President’s Cup gets underway with four heats

The 37th meeting of the season which was held on Sunday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack heralded the start of the President’s Cup competition.

This championship is open for class Premier trotters and is being organised on a short distance of 2140m. From the four heats, 24 horses made it to the semi-final stage. Yesterday’s card consisted of ten races all for trotters.

In the first class Premier heat, Azur Des Caillons (Oliver Briffa) led all the way and sealed its first win in Malta after sustaining the challenge of Sir Q.C. (Paul Galea) and Onceforall Face (Michael Ellul) in the final metres. Faust Boko (Carl Caruana), High Into The Sky (Jesmar Gafa’) and Pablo Andover (Daniel Hili) also made it to the semifinal stage after obtaining a good place.

The early leader of the second Premier heat, Swedish Global Thunder (Herman McKay) ran out of steam 300m from the end and was outsmarted in the final straight by five trotters.

It was favourite Romanesque (Jesmar Gafa’) which went in front and gained its third win in a row and its fourth in Malta from Duke Of Mearas (Rodney Gatt) and Valentino Strix (Redent Magro). That’s Art (Clint Vassallo) ended in fourth place from Liam Dana (Charles Camilleri).

In the third heat, Joe Hoo Lee (Matthew Sammut) was unchallenged during the 2140m distance and past the finishing post first easy by a length and a half from Kasper Trot (Rodney Gatt), Viking’s Topline (Eugenio Bondin) and Foxy Brown (Jesmar Gafa’). Vakato (Chris Grech) and Glen Ord Superb (Kurt Saliba) followed home in that order. For Sammut’s trotters this was its second win of the year.  

Under the guidance of young driver Gianluca Grech, Baron De Majuag registered its fifth win of the season in the fourth and last class Premier heat.

This French trotter dashed strongly from the outside 500m from the end and triumphed by four lengths from Castle Rose (Marco Debono), Swedish newcomer Gross Weight (Dylan Baldacchino), Eagle B Butcher (Michael Sultana), Casanova Du Corta (Cliferty Calleja) and I Won’t Dance (Mario Spiteri).

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Friday. The first race should start at 6.30pm.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Mr Planner (Jean Paul Polidano) – 1.17.2”

Race 2. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m 1. Just Be Proud (Eman Attard) – 1.17.7”

Race 3. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Joyus (Christian Bartolo) – 1.18.2”

Race 4. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Mhona’s Sister (Rodney Gatt) – 1.15.8”

Race 5. President’s Cup Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Azur Des Caillons (Oliver Briffa) – 1.14.7”

Race 6. President’s Cup Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Romanesque (Jesmar Gafa’) – 1.14”

Race 7. President’s Cup Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Joe Hoo Lee (Matthew Sammut) – 1.15”

Race 8. President’s Cup Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Baron De Majuag (Gianluca Grech) – 1.15.5”

Race 9. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Appreciated (Charles Magro) – 1.14.9”

Race 10. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Keep Me Tooma (Rodney Gatt) – 1.15.6”