horse Racing Academy of the Malta Racing Club participate in the special programme prepared for the occasion. Once again this year we will also have the Mini President’s Cup in which the children drive their ponies in a trot race. The trophy to the winner will also be presented by H.E. The President. Yesterday we had two heats which saw 6 ponies qualifying for the race the draws of which are also being done today.
1. Cory (Jaydon Cutajar)
2. Daisy (Cherise Farrugia)
3. Cindy (Jordan Joe Gauci)
4. Baby Boko (Dejan Calleja)
5. She Is A Lady (Darnell Colombo)
6. Trouble (Ryan Cassar)
Young Rhiona Degiorgio will be greeting H.E. The President by singing the National Anthem followed by a parade in which the children of the academy bring the finalist drivers on pony driven jog carts to the winners’ circle where they will be greeted by other children with flowers. The President of Malta will present tokens of the occassion.
Each finalist horse is going to be given a blanket to be used in the pre race parade headed by the 2010 winner Lucas Ness and as soon as the race winner is announced Rhiona Degiorgio will sing a song for the occasion. A total of 3600 Euro will be distributed in this race with the winner getting 2025 Euro, a commemorative blanket and the right to keep for a year the artistic trophy designed by local artist George Muscat. Trophies will also be given to the first four finishers.
Apart from all this the main aim of this race is one which contributes to collect money for the Community Chest Fund. On the day, volunteers will be going around to collect donations from all those present. We also urge the winning owners to be generous and donate part of their prize money towards l-Istrina.
This year we have the following 10 finalists:
1. Rainbow Dancer
2. Nico Oland
3. Ohime Mag
4. Ripsos de Fa
5. Rio de Lou
6. Vasterbo Paradise
7. Orcas Bac
8. Quo Williams
9. Zalgado Transs R
10. Quillian Joyeux
President’s Cup Honour Roll:
Summer 1992 Zito Bob (Tony Tanti)
1992/1993 Sanit (Charles Clifton)
1993/1994 Alto Be (Frencu Cassar)
1994/1995 Major Bill (John Briffa)
1995/1996 Huggie Hanover (Raymond Clifton)
1996/1997 Huggie Hanover (Raymond Clifton)
1997/1998 Captain Trackline (Joseph Scicluna)
1998/1999 Bambin d’Orleans (Philip Giordmaina)
2004 Huit Mars (Michael Seychell)
2010 Lucas Ness (Mario Farrugia)
2011 Livi Cantona (Charles Camilleri)
2012 Mont Cenis Honey (Noel Baldacchino)
2013 Gently di Poggio (Brian Zammit)
2014 Pedro Vici (Johann Axisa)
The Press Conference was addressed by Mr Anthony Demanuele - General Secretary of the Malta Racing Club and Ms Valerie Farrugia from Solidarjeta bl-Isport.
Lorraine Cunningham
Public Relations & Media Officer
Malta Racing Club
MRC/21/15