by Magnat

Race-meetings will be held at the Marsa race track next Saturday (26th) and Sunday (27th) February, commencing at 1.30pm. Eight trot races are scheduled in each meeting.

These two meetings will be dominated by the Tazza l-Kbira heats over a 2,640m distance. This prestigious and historic trophy is open to all trot classes but this year’s 84 registered horses hail exclusively from the Premier and Gold classes and originate in no less than eight different countries.

We will have four heats on Saturday and another four on Sunday. Although there are some notable absences such as last year’s Tazza l-Kbira winner In Vitro du Bourg, December 2010 Prix de Vincennes winner Mont Cenis Honey and U*Bet Premier championship winner Think Yatzee, various well-known horses are also scheduled to take part, including twice Tazza l-Kbira winner James de l’Iton, recent U*Bet Premier championship runner-up Flash Coger, last year’s Dragonara Cup winner Kakisis, January’s MRC Festival Grand Final winner Lou Petiot, June 2010 Prix de Vincennes winner Madis Boy and many others. Six horses from each heat qualify for the quarter finals which are due to be held on the 11th and 13th March.

Ten new horses are scheduled to make their debut in these heats: Le Bolide du Suret (FR) (scratched twice last year), Slim Hanover (US), Super Qui (SE), Dream Leader (SE), Marquis Penalan (FR), Magic de Assigny (FR), Mark de Chamant (FR), Keeping Quality (SE), Natif de Salvi (FR) and Marathon Villers (FR).

Two of these have overseas winnings exceeding double the minimum required to qualify for the Premier class. Eleven-year old French trotter Magic de Assigny had prize-winnings of Euro344,350, with 20 race-wins and numerous placings; in 2010 it won at Cagnes-sur-Mer and Prunelli di Fium’Orbo and made its absolute best time of 1’14’0 per kilometre at Vincennes on 2,700m.

Ten-year old Swedish newcomer Super Qui has winnings abroad of SEK1,263,128, fifteen race-wins and various placings. Its best races over the last year include two 3rd places at Solvalla and its joint absolute best time of 1’13’5 per kilometre on a 1,640m distance at Romme race-track.

We will also have eight “normal” trot races over a short 2,140m distance, three for the Copper Class, two for the Bronze Class and the remaining three for Silver Class horses. Four new horses are scheduled to debut in the Silver Class, i.e. Cross Country F.C. (SE), Nobel King (FR), Ocean Brillouard (FR) and Samuel Eme (SE). If all these trotters take part, the total number of newcomers so far this season will exceed 55.

Last meeting
The last meeting was characterised by a variety of race outcomes.

December 2010 Coronation Cup winner Uncle Bertie won its fourth consecutive race in the Class A Flat race when it charged ahead in the last 500m and finished comfortably ahead of Ollie Fliptrik and Irish newcomer Life Is Now. We saw exciting close finishes particularly in the fifth race (Silver class) where five horses ended in a straight line with the photofinish determining the winner, i.e. Niko de Chamant, from Stainless Steel, Robin Grain and Kandy du Frutier.

The last Silver class race appeared to have been won comfortably by Mon Cheri but this horse was disqualified with the honours going to newcomer Front in the meeting’s best time of 1’16’9 per kilometre. Another newcomer, Ouragan de Valsoiz, went in front in the last half lap of its Silver class race and won from Mezio Josselyn, Master Lupin and Sweep The Floor. Noe de Loudat won by a wide margin to register its first win in Malta in the Bronze Class.

Other news
Unfortunately three of the four doping test results which were recently received by the Malta Racing Club were positive. Whilst we congratulate the owners and trainers of the horse whose test gave a negative result, we augur that more education, discipline and other pertinent initiatives will result in a higher percentage of negative doping test results in future.

Championships
It-Tazza l-Kbira will be the second championship for this season after the conclusion of the U*Bet championships for Swedish trotters. This will be followed by other championships such as those reserved for non-Swedish and non-French trotters, for French trotters, the Mediterranean Derby for thoroughbreds and various others.

Such championships are organised throughout the whole season, for different classes and over a variety of distances, in a manner which, as also happens overseas, permits horse owners and trainers to choose the championships for which they will prepare their horses.

All championships are attractive, spectacular and group together the most competitive horses, but those having a long history such as It-Tazza l-Kbira and the Mediterranean Derby tend to have an even stronger appeal because of the tradition and memories of past editions and the horses taking part therein. Current winners continue this prestigious tradition.

The prize-money is better than that applicable in “normal” races. Unfortunately although everybody wishes that this would be further improved, the costs involved in the organisation of races, maintaining the race-course and its facilities and the limited sponsorship resources impose severe restrictions in this respect.

The organisation of these championships requires material effort but the real protagonists are the horses, their drivers and trainers. It is they who ultimately make such championships a success and create the strong competition that characterises them.

We wish you all two exciting meetings this week-end.