Driven by Charles Camilleri, French Urgah Du Rib won the 2018 edition of the Tazza l-Kbira competition.

The final for this prestigious cup was held Sunday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack on a long distance of 2640m and was open for class Premier trotters.

It formed part of the 17th meeting of the season made up of nine races all for trotters. 

Ten horses lined up for the class Premier final which once again this year was organized by the Malta Racing Club thanks to the financial support of Bank Of Valletta.

Brigadoon (Julian Farrugia) was the fastest horse at first opening a small lead from Urac (Jesmar Gafa’) and Rififi Nonantais (George Attard).

Midway through the distance it was Urac which took the lead from Paparazzi (Mark Bonnici) and Service Secret (Andrew Farrugia).  However, with 600m to go, Urgah Du Rib (Charles Camilleri) started to up its pace from the outside and went in front when the front horses turned for the final straight.

Urgah Du Rib registered its third win in a row and in Malta easily by nine lengths from Paparazzi and Urac.

Rififi Nonantais and Midsummer King (Clint Vassallo) ended fourth and fifth respectively.

The winner clocked an average time of 1.15.3” per kilometer.

This in the presence of Albert Frendo and Charles Azzopardi BOV officials and Edwin Borg MRC Chairman.

This was the second time in his career that Camilleri managed to win this prestigious event.

In 2013 he had also won the Tazza l-Kbira competition with another French trotter, Nabab du Chatelet.

Yesterday’s card included also three normal races for class Gold trotters on a long distance of 3140m.

In the first class Gold race, French newcomer Ulysse Du Creuzil (Redent Magro) led all the way and sealed its first win in Malta by a length from favourite Unipen Begonia (Clint Vassallo).

Ugo Dacheux (Noel Baldacchino) and Quartz De Gautiers (Clifferty Calleja) ended respectively in third and fourth place. 

Similar was the second class Gold race, with Patrick Spiteri storming ahead with Sultan De Renier only after few metres from the start of the race.

Spiteri’s trotter was unchallenged

for all the distance and gained its first win of the year from Mad Neo (George

Muscat), Trento Rosso (Gilbert Farrugia) and Swan Des Tesnieres (Samuel Bezzina).

In the third race from the same category, Toumai (Jeffrey Said) started to slow down around 300m from the finishing line.

This French trotter was overtaken by Warica (Noel Baldacchino) which registered its first win of the year easily by nine lengths from Russel Williams (Kevin Azzopardi) and Tom De La Crou (Rodney Gatt).

Toumai had to settle for fourth place. Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Friday. The first race should start at 7pm.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Bronze. Dist – 3140m. Coursier Du Gite (Noel Baldacchino) - NTR.

Race 2. Class Bronze. Dist – 3140m. Quid De Belle Vue (Charles Camilleri) – 1.18.8”.

Race 3. Class Bronze. Dist - 3140m. Altesse Atout (Andrew Farrugia) – 1.20.1”.

Race 4. Class Gold. Dist – 3140m. Ulysse Du Creuzil (Redent Magro) – 1.17.3”.

Race 5. Class Gold. Dist – 3140m. Sultan De Renier (Patrick Spiteri) – 1.18.2”.

Race 6. Class Bronze. Dist – 3140m. Angelus Du Pont (Redent Magro) – 1.19.9”.

Race 7. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Final. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. Urgah Du Rib (Charles Camilleri) – 1.15.3”.

Race 8. Class Bronze. Dist – 3140m. Design Ribb (Mario Spiteri) – 1.18.6”.

Race 9. Class Gold. Dist – 3140m. Warica (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.17.4”.