Watch: Class Copper championship gets underway at Marsa Racetrack

The 30th meeting of the season, made up of 11 races all for trotters was held on Sunday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack.

Four of these races heralded the start of the San Frangisk Championship for class Copper trotters on a short distance of 2,140m. From these four heats, 24 horses made it to the semifinal stage.

In the first class copper heat, the early leader, Filou Du Lion (Micheal Ellul), started to slow down when the front horses turned to face their final straight.

This trotter was overtaken by Easy Oaks (Rodney Gatt) which took its first win in Malta easily by a length from Easy Sam (Charles Camilleri). Filou Du Lion had to settle for third place from Flexy Vert (Dolan Casha), Caprice De Bouere (Ryan Schembri) and Rasputin LG (Paul Galea).

There was a keen duel between Frimeur Pipol (Cliferty Calleja) and Firstly Light (Noel Baldacchino) in the second  heat from the same championship.

It was Firstly Light which sealed its second win in a row and its fourth in Malta. Irena Palema (Charles Camilleri), Dino Josselyn (Graziella Garzia), Panda Des Fleches (Clayton Magri) and Crack Des Lanciers Alfred Attard) also made it for the semi-final stage.

In the third class Copper heat, Swedish mare Lady Red Summer (Joseph Mercieca) dashed strongly from the outside in the final straight in order to register its first win in Malta by a length from Brime Du Chene (Jonathan Agius), High Handed (Tony Demanuele) and Verseau d’Anpierre (Joseph Scerri).

Classic Toll (Alex Farrugia) and Volga De Tortuga (Johan Gaffarena) followed home in that order.

Ernest des Angles (Charlton Gauci) gained its third consecutive win in the fourth and last class Copper heat.

This French trotter started to increase its speed with a lap to go and in the final straight outsmarted the early leader Happy Rapide (Rodney Gatt).

Imakeittheeasyway (Mark Bonnici), Velco Rocq (Joshua Bowell), Faribole d’Atout (Robert Attard) and Univers Fredano (Amabile Ellul) were the last trotters to qualify for the next stage.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. San Frangisk Cup Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Easy Oaks (Rodney Gatt) – 1.17.5”

Race 2. San Frangisk Cup Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Firstly Light (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.6”

Race 3. San Frangisk Cup Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Lady Red Summer (Joseph Mercieca) – 1.16.7”

Race 4. San Frangisk Cup Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ernest Des Angles (Charlton Gauci) – 1.16”

Race 5. Class Silver Heat. Dist – 2140m. 1.  Best Of Morchies (Dylan Gatt) – 1.17.6”

Race 6. Class Silver Heat. Dist – 2140m. 1. Bombay Saphir (Felix Casha) – 1.16”

Race 7. Class Silver Heat. Dist – 2140m. 1. Demon De Babel (Jesmar Gafa’) – 1.14.5”

Race 8. Class Silver Heat. Dist – 2140m. 1. Very Welcome (Anthony Bartolo) – 1.14.8”

Race 9. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Braveheart Jiel (Claudio Refalo) – 1.15.7”

Race 10. Heat Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Global Rebel (Charles Camilleri) – 1.15.4”

Race 11. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Atus Picken (Domenic Xerri) – 1.14.8”