Espoir du Terme wins as Bulls Eye settles for third place

Yesterday's ten-race card at Marsa included two Class A1 races. One of the top category events was a scratch race on 2,640m and the other a handicap one, 20m longer. The other races on the programme were all trotting scratch events, also on 2,640m.

The Class A1 handicap race had an exciting finish. Bulls Eye was in its second race in Malta after gaining promotion from Class A. It looked set to claim another success after a superb start. However, in the final metres it could not resist the strong burst of speed coming from eventual winner Espoir du Terme, driven by Charles J. Clifton, and Drabant Are. The latter passed the post a very close second after starting with a 40-metre handicap.

Bulls Eye began from the front line but in the end had to settle for third place. Espoire du Terme's timing was 1:17.02 per kilometre.

Ilo Haleryd led for most of the distance in the Class A1 scratch race but slowed down along the final straight.

It was in the last 100m that first place was hotly contested by Rosalinds Ax and Jason RP with the former, driven by Charles Degiorgio, clocking 1:16.00 per kilometre on its way to victory.

Esard was heading for its fifth successive win at Marsa in the Class A race, the sixth one on the card. But this trotter was surprised by Degiorgio's Cyrus Bonbeth which overtook the favourite in the very last few metres of the race.

Degiorgio and Mario Bugeja were best drivers at the racetrack yesterday with two wins each.

Yesterday's winners

Race 1 - Class F, Rybo Dennis (M. Bugeja). Race 2 - Class D, Frans Ideal (J. Scicluna). Race 3 - Class C, Elan du Cottage (G. Schembri). Race 4 - Class B, Mack Hycklinge (S. Formosa). Race 5 - Class A1, Espoire du Terme (C.J. Clifton). Race 6 - Class A, Cyrus Bonbeth (C. Degiorgio). Race 7 - Class A1, Rosalinds Ax (C. Degiorgio). Race 8 - Class B, Prince Action (V. Gauci). Race 9 - Class D, Mr Sugarcane (M. Bugeja). Race 10 - Class C, Union Express (N. Baldacchino).