by Magnat

The next race-meeting at the Marsa race track will be held next Sunday 19th December. It will commence at 1.30pm and consist of an eight all-trot race card.

It is expected to be a very interesting meeting featuring five SECF finals, one for each class, with handsome prize-money. Three “normal” races will also be held, one for the Copper class and two for the Silver class.

The centre-piece of the meeting is expected to be the Prix de Vincennes final reserved for French Premier class horses in which ten participants aged between ten and fourteen years will take part. These are In Vitro du Bourg, James de l’Iton, Kakisis, Kamis de l’Eveche, Lady de Vindecy, Land Havaroche, Lou Petiot, Lucky Marceaux, Madis Boy and Mont Cenis Honey. The quality of these participants is proved by the fact that each of them won more than Euro230,000 in its overseas career and between them they have won around 70 races since their arrival in Malta.

The Prix d’Enghien final sees ten Gold Class competitors aged between nine and fourteen years, most of which have collected more than Euro140,000 of winnings in their foreign career and some of which, i.e. Kiflosak Cordiere, Lascar Beaujolais, Lucky Fan and Never Better, have won at least once in their last three outings locally.

Even the other finals, i.e. the Prix de Cabourg (Silver class), the Prix de Cagnes Sur Mer (Bronze class) and the Prix de Caen (Copper class) involve high quality trotters and are balanced races which should be extremely entertaining for all horse-racing enthusiasts.

In last Sunday’s meeting, British thoroughbred Uncle Bertie won The Chukkas Coronation Cup over a short 1,250m distance, winning its third race in as many races in Malta. He powered to the front of the eight-strong field in the last 500 metres and registered a splendid win from its closest challengers Etoile du Pic, Mean Mr Mustard and No Telling.
On Monday, Swedish thirteen-year old trotter Bello Fratello won a close President’s Cup final (its fifth win this year) over a 2,140m distance, with a splendid sprint in the final straight beating its nearest competitors Niarpan, Lucas Ness and Melino du Rib in a very good time of 1’15’7 per kilometre.

Among the other interesting performances we saw Swedish eleven-year old Think Yatzee make a winning return at the race course in the Premier class, after an absence of seven weeks.
Ker Pellois took its first win this year in the Gold class, achieving promotion to the Premier class. In the other Gold class races, Lys de l’Oasis produced a splendid sprint in the final straight to take its first win in Malta (after numerous placings), whilst Livi Cantona won the other race making it two wins and two places from four outings.

Notice As was promoted to the Gold class after winning by the tightest of margins from Energy Launcher in a very good time of 1’16’6 per kilometre over a 2,140m distance.

In France, last Friday, Messrs Calcidon Bilocca and Vincent Debono, owners of In Vitro Du Bourg, were honoured with the Top French Horse award by the French horse-racing association; a deserved recognition for this successful horse and its owners. A calendar featuring some of In Vitro du Bourg’s best wins has been published and may be acquired for a donation of Euro5; the money collected will be given to Dar tal-Providenza. In acquiring a memento of this trotter which forms part of Maltese horse-racing history, one would also be assisting a very worthy cause.

The Vincennes race-course, mecca of French horse-racing, was the venue for the Prix des Rencontres Internationales du Trotteur Francais, a 2,100m trot race, last Saturday. Talented drivers from fourteen countries having an association with the Societe’ d’encouragement a’ l’elevage du cheval francais (“SECF”) participated. Malta’s representative was Charles Camilleri, one of our leading drivers.

Despite partnering a horse which was not among the favourites, starting from the second row behind the autostart and race circumstances putting him at the back of the pack until the last 500 metres, Charles showed all his skill, exploiting his mare’s best characteristic, i.e. her finishing skills, for a great sprint, resulting in an honourable fourth place, inches from a runner-up position. Well done Charles, you made us proud and again showed our drivers’ talents on an international stage.

It is also a pleasure to note our compatriot Charles Degiorgio’s recent horse-driving successes in Sweden.

The coming meeting is the 61st for this season, which is the second highest number of meetings held in a season over the last seven years and a very satisfying achievement for the Malta Racing Club (MRC).

Organising so many meetings nearly all of which included eight or more races is no mean feat and involves a material organisational effort and substantial co-ordination work by all involved. Even collecting funds for prize-money and running of meetings, including sourcing sponsorships, requires continuous attention and effort in the light of our country’s limited resources and the increasing funding needs required to hold meetings.

Starting from the MRC Council and continuing with all those who give their contribution in one form or another, sometimes on a voluntary or semi-voluntary basis, this result is the fruit of their labour.

We wish a great finals day on Sunday and a very happy Christmas to you and your loved ones.