The attention of local horse racing followers was mainly centred on the MRC Condition Race final for Classes C and D running together and two Class A1 MRC Condition qualifiers during the 14th Spring Meeting, held at the Marsa racetrack yesterday.
The remaining six scratch races on the card were on the rather long 2,640m distance. Charles Degiorgio was the meeting's best driver with three wins.
Much to the spectators' delight, the C/D MRC Condition final turned out be a very interesting race from start to finish.
Newton Rozz was the first to seize the lead but was overtaken a lap from the end by favourite Elan Du Cottage which in turn relinquished first position to Junior League.
Elan Du Cottage was disqualified for breaking as Degiorgio's Houston De Cahot raced ahead at a crucial stage and proceeded to win the event. It was its second success on the trot in only its third race in Malta. Fou D'Amour was second ahead of Junior League.
In the handicap Class A1 event, it was Fontenoy that took an immediate lead but failed to maintain first place up to the finishing line.
Fifty metres from the post, Ilex Garden looked to have made a decisive move towards victory but at the finish line, it was pipped by Jaguar Gelj, driven by Julian Farrugia.
Ilex Garden had to settle for third place. Only the first two trotters qualified for the Class A1 MRC Condition final.
The second Class A1 qualifier saw Hermes D'Afour claiming victory in its second race in Malta. This winner launched its final attack 400 metres from the post.
At the finishing line, Hermes D'Afour was two lengths ahead of second horse in, Opal Nalan, which also qualified.
Classico, under the control of Noel Baldacchino, was the winner of Class A after moving ahead a lap from the end.
A strong dash along the final straight enabled Degiorgio's Galassius to win Class B by two lengths.
Julian Farrugia drove Junior Comet towards first place in Class C after increasing its pace along the last lap.
A final dash involving a number of horses in Class D ended in a win for Devil Of Arc, driven by current champion driver Degiorgio.
The next meeting at Marsa will be held on Sunday, starting at 2 p.m.
Yesterday's winners
Race 1: Class H, 2,640m - G.R. Goldstar (G. Attard).
Race 2: Class G, 2,640m - Dede De Mingot (F. Cassar).
Race 3: Class C, 2,640m - Junior Comet (J. Farrugia).
Race 4: Class A1, 2,140m - Jaguar Gelj (J. Farrugia).
Race 5: Classes C/D, 2,140m - Houston De Cahot (C. Degiorgio).
Race 6: Class A1, 2,140m - Hermes D'Afour (F. Cassar).
Race 7: Class A, 2,640m - Classico (N. Baldacchino).
Race 8: Class B, 2,640m - Galassius (C. Degiorgio).
Race 9: Class D, 2,640m - Devil Of Arc (C. Degiorgio).