The 51st meeting of the season, made up of ten races all for trotters was held Sunday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack.
The most important race was the one open for class Premier trotters. This handicap race was held on a long distance of 2,660m and was won by favourite Italian Overtaker By Sib.
Fourteen horses lined up for the top class race.
Banker’s Garcon (Shawn Portelli) was the fastest horse in the opening stages, opening a small lead from Jackhammer (Rodney Gatt) and Sensei (Nicholas Bonello).
Favourite Overtaker By Sib (Marco Refalo), which started the race with a 20 metres handicap, dashed strongly from the outside during the last 600m and went in front midway through the final straight and registered an impressive ninth win of the season by two lengths from Sacha Marboula and Claude Guegan (Carl Caruana). Banker’s Garcon ended in fourth place.
The winner clocked an average time of 1.18.2” per kilometre.
The other races on yesterday’s card were open for class Gold, Silver, Bronze and Copper trotters.
In the first class Gold race, the early leader, American Dewey Luvs Britt (Paul Bonello), ran out of steam midway through the final straight and was overtaken by Tchao Fouteau (Julian Farrugia) which took its second win in Malta by a length from Vikens Hot Lips (Jesmar Gafa’) and Energitj (Kurt Saliba).
M.T. Gogogirl (Nathaniel Barbara) upped its pace during the last 300m of the second class Gold race. Barbara’s Swedish mare managed to gain its fourth win of the season easily by a length and a half from Ripsos De Fa (Jurgen Attard) and Digital Motion (Rodney Gatt).
Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Friday, starting at 6.30pm.
Yesterday’s winners
Race 1. Class Copper – Iliana (Brian Debono) – 1.21.2”
Race 2. Class Copper– Revenge Alone (Andrew Farrugia) – 1.19.4”
Race 3. Class Bronze – Talion Prior (Cliferty Calleja) – 1.19.2”
Race 4. Class Silver – Sharif America (Matthew Sammut) – 1.18”
Race 5. Class Gold – Tchao Fouteau (Julian Farrugia) – 1.17.1”
Race 6. Class Gold – M.T. Gogogirl (Nathaniel Barbara) – 1.17.5”
Race 7. Class Bronze – Belina De Fresney (Charles Camilleri) – 1.18.1”
Race 8. Class Silver – Ton Reve L’Eman (Anton Cassar) – 1.18.1”
Race 9. Class Premier – Overtaker By Sib (Marco Refalo) – 1.18.2”
Race 10. Class Silver – Bonus De Bertrange (Julian Farrugia) – 1.19.6”