The seventh meeting of the season, held on Friday evening at the Marsa Racetrack, heralded the start of the Dragonara Casino Brasserie it-Tazza l-Kbira Championship with six heats on a long distance of 2,640 metres.

The programme consisted of 10 races with the last event being a flat race.

From the six Premier Class heats, 24 horses moved into the semi-finals.

In the first heat, Arnie Sensation (Carmelo Farrugia) began to slow down around 200 metres from the finish line and was overtaken by French newcomer Original Blue (Chris Cassar) which secured its first win in Malta by half-a-length from Night Inlet (Mario Baldacchino).

Arnie Sensation finished third ahead of Mig Of The Wood (Noel Baldacchino).

There was a close finish in the second heat as French debutant Ofackevo (Julian Farrugia) and Nicos de Peneme (Kevin Azzopardi) sprinted together in the final metres. The win was awarded to the latter after that the photo-finish was consulted.

Zilver Boko (Tony Demanuele) and Ouragan de Sita (Chris Cassar) also qualified for the semi-finals.

In the third heat, favourite Odedjalo (Noel Baldacchino) dashed strongly from the outside around 300 metres from the end to secure its second win in a row easily by a length from another French newcomer, Okilaibo (Julian Farrugia).

Popper Fighter (Charles Camilleri) and Kakisis (Johan Axisa) were third and fourth respectively.

A keen tussle between three horses developed in the final straight of the fourth heat. It was Normand d’Oger (Cliferty Calleja) which passed the post first ahead of Sultan November (Shawn Portelli) and Count of Life (Claudio Refalo).

Nitesco d’Antony (David Ellul) was fourth.

In the fifth heat, Nabab du Chatelet (Charles Camilleri) had to go all out in the final metres in order to record its first win of the year from Versace Boko (Warren Spiteri).

Simb Mark (Noel Baldacchino) and Carnegie Hall (Darren Mizzi) followed home in that order.

Quebec (Mark Mifsud) was outsmarted by favourite Nino de Saintho (Cliferty Calleja) midway through the final straight of the sixth heat.

Nino de Saintho claimed its third win in a row and second of the season with Beckham Bob (Charles Camilleri) and Fire (Marco Refalo) also progressing to the next stage.

The only flat race of the day was won by Italian Royal Fleece, ridden by Oliver Briffa.

The next meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on March 17.

The winners at Marsa
Race 1: Copper, Dandy (Robert Polidano) – 1.16.2”.
Race 2: Bronze, Zeta Jones A (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.17.3”.
Race 3: Heat Tazza l-Kbira, Original Blue (Chris Cassar) – 1.16.4”.
Race 4: Heat Tazza l-Kbira, Nicos de Peneme (Kevin Azzopardi) – 1.17”.
Race 5: Heat Tazza l-Kbira, Odedjalo (Noel Baldacchino) - 1.15.4”.
Race 6: Heat Tazza l-Kbira, Normand d’Oger (Cliferty Calleja) – 1.16.4”.
Race 7: Heat Tazza l-Kbira, Nabab du Chatelet (Charles Camilleri) – 1.15.7”.
Race 8: Heat Tazza l-Kbira, Nino de Saintho (Cliferty Calleja) – 1.16.8”.
Race 9: Silver, Mr Snowman (Charles Camilleri) – 1.16.4”.
Race 10: Flat, Royal Fleece (Oliver Briffa) – 1.50.6”.

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