Lou Petiot wins MRC Grand Final
Jockey Sarah Borg gets back in the saddle
An equestrian festival was held in front of a packed house at the racetrack yesterday.
The special programme consisted of 15 events in all with a Grand Final trotting race for Premier Class horses being the highlight of the afternoon at Marsa.
The Grand Final was held over a long distance of 2,640m and involved horses which last month had competed in the Prix de Vincennes final for French trotters and others that contested the President’s Cup final.
The race was won by French trotter Lou Petiot, yesterday under the guidance of its owner Michael Axisa. Nine horses lined up for the Grand Final.
Arnie Sensation (Carmelo Farrugia), the fastest horse at the official start of the race, opened a length’s lead from Lou Petiot and In Vitro du Bourg (Ivan Bilocca).
The pace was frenetic and midway through the straight for home Arnie Sensation started slowing down considerably and lost its position to Lou Petiot which went on to finish first ahead of Bello Fratello (Anthony Spagnol) and Kakisis, driven by Michael’s son, Johan Axisa. In Vitro du Bourg had to settle for fourth place.
The programme also included two flat races on a distance of 1,750m.
In the first race for Class B runners, Tarruji (Oliver Briffa) finished first from Ollie Fliptrik and Genievre (Charles Pace).
Ollie Fliptrik was driven by jockey Sarah Borg who was back to the flat racing scene after a racing accident at Marsa in February 2009.
She was seriously injured on that occasion after being thrown off her mount, Silence Caresse.
Borg, 22 at the time, required prolonged medical attention and was in a critical condition for several weeks. But, yesterday she put the hard times behind her to make a much-awaited comeback, much to the delight of an appreciative crowd at Marsa.
Mr Mustard (Michael Sultana) led all the way in the Class A flat race. This horse triumphed by a length from Lordswood (Eric Zammit) and Etoile du Pic (Ramon Grima).
A number of presentations were also made during the equestrian festival yesterday.
Noel Baldacchino was confirmed as 2010 best driver, Rodney Gatt best apprentice driver and Michael Sultana was crowned as the best jockey of the season.
Trophies were also presented to the owners of Bello Fratello yesterday. This Swedish horse was the most consistent trotter in the 2010 season.
French Mousko Royal was the most consistent horse in the French Championships and Mean Mr Mustard was best runner in flat racing. Trophies were presented by Matthew Brincat, the Malta Racing Club chairman.
The huge crowd present for yesterday’s festival is testimony to this sport’s popularity on our islands and a very big well done should go to the racing club officials for taking such an initiative. The new 2011 season starts on Sunday, January 16.