by Magnat

Another race-meeting will be held next Sunday 14th November at the Marsa race track with the first race being scheduled for 1.30pm.

The all-trotting race card consists of no less than eleven races. After a number of meetings featuring middle and long distances, we shall see a return to the short 2,140m distance and all the races will be run over that distance.

No French horses will be in action in this meeting as these are rested in preparation for the SECF championships reserved for them, and which commence next week. However, this meeting will have a very international flavour with horses hailing from no less than ten other countries.

All classes will be in action with the main emphasis being on the lower classes. There will be three races for each of the Copper, Bronze and Silver classes. Most of the trotters racing in Malta are classified in those classes and these include a number of very valid horses some of which are close to promotion into a higher class.

Among others, in the sixth race reserved for Silver class horses, we find some who were racing in the Gold class until recently, such as Charlie Smitt, G. Force Son and Angel Victory, as well as others which performed well recently such as Energy Launcher, Castor Pollux and Family’s Moonlight.

In the Gold class (seventh race), a number of horses are close to promotion to the Premier class, including Mint Spirit, Super Spot, Race Ball and Kejser Flamingo.

The main race on the card is expected to be the ninth, reserved for Premier class horses. A full field of sixteen horses is registered, including recent race protagonists such as Shamin, Lucas Ness, My Red Force and Alf Eme.
In this race, we are pleased to note the registration of Arnie Sensation which suffered an accident in the Dragonara Championship Consolation Final on Friday and should be making a welcome return to the racetrack. We are also scheduled to see the only trotter making its debut in this meeting, i.e. German Obi Wan Kenobi.

This meeting should be helpful to measure the progress of the participating horses and their potential for future championships.

Two splendid well-attended meetings were held last weekend. These featured no less than seven finals spread over the two meetings and some very keen races and finishes were seen. The winners in the Condition Race finals over a 3,140m distance included Larkay d’Echal in the Copper class, Omegane de Lubin in the Bronze Class, Emil Brebro in the Silver B class, Neo de Mira in the Silver A class and L’Alpha de Cosse in the Gold class.

Among these races the finishes in the Silver A and Gold classes were impressively close with no less than four horses tussling between them until the end.

On Friday, the Dragonara Casino Championship Consolation Final saw a brilliant race by 13-year old popular Swedish horse Bello Fratello which beat its closest challengers by a good margin.

On Sunday, the Dragonara Casino championship reached its climax with the grand final over a 2,640m distance. Here, favourite 12-year old French trotter Kakisis made it four wins in a row. Until the last 900 metres of the race, it was running at the back of the field but at that stage it gave an impressive show of strength going past one horse after another.
The final straight saw a mighty struggle between this horse and second placed Play on Me which was leading the field until then, with Kakisis having the final word amid the enthusiasm of its supporters. The winner’s time was 1’16’7 per kilometre. Lou Petiot and Mica Bonero finished third and fourth respectively. The presentation to Kakisis’ owners and driver brought down the curtain onto a very successful Dragonara Casino championship.

Today’s final reflection is a note of satisfaction on the fact that no less than ten doping tests were carried out on the winners and placing horses in these finals. This requires a material investment by the Malta Racing Club from its limited resources. Although such tests are very expensive, the MRC appears clearly committed to continue carrying them out with the necessary diligence.

Indeed such tests are extremely important to protect the integrity of this sport and to uncover and penalise the use of illicit substances. However, the main reason for such measures is to continue enhancing a “fair play” culture in our sport as well as continuing the process of education that the real sportspersons and winners are those who play by the rules and on their own merits.

Best wishes for another exciting meeting next Sunday.