Sandrone and Kimberley Downs were the major protagonists in yesterday’s 37th meeting of the season at Marsa after coming out on top in the two major events of the day’s programme which consisted of 10 races.
Only four horses took part in the only flat race in programme, run on the 1,750m distance.
Potere d’Acquisto (Demis Zammit) was the first horse out of the gates, opening a length’s lead from Ollie Fliptrik (Sarah Borg). But with 600m to go, Ollie Fliptrik managed to move ahead of Potere d’Acquisto.
In the final straight, Ollie Fliptrik started to tire down with favourite Kimberley Downs (Michael Sultana) upping its pace from the outside and registering its third win of the season by more than twelve lengths from Timolin (Ramon Grima). Ollie Fliptrik ended third.
In the Malta-Sundbyholm Amateur race, six Maltese drivers challenged six Swedish counterparts who are based in this Sundybholm racetrack.
It was Baronello (Roland Jansson) which took an early lead in this international race. The German ten-year-old trotter opened a half length lead from Vagabond Hornline (Darren Mizzi) and Uncle Kemp (Ludvic Ghigo).
But with 300m to go, Baronello started to slow down and was overtaken by Swedish newcomer Sandrone (Mats Andersson) which secured its first win on the island from Uncle Kemp and Mint Condition (Joseph Micallef). Vagabond Hornline ended fourth.
Yesterday’s card also included two races for class Gold trotters.
In the first of these races, favourite Midnight Passion (Eric Bezzina) dashed strongly from the outside around 500m from the end of the race to gain its third win in Malta by more than five lengths from French debutante Regent de Tillard (Andrew Farrugia).
Energy Launcher (Oliver Bonello) and Niky de Memartin (Rodney Gatt) followed home in that order.
A keen tussle between three horses developed in the final metres of the second class Gold race.
It was Why Not As (Carl Caruana) which cruised to its first win of the year from Orion De Chapeau (Chris Vassallo) and I Pitstop (Jesmar Gafa’). Nitesco d’Antony (David Ellul) ended fourth.
Yesterday’s winners.
Race 1: Class Copper – Hotchemin (Frank Portelli) – 1.20.1”
Race 2: Class Bronze – Andri Boko (Tony Demanuele) – 1.18.8”
Race 3: Class Silver – Noli de Marray (Patrick Spiteri) – 1.18.7”
Race 4: Class Bronze – Zeta Jones A (Charles Camilleri) – 1.19.4”
Race 5: Malta-Sundbyholm Amateur race – Sandrone (Mats Andersson) – 1.17.8”
Race 6: Class Silver – Pitchpin des Bois (Keith Grima) – 1.16.1”
Race 7: Class Gold – Midnight Passion (Eric Bezzina) – 1.16.5”
Race 8: Class Silver – Zandina Boshoeve (David Ellul) – 1.18.4”
Race 9: Class Gold – Why Not As (Carl Caruana) – 1.17.4”
Race 10: Class Flat – Kimberley Downs (Michael Sultana) – 1.49.7”