Two international races topped the bill during yesterday’s 29th meeting of the season at the Marsa Racetrack.

The 12 trotters in each race were under the charge of female drivers coming from 11 European countries.

Malta was represented by Lorraine Cunningham while the other drivers hailed from Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Holland, Sweden and Hungary.

This championship was organised by the Malta Racing Club with the assistance of SportMalta.

In the second and most important ladies’ event, the drivers raced with trotters from the Silver Class.

Here, Swedish mare Cummin, driven by Finland’s Seija Nieminen, produced a burst of pace around 400m from the finish line to seal its third win of the year.

Cummin passed the post eight lengths clear of Swedish newcomer U. Two Swing (Emese Vezer – Hungary) and Broslatts Boy (Patricia Gordin – Sweden).

Tirana C.N., driven by Frenchwoman Marion Plassais, finished in fourth place.

In the race reserved for Bronze trotters, it was Italian driver Alessandra Devidè who put Italian mare Ohdarling Effe in the lead with Soft De La Vallee (Simone Mikkelsen – Denmark) and Energy Launcher (Mariann Thorup Nielsen – Denmark) giving chase.

Midway through the final straight, Ohdarling Effe ran out of steam and was overtaken by Energy Launcher which gained its second win in a row. Soft De La Vallee and Across The Fire (Marion Plassais – France) finished third and fourth respectively.

At the end of these two international races, Chris Agius, the Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, presented trophies to the drivers and owners of the winning horses.

Yesterday’s card also included the Sette Giugno Championship final for Premier Class trotters, also on a short distance.

Favourite Overtaker By Sib (Marco Refalo) started increasing its speed along the last 700 metres to cruise to its sixth win of the season and third in a row from Nico Oland (Julian Farrugia). The early leader, Brigadoon (Rodney Gatt), had to settle for third place with Sensei (Nicholas Bonello) fourth.

In the normal Premier Class race, over a longer distance of 3,140 metres, Quefi Des Caillons, under the guidance of Charles Camilleri, dashed strongly from the outside around 300 metres from the finish line.

This French trotter secured its fifth win of the season by a length from Ricky Rock (Noel Baldacchino) and Uhal Berven (Matthew Sammut).

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack is scheduled for Sunday, starting at 3.45pm.

Yesterday’s winners

Race 1: Bronze – Carlos Express (Dylan Gatt) 1.20”.
Race 2: Silver – Tsar Nay (Clive Gerada) 1.18.6”.
Race 3: Silver – Tenero (Andrew Farrugia) 1.18.4”.
Race 4: Gold ­– Helacs Falo (Julian Farrugia) 1.20”.
Race 5: International Ladies’ Race, Bronze – Energy Launcher (Mariann T. Nielsen, Denmark) 1.15.6”.
Race 6: Premier – Quefi Des Caillons (Charles Camilleri) 1.16.3”.
Race 7: International Ladies’ Race, Silver – Cummin (Seija Nieminen, Finland) 1.15.4”.
Race 8: Gold – Slow De Godiniere (Noel Baldacchino) 1.17.4”.
Race 9: Sette Giugno Championship Final, Premier – Overtaker By Sib (Marco Refalo) 1.14.3”.
Race 10: Gold – Mils You Love (Rodney Gatt) 1.18.1”.