[attach id=257878 size="medium"]An ecstatic Michael Sultana jumps off his horse, Kimberley Downs, after winning the Mediterranean Derby. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi[/attach]
Ridden by Michael Sultana, American Kimberley Downs won the Mediterranean Derby Cup final for flat horses on a long distance of 1,750m. This race formed part of the 24th meeting of the season made up of nine races.
Rodney Gatt finished as the afternoon’s best driver with a remarkable four wins.
Five horses lined up for the Mediterranean Derby final. Kimberley Downs was first out of the blocks, opening a small lead from Ollie Fliptrik (Sarah Borg).
The pace was frenetic and, around 700m from the end, Ollie Fliptrik started to slow down as Cheeky Jack (Charles Vella) charged past.
In the final straight, Kimberley Downs and Cheeky Jack sprinted neck-and-neck and the former had to go all out in order to secure its second win of the year with Timolin (Ramon Grima) and Ollie Fliptrik following home in that order.
At the end of the race, Malta Racing Club chairman Matthew Brincat presented the prestigious Mediterranean Derby trophy to Michael Sultana and Jonathan Borg, jockey and co-owner respectively of the winning horse.
Yesterday’s card also included three races for Gold Class trotters. In the first race, early leader Simb Tyrant (Tony Tanti) was overtaken by Nophenio de Lune (Charles Farrugia) which recorded its first win of the season.
Hulot (Jason Vassallo), Jerry Eme (Noel Baldacchino) and Energy Launcher (Oliver Bonello) filled the other top-four positions.
Opal Hall (Clint Vassallo) upped its pace in the last 500m of the second Gold Class race. This trotter obtained its first win in Malta after staving off the challenge of Blizzard Ad (Frenċu Cassar) and Carnegie Hall (Darren Mizzi). Splendido Star (Charles Camilleri) was fourth.
There was a close finish in the third Gold race when XRay Hornline (Rodney Gatt) and Ouest du Vivier (Cliferty Calleja) sprinted together in the final straight. It was the former which made sure of its second win of the year. Mind Your Head (Baldacchino) and Petit Pierricais (Cassar) placed third and fourth respectively.
The next meeting will take place on Friday, a public holiday, starting at 1.30pm.
Yesterday’s winners
Race 1: Copper, Lemon Solo (Etienne Farrugia) – 1.20.7”.
Race 2: Bronze, Ywema’s Pine (Rodney Gatt) – 1.19.2”.
Race 3: Silver, Dacoit (Clint Vassallo) – 1.19.3”.
Race 4: Bronze, Sjohultets Tigra (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.1”.
Race 5: Gold, Nophenio de Lune (Charles Farrugia) – 1.17.7”.
Race 6: Silver, Target Player (Gordon Dahl) – 1.17.7”.
Race 7: Gold, Opal Hall (Clint Vassallo) – 1.17.8”
Race 8: Silver, Perdreau Rapide (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.1”.
Race 9: Mediterranean Derby, Kimberley Downs (Michael Sultana) – 1.47.9”.
Race 10: Gold, XRay Hornline (Rodney Gatt) – 1.17.1”.