The official 2017 horse racing season came to an end yesterday with the 56th meeting of the season made up of ten races all for trotters.
Five of these races were finals from various championships for French trotters on a long distance of 2640m.
These finals were organized by the Malta Racing Club thanks to the financial support of the French association Le Trot and the betting companies PMU and Izibet.
These finals were the Prix Ile De France for class Premier, the Prix De Normandie for class Gold, the Prix De La Cote d’Azur for class Silver, the Prix De Bretagne for class Bronze and the Prix Val De Loire for class Copper trotters.
The major event, the class Premier final, was won by Service Secret under the guidance of Jesmar Gafa’.
Twelve trotters participated in this final.
This race produced a keen tussle in the final straight between four trotters.
It was Service Secret which for the first time was driven by Jesmar Gafa’ which registered its ninth win in Malta by a length from Rififi Nonantais (Rodney Gatt) and Twist Des Baux (Noel Baldacchino). T
ino De Tortiere (Salvu Cutajar) and Quartz De Vindecy (Carmelo Farrugia) also obtained a good place. The winner clocked an average time of 1.14.7” per kilometer.
There was a keen duel between Quartz De Gautiers (Clifferty Calleja) and the early leader Vif Ludois (Jesmar Gafa’) in the final straight of the class Gold final.
It was the former which took its first win of the year and in Malta with Tennis d’Anjou (Michael Ellul), Supreme De Corday (Rodney Gatt) and Un Reve d’Or (Noel Baldacchino) ending in third, fourth and fifth place.
Tenor Orange (Rodney Gatt) took the lead with a lap to go in the class Silver final. Driven by the best driver for 2017, Tenor Orange cruised to its eight win of the season and its fourth in a row by a length from Unruly Rainbow (Charles Camilleri) and Turbot De Renier (Julian Farrugia). Uranus Darche (Alex Cortis) and Un Dorien (Noel Baldacchino) also obtained a good place.
As expected, Baud Breton (Carmelo Agius) gained its sixth win of the season and its fourth in a row in the class Bronze final. The winner increased its speed from the inside during the last metres and finished first by a length from Vidalgo Blue (Noel Baldacchino) and Ugolin Du Rib (Rodney Gatt). Cherie De Noyelles (Clifferty
Calleja) and Titou Du Brandard (Jeffrey Said) finished respectively in fourh and fifth place.
In the class Copper final, Bad Boy (Clint Vassallo) was unchallenged during the 2640m distance of the race. This French six year old trotter sealed its second win in Malta easily by fifteen lengths from Belle Brisbane (Rodney Gatt) and Duc d’Haufor (Redent Magro). Uranos (Tony Demanuele) and Saxo La Chesnaie (Mario Falzon) also obtained a good place.
At the end of every final, each winning driver and owner was presented with a commemorative trophy by Emmanuelle Morvillers, who is a Le Trot representative. This in the presence of Edwin Borg, MRC Chairman.
Yesterday’s winners
Race 1. Class Bronze. Dist – 1640m. 1. Svennes Neon (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.8”
Race 2. Class Silver. Dist – 1640m. 1. Big Finish (Rodney Gatt) – 1.14.4”
Race 3. Class Copper. Dist – 1640m. 1. Clark De Cossio (Herman McKay) – 1.18”
Race 4. Class Bronze. Dist – 1640m. 1. White Flame (David Ellul) – 1.15.2”
Race 5. Class Silver. Dist – 1640m. 1. Thales d’Hauterbe (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.16”
Race 6. Prix Val De Loire Final. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Bad Boy (Clint Vassallo) – 1.17.3”
Race 7. Prix De Bretagne Final. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Baud Breton (Carmelo Agius) – 1.16.8”
Race 8. Prix Ile De France Final. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Service Secret (Jesmar Gafa’) – 1.14.7”
Race 9. Prix De Normandie Final. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Quartz De Gautiers (Clifferty Calleja) - 1.16.3”
Race 10. Prix De La Cote d’Azur Final. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Tenor Orange (Rodney Gatt) – 1.16.9”