Prieure and Pronostic De Neige triumph in major heats

Prieure driven by Charles Camilleri winning one of the Class Premier heats on Sunday. (Photo In-Nazzjon – Media.Link Communications)

Favourite Prieure and Pronostic De Neige won Sunday’s two major events. These were heats from the Prix De Vincennes championship for class Premier trotters on a short distance of 2140m. These races formed part of the 26th meeting of the season made up of ten races all for trotters.

From the two class Premier heats eight horses qualified for the final stage. As expected, in the first heat of this championship, Prieure (Charles Camilleri) stormed ahead with a lap to go. This French eleven year old trotter continued to increase its speed during the last metres and in the final straight also managed to sustain the challenge of Pouloud Keroc’H (Chris Vassallo). Perceval (Frencu Cassar) and Royal Pierre (Noel Baldacchino) also made it to the final stage after finishing respectively in third and fourth place. Prieure claimed its third win in a row in a good average time of 1.14.5”per kilometer.

Pronostic De Neige, under the guidance of its owner Michael Axisa, dashed strongly from the inside when the horses taking part in the second class Premier heat turned for their home stretch. This French eleven year old trotter gained its first win on the Maltese islands by a length from Oltedo De Rieux (Charles Camilleri) and Oran (Julian Farrugia). Quoky Jet (Emmanuel Garzia) followed behind and also qualified for the final race. Pronostic De Neige clocked an average time of 1.14.6” per kilometer.

Rodney Gatt put favourite Quart De Cidre infront with 1000m to the finishing line of the first semi final from the Prix d’Enghien Championship for class Gold trotters. This French ten year old trotter never relinquished its position and took its second consecutive win and in Malta easily by more than three lengths from Oeillet De Phens (Charles Camilleri) and Quito Soyer (Noel Baldacchino). Ollico Pellois (Ludvic Ghigo) and Nagano Phedo (Mario Fenech) followed home in that order.

A keen tussle between two horses developed in the final metres of the second class Gold semi final. It was Quintet (Brian Zammit) which went past the post first but this trotter was later disqualified by the racing stewards and the win was awarded to Quel Noir. Pile Ou Face (Joe Schembri), Quel Imprevu (Carmelo Micallef), Pissaro (Clint Vassallo) and Pepone Du Castelet (Rodney Gatt) also obtained a good place. For Quel Noir this was its first win in Malta.

During the same programme held at the Marsa Race Track, a presentation was made to Messrs Julian Bezzina and Joseph Borg, owners of the trotter Prieure which on Sunday 4th May became Malta’s fastest horse. Driven by Charles Camilleri Prieure registered a record average time of 1.12.7” per kilometer over the mile distance. Mark Vella, MRC Director, presented Bezzina and Borg a photo as well as a commemorative token to celebrate this event.

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held next Saturday afternoon, public holiday. This meeting will also include the Sette Giugno Championship final for other class Premier trotters on a short distance of 2140m. The first race should start at 1.45pm.

Sunday’s winners.

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Ronin Del Brenta (Salvu Vella) – 1.18.1”

Race 2. Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer Championship Semi Final. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Roff Gy (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.16.8”

Race 3. Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer Championship Semi Final. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Pacha De Sassy (Omar Cauchi) – 1.16.5”

Race 4. Prix De Cabourg Championship Semi Final. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Reve Du Solnan (Clive Gerada) – 1.15.8”

Race 5. Prix De Vincennes Championship Heat. ClassPremier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Prieure (Charles Camilleri) – 1.14.5”

Race 6. Prix D’Enghien Championship Semi Final. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quart De Cidre (Rodney Gatt) – 1.14.4”

Race 7. Prix De Cabourg Championship Semi Final. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quid Pierre (Cliferty Calleja) – 1.15.8”

Race 8. Prix De Vincennes Championship Heat. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Pronostic De Neige (Michael Axisa) – 1.14.6”

Race 9. Prix D’Enghien Championship Semi Final. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quel Noir (Charles Degiorgio) – 1.14.8”

Race 10. Prix De Cabourg Championship Semi Final. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Roi Du Solat (Julian Farrugia) – 1.16.7”

Prieure u Pronostic De Neige ma jfallux fit-tigrijiet ewlenin

Il-kwotat Prieure u Pronostic De Neige rebhu l-aktar zewg tigrijiet mistennija li saru l-Hadd wara nofsinhar fil-korsa tal-Marsa. Dawn kienu heats mill-Prix De Vincennes ghal zwiemel tal-klassi Premier fuq distanza ta’ 2140m u kienu jaghmlu parti mis-26 laqgha tal-istagun fuq ghaxar tigrijiet tat-trott b’disgha minnhom ikunu wkoll heats jew semi finali minn erba’ kampjonati ghal zwiemel Francizi fuq distanza qasira ta’ 2140m.

Miz-zewg heats Premier tmien zwiemel ghaddew ghall-finali. Hekk kif inghata l-bidu ufficjali tal-ewwel heat, kien Pouloud Keroc’H (Chris Vassallo) l-aktar ziemel b’sahhtu u mar quddiem. Izda dan ma damx hafna milli jkun attakkat u maqbuz mill-favorit Prieure misjuq mis-solitu Charles Camilleri. Prieure kompla jmexxi lill-kumplament taz-zwiemel tul id-distanza u qasam il-linja finali l-ewwel wara li fl-ahhar metri rega xejjen l-isfida tal-istess Pouloud Keroc’H. Perceval (Frencu Cassar) u Royal Pierre (Noel Baldacchino) ghaddew ukoll ghall-finali wara li temmew fit-tielet u r-raba’ post rispettivament. It-tielet rebha konsekuttiva ta’ Prieure waslet f’medja tajba ta’ 1.14.5” fil-kilometru.

It-tieni heat Premier ukoll zviluppat f’wahda eccitanti, specjalment fl-ahhar metri taghha. Hawnhekk, id-debuttant Quito d’Ecroville (Mario Borg) beda jnaqqas mill-giri madwar 400m mit-tmiem u nqabez minn diversi zwiemel. Kien f’nofs id-dritta finali li Michael Axisa sab l-ispazju necessarju biex jattakka minn nahha ta’ gewwa u jpoggi lil Pronostic De Neige quddiem. Dan ha l-ewwel rebha fi xtutna minghajr tbatija u quddiem Oltedo De Rieux (Charles Camilleri) u Oran (Julian Farrugia). Quoky Jet (Emmanuel Garzia) kien l-ahhar ziemel li ghadda ghall-finali wara li dahal fir-raba’ pozizzjoni. Pronostic De Neige kellu medja ta’ 1.14.6” fil-kilometru.

Fl-ewwel minn zewg semi finali tal-kampjonat Prix d’Enghien tal-klassi Gold, il-kwotat Quart De Cidre (Rodney Gatt) halla kollox ghall-ahhar dawra. Dan ittrijonfa facilment b’distakk ta’ madwar tliet tulijiet quddiem Oeillet De Phens (Charles Camilleri) u Quito Soyer (Noel Baldacchino). Ollico Pellois (Ludvic Ghigo) u Nagano Phedo (Mario Fenech) kellhom ukoll pjazzament pozittiv.

It-tieni semi finali Gold kienet ikkaratterizzata minn dwell eccitanti bejn Quintet (Brian Zammit) u Quel Noir (Charles Degiorgio) fl-ahhar metri taghha. Kien Quintet li qasam il-linja finali l-ewwel, izda dan iz-ziemel aktar tard safa’ skwalifikat mill-gurija biex ir-rebha nghatat lil Quel Noir li rregistra l-ewwel success tieghu. Pile Ou Face (Joe Schembri), Quel Imprevu (Carmelo Micallef), Pissaro (Clint Vassallo) u Pepone Du Castelet (Rodney Gatt) dahlu warajhom f’dik l-ordni.

Waqt l-istess programm ta’ tiġrijiet saret prezentazzjoni lis-Sinjuri Julian Bezzina u Joseph Borg, sidien tal-Franciz Prieure li l-Ħadd 4 ta’ Mejju sar l-aktar ziemel veloċi f’Malta. Dan meta f’idejn Charles Camilleri rreġistra medja ta’ 1’12”7 fuq distanza ta’ 1640m f’tiġrija tal-Klassi Premier. Is-sinjuri Bezzina u Borg gew pprezentati b’ritratt u tifkira kommemorattiva minn Mark Vella, Direttur fi hdan il-club.

Ir-rizultati kollha.