President's Cup heats underway at Marsa

Yesterday's sixth winter meeting at the Marsa racetrack included four heats from the President's Cup for Class A1 trotters only, on the 2,140-metre distance. A total of 16 horses qualified for the semi-finals.

The first Class A1 heat was a most interesting one. Walls Winner led from the start up to 200m from the post where it was overtaken by Fontenoy. But, this trotter could not make it first to the finishing line as it slowed down when a few metres away from the post, giving way for Jason R.P. and Ilex Garden to contest first place.

In the end, Frencu Cassar's Jason R.P. just managed to clinch victory. Third place went to Florissant while Fontenoy had to settle for fourth place but enough to qualify for the next round of the competition.

Carmelo Farrugia's Joker Smabo grabbed the lead some 200m from the post to go on and win the second top class heat leaving second horse in, Piperhurst, two lengths behind.

Francois Premier and Filou D'Olain also qualified in that order. Joker Smabo yesterday recorded its second successive win at Marsa.

Huit Mars, driven by Michael Seychell, had little trouble in winning the President's Cup third heat.

Leading all the way to the finish, it registered its second consecutive win and was two lengths ahead of Drabant Are at the post.

Count Eban and Iliad, third and fourth respectively, also qualified.

Friday looked set to win the fourth and final heat of the competition for Class A1 trotters but was overtaken in the very last metres by eventual winner Opal Nalan in its first race in Malta. This winner was driven by Julian Farrugia yesterday.

Schack Broline and Gatac Du Terme, another newcomer, were the last to qualify for the semi-finals.

The only flat race on the card yesterday, for Class I/II on 1,250 metres, was easily won by four-year-old Irish mare Kohima, under the control of Demis Zammit.

Yesterday's winners

Race 1: Class G, 2,640m - Min Adonis (C. Magro).

Race 2: Class F, 2,640m - Mr Sugarcane (C. Camilleri).

Race 3: Flat Class I/II, 1,250m - Kohima (D. Zammit).

Race 4: Class A1, 2,140m - Jason R.P. (F. Cassar).

Race 5: Class A1, 2,140m - Joker Smabo (C. Farrugia).

Race 6: Class E, 2,640m - Union Express (N. Baldacchino).

Race 7: Class A1, 2,140m - Huit Mars (M. Seychell).

Race 8: Class A1, 2,140m - Opal Nalan (J. Farrugia).

Race 9: Class E, 2,640m - Marys Magic Wand (M. Bugeja).