The first races from the President’s Cup championship, open for Premier Class trotters, were held yesterday during the 42nd meeting of the season at the Marsa Racetrack.
From these four heats, 20 horses qualified for the semi-finals with Noel Baldacchino finishing as the meeting’s best driver with three wins to his name.
In the first Premier heat, Swedish Ouch S (Noel Baldacchino) led all the way and managed to secure its first win in Malta by half-a-length from favourite Quartz De Vindecy (Carmelo Farrugia).
Quo Williams (Charles Camilleri), Ricardo Mols (Philip Calleja) and Speedy Cruz (Andrew Farrugia) followed in that order to progress to the next round.
There was a keen tussle between three trotters midway through the final straight of the second Premier Class heat.
It was Swedish newcomer Midsummer King, also driven by Baldacchino, which obtained its first win at Marsa after seeing off the stern challenges of Royal De Vaiges (David Ellul) and Nico Oland (Julian Farrugia).
Vejby Boom (Carl Caruana) and Uhal Berven (Matthew Sammut) finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Favourite Sage De Gueriniere (Andrew Farrugia) gained its second consecutive win in Malta when topping the third heat, yesterday afternoon.
This 10-year-old French trotter lived up to expectations, taking the lead after only a few metres and never relinquished its position. Farrugia’s trotter triumphed by a half-a-length from Quefi Des Caillons (Charles Camilleri). Ramses De Vaudon (Redent Magro), Ourasi Diams (Anthony Fenech) and Turnover (Frenċu Cassar) completed the top-five order.
Ton Ami Du Prieur (Omar Cauchi) dashed strongly from the outside during the last 500 metres of the fourth and last Premier Class heat.
This French trotter seized the lead around 100m from the finishing line and recorded its third win in Malta from Ricky Rock (Rodney Gatt) and Sensei (Nicholas Bonello). Matrix Revolution (Noel Baldacchino) and Livi Cantona (Charles Camilleri) were the last two trotters to make it through to the semi-final stage of the President’s Cup.
Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Friday.
The first race will start at 7pm.
Yesterday’s winners
Race 1: Copper – Maiden Flash (Josef Farrugia) – NTR.
Race 2: Copper – Seigneur Du Dropt (Michael Sultana) – NTR.
Race 3: Bronze – Jezira (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.2”.
Race 4: President’s Cup Championship Heat, Premier – Ouch S (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.8”.
Race 5: Silver – Figaro’s Dream (Chris Grech) – 1.16.9”.
Race 6: President’s Cup Championship Heat, Premier – Midsummer King (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.4”.
Race 7: President’s Cup Championship Heat, Premier – Sage De Gueriniere (Andrew Farrugia) – 1.15.7”.
Race 8: Silver – Ariel Sisu (Nathaniel Barbara) – 1.16.1”.
Race 9: President’s Cup Championship Heat, Premier – Ton Ami Du Prieur (Omar Cauchi) – 1.15.7”.
Race 10: Bronze – Thank You Darling (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.17.6”.