Hudson Blue takes Premier honours

Yesterday's meeting at Marsa included two monte events, a cross between trotting and flat racing. These two races were both heats from the Abracadabra Pixxina competition. The main race on the card was the Premier Class.

The monte races were 2,660 metres long and the rest of the events were on 1,640 metres.

Still fresh from winning the Big Cup competition a few weeks back, Hudson Blue, yesterday driven by Ivan Bilocca, won the Premier Class race thanks mainly to a strong dash along the last 150 metres.

Kintaro was second past the post but was disqualified. The runner-up spot went to Zorro Tuna. Fox Waltz was third.

Hudson Blue clocked an average of 1'14.7'' per kilometre.

There was quite a close finish in the Gold 4 race when three trotters dashed closely together. At the post, it was Martini As, controlled by Darren Mizzi, which was a nose in front followed by Kheops D'Ariane and First King.

Monte racing was back at the racetrack after a lapse of several years with the opening heats from a new competition.

Iras Du Bottey, ridden by Ramon Grima, led from start to finish although at the end it was pressed by Jaguar De France which had to settle for second place. A long way back in third place was Ideal Fayen.

These three horses qualified for the final.

Although Kelso Bricois led for most of the distance in the other heat, this horse could not maintain its pace in the straight and gave in to the strong attack of eventual winner Preem MS, under the direction of Sara Borg.

Preem MS was in its first race in Malta. Also qualifying for the final was Falco which finished behind Kelso Bricois.

Gozitan Julian Farrugia managed to keep Nillans Comet all the time in the lead in the Gold 2 race. Nillans Comet was followed by the more fancied New Kid in Town while Gingoro was third.

The next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, starting at 2 p.m.

Yesterday's winners

Race 1: Bronze 5, 1,640m - Glowing Star (C. Camilleri).
Race 2: Bronze 3, 1,640m - MGT As (B. Hili).
Race 3: Silver 4, 1,640m - Qantele (O. Cauchi).
Race 4: Monte heat 1, 2,660m - Iras Du Bottey (R. Grima).
Race 5: Gold 2, 1,640m - Nillans Comet (J. Farrugia).
Race 6: Monte heat 2, 2,660m - Preem MS (S. Borg).
Race 7: Premier, 1,640m - Hudson Blue (I. Bilocca).
Race 8: Gold 4, 1,640m - Martini As (D. Mizzi).
Race 9: Silver 1, 1,640m - Frokjaer Toj (J. Cordina).
Race 10: Bronze 2, 1,640m - Kenor Celeste (R. Clifton).