The 18th meeting of the season made up of eight races all for trotters was held yesterday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack. Four of these races were heats from the international ladies’ championship on a short distance of 2140m. Nineteen female drivers participated in this championship and Malta was represented by Lorraine Cunningham. It was the Italian driver, Maria Giovanna Bortolanza which managed to win this championship by 28 points.
In the first class Copper heat, Lithuanian Gerdvile Vinslauskaite put favourite Coup De Vent in front with a lap to go and this trotter gained its sixth win in a row and of the season from Freddie Melon (Stephanie Teiler – Switzerland) and Queops De Retz (Julia Knoch – Germany). Zeta Jones A (Lorraine Cunningham) finished in fourth place.
Other drivers which were taking part in this championship also drove horses from class Bronze. This heat was characterised by a keen tussle between four trotters in the final straight. Eventually it was Tirana C.N. (Maria Giovanna Bortolanza – Italy) which past the finishing post first from Command Coger (Renate Aarlie – Norway) and Alfa Dream (Elena Volf – Czech Republic). Knockout Molar (Sabine Klettenhofer – Austria) finished fourth.
Swedish mare Jezira, driven by Swedish driver Patricia Gordin led all the way in the class Silver heat. Gordin’s mare triumphed by half length from Uncle Ned (Maria Giovanna Brontolanza) and Reveal Champ Blanc (Emese Vezer). Peggy Di Azzurra (Gerdvile Vinslauskaite) ended fourth.
At the end, the winning driver was presented with the trophy by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in the presence of Parliamentary Secretary for Sport Chris Agius and Edwin Borg, Chairman MRC.
In the last heat from the international championship, reserved for class Gold trotters, Enzo Nova (Camille Levesque – France) dashed strongly from the outside during the last 800m. Enzo Nova claimed its fourth win in a row from Big Ben (Renate Aarlie – Norway) and Tempo Boy (Maria Khoreva – Russia). Zalgado Transs R (Annemiek Beekman – Holland) completed the top four order.
Yesterday’s card included also the San Frangisk Cup final for class Copper trotters also on a short distance. Here, the early leader, Duc d’Haufor (Redent Magro) changed its pace 300m from the end and gave the opportunity to Belina De Fresney (Charles Farrugia) to take the lead and triumph easily from Querby Du Gite (Nathaniel Barbara) and Celebre Sublignais (Andrew Farrugia. Qumran De La Motte (Frencu Cassar) also obtained a positive place.
It also included an international race between Maltese and Swedish, Danish and Hungarian amateur drivers. Here Maltese driver Ludvic Ghigo put Alfas Gold in front midway through the final straight and this Swedish trotter sealed its first win of the season by half length from Girlicious (Attilia Kurucz – Hungary), Manstone’s Image (Monica Sahlgren Frommell – Sweden) and Quito De Femisson (Krisztian Takacs – Hungary).
Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Friday at 7.00pm.
Yesterday’s winners
Race 1. Class Silver - Patriot Magi (Tony Demanuele) – 1.17.3”
Race 2. Mustang International Race. Class Open - Alfas Gold (Ludvic Ghigo) – 1.16.3”
Race 3. Ladies International Championship Heat. Class Copper - Coup De Vent (Gerdvile Vinslauskaite – Lithuania) – 1.17.7”
Race 4. Ladies International Championship Heat. Class Bronze - Tirana C.N. (Maria Giovanna Bortolanza – Italy) – 1.19.9”
Race 5. Ladies International Championship Heat. Class Silver - Jezira (Patricia Gordin – Sweden) – 1.16.7”
Race 6. Ladies International Championship Heat. Class Gold - 1. Enzo Nova (Camille Levesque – France) – 1.16.3”
Race 7. San Frangisk Championship Final. Class Copper - Belina De Fresney (Charles Farrugia) – 1.17.2”
Race 8. Class Gold - Figaro’s Dream (Chris Grech) – 1.16.1”