Okilaibo wins last final of season

Okilaibo, driven by Julian Farrugia is seen winning the VOB Grand Final. (Photo (In-Nazzjon – Media.Link Communications)

French eleven year old, Okilaibo won Sunday’s major event, the VOB Grand Final for class Premier trotters on a long distance of 2640m. This race formed part of the 53rd and last meeting of the year made up of nine races all for trotters.

Eleven horses took part in the VOB Grand Final. It was Cloria Victis (Charles Degiorgio) which set the early pace, opening a small lead from Gently Di Poggio (Brian Zammit). Okilaibo (Julian Farrugia) started to increase its speed with a lap to go. In the final straight of this race, Cloria Victis couldn’t sustain the challenge of Okilaibo and Farrugia’s trotter managed to take its sixth win of the year by half length. Ohime Mag (Ronald Cassar) and Poppes Fighter (Michael Ellul) finished respectively in third and fourth place.

Okilaibo clocked an excellent average time of 1.14.2” per kilometer. After the final, Raymond Schembri, Twanny Scicluna and Patrick Cachia on behalf of the racetrack bookmakers presented the winning trophy to Joseph Seychell and Julian Farrugia owner and driver respectively of Okilaibo.

The other races in Sunday’s meeting were held on a short distance of 2140m and all the trotters in these races were driven by their owners. In the class Premier race, Danish newcomer and early leader Playboy C.H. (Anton Pace) started to slow down around 500m to the end. This horse was overtaken by Swedish debutante P.A. Surprise driven by our colleague Lorraine Cunningham. The latter secured its first win in Malta easily by six lenghts from Arnie Sensation (Redeemer Farrugia) and Pro Shop (Christian Casha). Shakira Trot (Francois Zammit) finished fourth.

In the class Gold race, Simb Tyrant (Mark Tanti) upped its pace around 300m from the finishing line and took its first win of the year from Rapide Du Matin (Emmanuel Spiteri) and Happiness Photo (Noel Azzopardi). Oscarina (Kurt Farrugia) ended fourth.

Sunday afternoon the Malta Racing Club also awarded those drivers, jockey and owners who distinguished themselves during the year. Noel Baldacchino was presented with a commemorative plaque after ending once again as the best driver of the year; Rodney Gatt finished the best under 25 driver and Michael Sultana ended as the best jockey. Other prizes were also presented to the owners of the trotter Andri Boko and the flat horse Timolin as these also finished the most consistent horses in 2013. Special prize was also given to Charles Grech, owner of the veteran flat horse Managing Director. The latter is the only horse in Malta which managed to win the prestigious Mediterranean Derby for five consecutive years.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Loulou De La Rose (James Falzon) – 1.19.1”

Race 2. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Bella Notte (Nathaniel Barbara) – 1.18.6”

Race 3. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Milano Du Gite (Alex Cortis) – 1.15.5”

Race 4. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Mystic River (Felix Casha) – 1.17.8”

Race 5. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Simb Tyrant (Mark Tanti) – 1.15.5”

Race 6. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. P.A. Surprise (Lorraine Cunningham) – 1.15.6”

Race 7. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Command Coger (Jean Pierre Farrugia) – 1.17.5”

Race 8. VOB Grand Final. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Okilaibo (Julian Farrugia) – 1.14.2”

Race 9. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Darco As (Mark Tanti) – 1.17.4”

Texas Charm triumphs in Prix De Bourgogne

Driven by French young driver Julien Dubois, Sunday afternoon Texas Charm won the international race Prix de Bourgogne which was held at the Vincennes Racetrack in Paris, France. This autostart race was run on a short distance of 2100m and was organized also in preparation for the prestigious Prix D’Amerique which will be held at the end of next month. Texas Charm clocked an impressive average time of 1.10” per kilometer.

Okilaibo jispikka fil-Gran Finali VOB

Misjuq mis-solitu Julian Farrugia, Okilaibo rebah l-aktar tigrija mistennija li saret il-Hadd fil-Marsa. Din kienet il-gran finali VOB ghal zwiemel tal-klassi Premier fuq distanza twila ta’ 2640m u kienet taghmel parti mit-53 programm tas-sena fuq disa’ tigrijiet tat-trott.

Din il-finali laqqghet flimkien iz-zwiemel li spikkaw fil-finali tal-Prix De Vincennes ma’ dawk li marru tajjeb fil-kompetizzjoni tat-Tazza tal-President. Wara li nghata l-bidu ufficjali, osservajna li l-ewwel pozizzjoni bdiet talterna bejn diversi zwiemel, sakemm Charles Degiorgio pogga quddiem lil Cloria Victis li fetah vantagg zghir mit-Taljan Gently Di Poggio (Brian Zammit). Kif mistenni, dawra mit-tmiem kien imiss lil Okilaibo (Julian Farrugia) li jersaq vicin ta’ Cloria Victis. Hekk kif iz-zwiemel qabdu d-dritta finali taghhom Cloria Victis beda’ jnaqqas mill-velocita’ u fl-ahhar metri ma seta’ jaghmel xejn quddiem il-qawwa ta’ Okilaibo li qasam il-linja finali b’nofs tul mill-istess Cloria Victis. Ohime Mag (Ronald Cassar) u Poppes Fighter (Michael Ellul) kellhom ukoll wirja tajba meta spiccaw fit-tielet u r-raba’ post rispettivament.

Fi tmiem il-finali, Patrick Cachia, Twanny Scicluna u Raymond Schembri f’isem il-bookmakers tal-korsa ipprezentaw it-trofew ta’ rebbieha lil Joseph Seychell u Julian Farrugia, sid u sewwieq rispettivament ta’ Okilaibo. F’din il-finali, Okilaibo kellu medja tajba ferm ta’ 1.14.2” fil-kilometru.

Il-kumplament tat-tigrijiet kienu riservati ghal zwiemel mill-klassi Premier, Gold, Silver, Bronze u Copper bi zwiemel kollha jkunu misjuqa minn sidhom stess u jkunu fuq distanza qasira ta’ 2140m. It-tigrija Premier kienet wahda eccitanti matul id-distanza kollha. Playboy C.H. (Anton Pace) okkupa l-ewwel pozizzjoni ghal parti twila tad-distanza izda madwar 400m mit-tmiem dan id-debuttant Daniz beda’ jnaqqas mill-giri tieghu u dlonk inqabez mill-gdid Zvediz P.A. Surprise, li f’idejn sidu stess, il-kollega Lorraine Cunningham, ha l-ewwel rebha fi xtutna facilment b’aktar minn sitt tulijiet minn Arnie Sensation (Redeemer Farrugia). Pro Shop Christian Casha) u Shakira Trot (Francois Zammit) kellhom ukoll wirja tajba. Prosit ukoll lil Lorraine ta’ din ir-rebha.

L-ahhar 400m tal-uniku tigrija tal-klassi Gold kienu strumentali biex Simb Tyrant (Mark Tanti) jiehu l-ewwel rebha tieghu ghal dan l-istagun. Dan bla tbatija u quddiem Rapide Du Matin (Emmanuel Spiteri) u Happiness Photo (Noel Azzopardi). Oscarina (Kurt Farrugia) dahlet ir-raba’. Aktar tard, Tanti rebah tigrija ohra tal-klassi Silver b’Darco As.

Saret ukoll tigrija specjali fuq distanza wkoll ta’ 2140m bi zwiemel miktuba jkunu misjuqa minn tfal taht is-sittax –il sena. Din intrebhet minn Kaki De Peyrahout misjuq minn Dolan Casha.

Waqt il-programm tal-Hadd, Noel Baldacchino gie premjat bhala l-ahjar sewwieq tas-sena; Rodney Gatt bhala l-ahjar sewwieq taht il-25 sena; Michael Sultana bhala l-ahjar jockey 2013 u s-sidien taz-zwiemel Timolin u Andri Boko bhala l-aktar konsistenti tas-sena fit-tigrijiet tal-galopp u tat-trott rispettivament. Inghata wkoll premju specjali lil Charles Grech, sid iz-ziemel veteran tal-galopp Managing Director. Sal-lum dan huwa l-uniku ziemel li rnexxilu jirbah il-famuza Mediterranean Derby ghal hames snin konsekuttivi.

Ir-rizultati kollha

I Tigrija. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Loulou De La Rose (J. Falzon) Hin – 2.49.2” (1.19.1”) 2. Phoenix Des Baux (S. Abela) 3. Manifi Pointer (C. Fava) 4. Parce Que (W. Grech)

II Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Bella Notte (N. Barbara) Hin – 2.48.1” (1.18.6”) 2. Adream Wish (M. Grech) 3. Take Out Blue (C. Felice) 4. Biggles Coquet (J. Lundin)

III Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Milano Du Gite (A. Cortis) Hin – 2.42” (1.15.5”) 2. Newman (M. Caruana) 3. Orio De Marancourt (J. Spiteri) 4. Quo Vadis Phedo (R. Mallia)

IV Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Mystic River (F. Casha) Hin – 2.46.6” (1.17.8”) 2. Nereus Galbe (F. Farrugia) 3. Jens (A. Magro) 4. Mezio Josselyn (S. Grixti)

V Tigrija. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Simb Tyrant (M. Tanti) Hin – 2.41.6” (1.15.5”) 2. Rapide Du Matin (E. Spiteri) 3. Happiness Photo (N. Azzopardi) 4. Oscarina (K. Farrugia)

VI Tigrija. Klassi Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. P.A. Surprise (L. Cunningham) Hin – 2.41.7” (1.15.6”) 2. Arnie Sensation (R. Farrugia) 3. Pro Shop (C. Casha) 4. Shakira Trot (F. Zammit)

VII Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Command Coger (J.P. Farrugia) Hin – 2.45.8” (1.17.5”) 2. Mind Your Head (S. Axisa) 3. Daring Daylight (O. Bonello) 4. Paolin De Bannes (J. Agius)

VIII Tigrija. Gran Finali VOB. Klassi Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Okilaibo (J. Farrugia) Hin – 3.15.8” (1.14.2”) 2. Cloria Victis (C. Degiorgio) 3. Ohime Mag (R. Cassar) 4. Poppes Fighter (M. Ellul)

IX Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Darco As (M. Tanti) Hin – 2.45.7” (1.17.4”) 2. Max Galbe (C. Agius) 3. Law Suit (J. Agius) 4. Pittacos (B. Gatt)

Texas Charm jirbah il-Bourgogne

Fil-korsa ta’ Vincennes f’Parigi fi Franza, il-Franciz Texas Charm rebah it-tigrija nternazzjonali Prix De Bourgogne li hija t-tielet tigrija bi preparazzjoni ghall-Prix d’Amerique li ssir fl-ahhar Hadd tax-xahar id-diehel. Din it-tigrija saret fuq distanza qasira ta’ 2100m u bil-bidu bil-karozza tat-tluq. Texas Charm ittrijonfa minn Triode De Felliere u l-popolari Ready Cash. Texas Charm kien misjuq miz-zghazugh Julien Dubois u kellu medja impressjonanti ta’ 1.10” fil-kilometru.