by Magnat

This season’s sixteenth meeting will be held at the Marsa race track next Sunday 10th April, starting at 2pm. This will be a seven race card dominated by the Emirates Tazza l-Kbira Final over a 2,640m distance.

The other six races will consist of one Copper class race, two for Bronze class horses, one for the Silver class and the remaining two for the Gold class, all over a sprint 1,640m distance.

The Emirates Tazza l-Kbira final will be contested by the following nine horses: Netter Williams, Neo de Mira, Marathon Villers, Kakisis, Lonshults Anders, Isolated, Madis Boy, Major Chaleonnais and Lou Petiot. Seven French and two Swedish horses, of which three horses are ten years old and another three are aged eleven years, whilst there is one horse in each of the nine years, twelve years and thirteen years categories.

A very hard-fought race is anticipated, with major difficulties to predict not just the winner but also the other placing horses. Prize-money amounting to Euro4,100 will be awarded, together with trophies for the first four finishers and commemorative horse blankets.

On this traditional occasion, Emirates Airline and the Malta Racing Club are also preparing a backdrop consisting of a series of activities which should be of interest for all the family.

The two Gold class races in this programme should also be of substantial interest. The first is for horses which are close to the Silver class, whilst the other involves horses most of which would be promoted to the Premier Class with a win or in some cases even with a good placing. Each of them contains a full field of sixteen horses.

We will have some horses coming from very good performances in their last three races, such as Niko de Chamant (two wins), Lotus du Goth (a win and a place), Bete Saknussen (a win in its last race) and various others in the first race and Energy Launcher (two wins and a place), Intrus des Rioults (two second places), Race Ball (two places) and others, in the second race.

One horse is expected to make its debut, i.e. Parigot (FR) in the Bronze class.

Last meetings
Eight races were held in each of the meetings of Thursday and Sunday last week. The highlight of these meetings were the races from the Mediterranean Horse Racing Union’s championships – one for drivers (trot racing) and the other for jockeys (flat racing).

Julian Farrugia made all us all proud when he registered a win in the first leg of the drivers’ championship, driving Magnifique Sablais which went in front in the early stages and led all the way to win from Zerbin (Italy), Money Boy (Slovenia) and Oscardo du Val (Russia).

On the other hand our representative Eric Zammit found the going extremely tough in the jockeys’ championship. This race was won by Ollie Fliptrik (France), followed by Genievre (Italy) and Minnow (Tunisia), whilst Lordswood (Malta) did not place.

Two interesting Premier class races were held on Sunday on 1,640m, which were both won by Swedish trotters.

In the first one, Carnegie Hall maintained the lead from the early stages until the final straight, when Livi Cantona which had been advancing strongly in the last 500 metres, unleashed a strong sprint which enabled it to shoot in front and to win in a very good time of 1’14’8 per kilometre from the same Carnegie Hall, Bill Boing and Lucas Ness. This was Livi Cantona’s sixth win (plus two places too) in ten races in Malta.

In the second Premier class race, Belafonte (at its second race locally) took the lead around 400m from the end and went on to win in this season’s best time to date on this distance, i.e. 1’14’5 per kilometre, in front of Mark de Chamant, newcomer Ringside and Master Perrine.

Flashbacks from the past
A couple of weeks ago, we took a look at the semi-finals of the Tazza l-Kbira of 1971 and 1976. On the occasion of this year’s final it is fitting that we remember the final held in those years.

Forty years ago, the final was held on the 16th May and Urus du Padoueng and Renov Vit soon went into the lead. A collision which fortunately did not have serious consequences took place in mid-race between Quillaja and Solide Espoir.

Urus du Padoueng and Renov Vit maintained the leadership throughout and as they reached the final bend, the former was leading, keeping the rails, whilst the latter was attacking on the outside. They both gave their very best with spectators encouraging their favourites, but the win went by about a length to Urus du Padoueng, from Renov Vit and third-placed Quinadou.

Thirty-five years ago, the final was held on the 23rd May. Acteon Joli went ahead at the start, immediately followed by Alcyon III and Atome II leading the rest of the pack. Borely Victor and Urbain L also continued challenging well.

Alcyon III went ahead soon after mid-race, but he was challenged by Urbain L and Borely Victor with the latter taking the lead round the long final bend. However Alcyon III, led by Mr Faucault, its driver during its career in France, soon regained the lead and although it had to withstand threats from horses such as Unique Tresor, Ultra Son B and Au Fond des Bois, it went on to win from Unique Tresor and Ultra Son B.

Whose turn will it be this year to put its name on this most prestigious trophy?

We wish you all an exciting meeting on Sunday.