Chaud Devant and Balzac De L’Iton win Premier semi-finals

Chaud Devant and Balzac De L’Iton won Sunday’s major events at the Marsa Racetrack.

These were semi-finals from the Prix De Vincennes championship for French trotters registered in class Premier on a long distance of 2640m.

These races formed part of the 43rd meeting of the season made up of eleven races all for trotters. From these semi-finals, 12 horses made it to the final stage.

Eleven trotters lined up for the first semi-final. Chaud Devant (Noel Baldacchino) was the fastest horse at first, opening a small lead from Barrio Josselyn (Anton Cassar) and Vertige De Chenu (Charles Camilleri).

Baldacchino’s trotter was unchallenged during the 2640m distance of the race and past the finishing post first easily by a length and a half from Up And Go (Jesmar Gafa’), Crack Du Tillet (Andrew Farrugia) and Brut De La Cote (Ludvic Ghigo).

Amigo Turgot (Salvu Vella) and Casting De Chenu (Ivan Bilocca) also qualified for the final race after ending respectively in fifth and sixth place.

For Chaud Devant this was its third win in Malta.

As expected, in the second semi-final from the same championship, favourite Balzac De L’Iton (Marco Refalo) led all the way and managed to seal its fifth consecutive win and in Malta after sustaining the challenge of Vangiskan Scott (Charles Camilleri) and Verso De Crennes (Clint Vassallo) in the final straight.

Abercrombis (Noel Baldacchino), Vanderlov (Melvin Farrugia) and Baxter Du Klau (Kurt Saliba) followed home in that order.

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Sunday. The first race should start at 1.30pm.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Fast Cash S.F. (Redent Magro) – 1.16.8”

Race 2. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. And Stitch (Gilmour Azzopardi) – 1.16.7”

Race 3. Prix De Cabourg Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Cygnus Du Guelier (Paul Galea) – 1.16.2”

Race 4.  Prix De Cabourg Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Defi Nay (Rodney Gatt) – 1.16.2”

Race 5. Prix De Cabourg Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Apache Reyor (Charles Degiorgio) – 1.16.5”

Race 6. Prix d’Enghien Semifinal. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Djembe Du Pont (Jesmar Gafa’) – 1.16.3”

Race 7. Prix d’Enghien Semifinal. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Tonio Du Vivier (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.16.3”

Race 8. Prix De Vincennes Semifinal. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Chaud Devant (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.3”

Race 9. Prix De Vincennes Semifinal. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Balzac De L’Iton (Marco Refalo) – 1.15.4”

Race 10. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Falcon Du Hamel (Michael Attard) – 1.16.4”

Race 11. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Baltic Sautreuil (Cliferty Calleja) – 1.16.7”