Watch: Vickenko Chef, Vivaldi Du Vivrot and Alf De Melandre triumph in Premier semis

The most important events during yesterday’s 31st meeting of the season were three semifinals from the prestigious Tazza l-Kbira competition for class Premier trotters on a long distance of 2640m.

Sunday’s card consisted of eleven races all for trotters. Once again this year the Tazza l-Kbira championship is being organised by the Malta Racing Club thanks to the financial support of Bank Of Valletta.

From the three class Premier semi-finals twelve horses made it for the final stage. In the first class Premier semifinal, the early leader, Jefferson Dotcom (Michael Ellul) ran out of speed midway through the final straight and was overtaken by Vichenko Chef (Noel Baldacchino).

The latter registered its second win in a row from Big Match (Charles Degiorgio) and Paparazzi (Mark Bonnici). Output Pressure (Clint Vassallo) also qualified for the final race.

Vivaldi Du Vivrot (Anton Cassar) sealed its third win in a row in the second semi-final.

This French trotter dashed strongly from the outside during the last 400m and past the finishing post first easily by six lengths from Vasco De Viette (Cliferty Calleja), Glenn Boko (Rodney Gatt) and Xceed G.T. (Nathaniel Barbara).

There was a keen duel between Vanderlov (Melvin Farrugia) and Alf De Melandre (Rodney Gatt) in the third and last class Premier semifinal. It was the latter which took its first win of the year with R.G.’s Thunderbolt (Mario Fenech) and Andante (Clint Vassallo) being the last two trotters to make it to the final stage.

Sunday’s card included also a normal class Premier race on a short distance of 2140m.

Swedish Digital Performer (Ludvic Ghigo) led all the way and gained its first win in Malta esaily by a length and a half from Caid De Bengale (Ivan Stivala) and Baron Du Chene (Jesmar Gafa’).

Swedish newcomer Liam Dana (Charles Camilleri) ended in fourth place.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. – Frisquette Snob (Raymond Schembri) – 1.16.2”

Race 2. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. – Dream Team Story (Clive Gerada) – 1.16.9”

Race 3. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. – Beauvron (Clint Vassallo) – 1.15.8”

Race 4. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. – Charm Blou (Rodney Gatt) – 1.17.5”

Race 5. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. – Digital Performer (Ludvic Ghigo) – 1.14.9”

Race 6. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. – Sono Di Pa (Paul Galea) – 1.16.9”

Race 7. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship semi-final, Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. – Vichenko Chef (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15”

Race 8. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship semi-final, Class Premier. Dist – 2640m – Vivaldi Du Vivrot (Anton Cassar) – 1.13.7”

Race 9. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Semifinal. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. – Alf De Melandre (Rodney Gatt) – 1.14.7”

Race 10. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. – Boko Won (Cliferty Calleja) – 1.16”

Race 11. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. – Mightiness (Paul Galea) – 1.16.9”