The 13th meeting of the season, consisting of eleven races all for trotters heralded the start of the prestigious BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship with six heats on a long distance of 2640m.
This championship is open for class Premier trotters. Sunday’s card included also the three semi-final races from the Executive Security Championship for class Silver trotters on a short distance of 2140m.
From the class Premier heats, 24 horses made it to the semi-final stage.
In the first heat it was French newcomer Disco D’Occagnes (Noel Baldacchino) which gained its first win in Malta after increasing its speed on the outside midway through the final straight.
The second heat was only contested between seven trotters with Dreamer Boy (Paul Galea) registering its first win of the season.
As expected, popular and winner of the 2023 edition, Crack Money (Paul Galea) led all the way in the third class Premier heat.
There was a keen tussle between three trotters in the final 100 metres of the fourth heat. It was Italian Akela Play (Charles Degiorgio) which gained its second win in a row.
Also there was a close finish between Call Jack (Ludvic Ghigo) and Etna Du Lupin (Rodney Gatt) in the fifth heat.
It was the former which took its second win of the year after that the photo finish was consulted by the judges. In the sixth and last heat class Premier heat, it was German Mac Smily (Carl Caruana) which registered its second win of the year after increasing its speed in the final 500 metres.
Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Saturday. The first race should start at 1.30pm.
Sunday’s winners
Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Harry De L’Ormerie (Godwin Gatt) – 1.18.1”
Race 2. Executive Security Championship Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Awesome Kronos (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.14.5”
Race 3. Executive Security Championship Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Fira (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.16.6”
Race 4. Executive Security Championship Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Professor (Jason Vassallo) – 1.15.2”
Race 5. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Disco D’Occagnes (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.1”
Race 6. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Dreamer Boy (Paul Galea) – 1.14.4”
Race 7. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Crack Money (Paul Galea) – 1.14.6”
Race 8. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Akela Play (Charles Degiorgio) – 1.14.3”
Race 9. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Call Jack (Ludvic Ghigo) – 1.16.8”
Race 10. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Mac Smily (Carl Caruana) – 1.15.3”
Race 11. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Global Barrister (Joseph Scerri) – 1.18.6”
