Yesterday’s meeting at the Marsa racetrack heralded the start of the 2014 season of horse racing.
The card consisted of eight races, all for trotters. Races were held on a short distance of 2,140m.
The top attraction on the card was the seventh race, open for Premier Class trotters. The event was won by Swedish horse Vejby Boom driven by Charles Camilleri. He succeeded in winning two races during the afternoon programme.
Thirteen horses took part in the Premier race.
As expected, it was PA Surprise (Charles Degiorgio) that took the lead after the official start of the race. This trotter opened a half-length’s lead from Zalgado Transs R (Noel Baldacchino) and Original Blue (Chris Cassar).
These three horses continued to set the pace until 400m from the post, at the point where the leading trotters reached the straight for home. However, at this juncture pacesetter PA Surprise ran out of steam and got outsmarted by Vejby Boom that went on to record its first win at the racetrack.
Zalgado Transs R and Pro Shop (Rodney Gatt) completed the top-four order.
In the Gold Class race, early leader Quintet du Vivier (Charles Camilleri) was unable to keep up the pace and started to slow down midway through the straight.
It was Beckham Bob (Jesmar Gafa) that overtook Quintet Du Vivier at the finish line with Dutch newcomer Wies Buitenzorg (Tony Demanuele) and Regent De Tillard (Andrew Farrugia) finishing in third and fourth places respectively.
The racing programme at Marsa yesterday also included four other races for the Silver Class trotters only.
French horse Reveal Champ Blanc (Tony Cauchi) and Finland mare Isebel (Christian Xerri) secured wins in this first meeting of the season after increasing speed around 700m from the post in the opening two Silver races.
Ouragan d’Any (Michael Ellul) and Pile Ou Face (Joe Schembri) led all the way in the other two events from the same class.
Another meeting at Marsa will be held on Sunday.
The winners
Race 1: Copper class, Nolan Streamline (Andy Mifsud) – 1.17.4”
Race 2: Silver class, Reveal Champ Blanc (Tony Cauchi) – 1.16.4”
Race 3: Bronze, Victory Pointer (Charles Camilleri) – 1.16.3”
Race 4: Silver, Isebel (Christian Xerri) – 1.17”
Race 5: Gold, Beckham Bob (Jesmar Gafa) – 1.15.8”
Race 6: Silver, Ouragan d’Any (Michael Ellul) – 1.17”
Race 7: Premier, Vejby Boom (Charles Camilleri) – 1.14.9”
Race 8: Silver, Pile Ou Face (Joe Schembri) – 1.17.4”