Irish Gold As Good wins Mediterranean Derby

Gold As Good, the winner of the 2014 Mediterranean Derby when ridden by Italian jockey Giovanni Formica (Photo In-Nazzjon – Media.Link Communications)

Ridden by Sicilian jockey Giovanni Formica, Irish four year old mare Gold As Good won the 2014 edition of the prestigious Mediterranean Derby for flat horses on a long distance of 1750m. The final of this championship was held Sunday afternoon and formed part of the 29th meeting of the season made up of nine races. The card also included a class Premier race.

Eight horses took part in the Mediterranean Derby Final. It was Gold As Good (Giovanni Formica) the first horse out of the gates opening a half length lead from Pearl Storm (Charles Vella), the 2013 winner Kimberley Downs (Michael Sultana) and Timolin (Demis Zammit). Gold As Good never relinquished the lead during the 1750m distance and in the final straight also managed to sustain the challenge of Kimberley Downs. Timolin and Pearl Storm finished respectively in third and fourth place. At the end of this final, Dr Matthew Brincat, MRC Chairman presented the prestigious trophy to Jonathan Abela and Giovanni Formica, the owner and jockey respectively of the winning mare.

In the class Premier race on a short distance of 2140m, Danish mare Made In Hoff, driven by Charles Camilleri surged ahead when the horses turned for their final straight. Made In Hoff notched to its first win of the season and its second in Malta by more than a length from Mont Cenis Honey (Noel Baldacchino) and Opal Hall (Tony Mallia). Chiara Sisu (Melvin Farrugia) followed home in that order. Made In Hoff clocked an average time of 1.15” per kilometer.

Quiet Way (Salvu Vella) ran out of steam and started to slow down around 300m from the end of the class Gold race. In the final straight, this French trotter was overtaken by Original Blue (Chris Cassar) which took its first win of the year by a length and a half from Count Of Life (Claudio Refalo). P.A. Surprise (Lorraine Cunningham) ended fourth.

Sunday’s card included also three races for class Silver trotters which were won by French trotters. These were Rayon De Soleil (Mark Mifsud) which secured its first win in Malta after increasing its speed in the final metres; Ravenovillais (Noel Baldacchino) which nosed ahead 600m from the end to register its second win in Malta and by Quersis which upped its pace 400m from the finishing line. The latter was also driven by Noel Baldacchino.

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held next Sunday. The first race should start at 1.45pm.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ronin Del Brenta (Salvu Vella) – 1.18.1”

Race 2. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Rayon De Soleil (Mark Mifsud) – 1.16.2”

Race 3. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Original Blue (Chris Cassar) – 1.14.2”

Race 4. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Absolutelymeadow (Kurt Saliba) – 1.19.2”

Race 5. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Made In Hoff (Charles Camilleri) – 1.15”

Race 6. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ravenovillais (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.6”

Race 7. Mediterranean Derby Final. Class Flat. Dist – 1750m. 1. Gold As Good (Giovanni Formica – Italy) – 1.47.4”

Race 8. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Grace Party (Rodney Gatt) – 1.17.2”

Race 9. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quersis (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.16.1”

Gold As Good tnaqqax isimha fuq il-Mediterranean Derby

L-edizzjoni 2014 tal-kompetizzjoni prestigjuza Mediterranean Derby ghal zwiemel tal-galopp fuq 1750m intrebhet mid-debba Irlandiza Gold As Good misjuqa mill-Isqalli Giovanni Formica. Il-finali ta’ din il-kompetizzjoni saret il-Hadd wara nofsinhar fil-korsa tal-Marsa u kienet taghmel parti mid-29 programm tas-sena fuq disa’ tigrijiet.

Tmienja kienu z-zwiemel li grew fil-finali tal-Mediterranean Derby u hekk kif inghata l-bidu ufficjali mill-gagga tat-tluq, kien Formica li minnufih pogga lil Gold As Good quddiem. Matul l-ewwel metri din fethet vantagg zghir mill-kwotati Pearl Storm (Charles Vella) u r-rebbieh tal-edizzjoni 2013, Kimberley Downs (Michael Sultana). Timolin (Demis Zammit) kien ukoll isegwi tajjeb fir-raba’ pozizzjoni. Gold As Good dehret konsistenti fil-giri tul id-distanza, xejnet l-isfida ta’ Kimberley Dows fl-ahhar metri u zammet il-kmand sal-linja finali. Timolin u Pearl Storm dahlu fit-tielet u r-raba’ post rispettivamet.

Fi tmiem din il-finali, Dr Matthew Brincat, Chairman tal-MRC ipprezenta dan it-trofew prestigjuz lil Jonathan Abela u Giovani Formica s-sid u l-jockey rispettivament tad-debba rebbieha.

Fl-uniku tigrija tal-klassi Premier, attakk mibdi 400m mit-tmiem ta’ din it-tigrija wassal lid-debba Olandiza Made In Hoff (Charles Camilleri) biex tirregistra l-ewwel rebha stagonali taghha u t-tieni wahda f’Malta. Dan bla tbatija u minn Mont Cenis Honey (Noel Baldacchino) u Opal Hall (Tony Mallia). Chiara Sisu (Melvin Farrugia) kellha wkoll wirja pozittiva bi pjazzament fir-raba’ pozizzjoni. Ir-rebbieha, Made In Hoff, kellha medja ta’ 1.15” fil-kilometru.

Quiet Way (Salvu Vella) beda jnaqqas mill-giri madwar 300m mit-tmiem tal-uniku tigrija tal-klassi Gold. Fid-dritta finali dan iz-ziemel inqabez minn Original Blue (Chris Cassar) li ma naqasx milli facilment jiehu l-ewwel success tas-sena b’tul u nofs minn Count Of Life (Claudio Refalo). P.A. Surprise (Lorraine Cunningham) kellu wkoll wirja tajba bi pjazzament fir-raba’ post.

Il-laqgha nkludiet ukoll tliet tigrijiet tal-klassi Silver. Dawn intrebhu minn zwiemel Francizi li kienu Rayon De Soleil (Mark Mifsud) li ha l-ewwel rebha f’Malta wara li mar quddiem fid-dritta finali; Ravenovillais (Noel Baldacchino) li rregistra t-tieni rebha fi xtutna wara li halla kollox ghall-ahhar 600m u minn Quersis li wkoll ghalih kienu determinanti l-ahhar 400m. Dan tal-ahhar kien ukoll misjuq minn Noel Baldacchino.

Saret ukoll tigrija tal-ponijiet Shetland misjuqa minn tfal u din intrebhet minn Denilson Cortis permezz ta’ Rover.

Ir-rizultati kollha.

I Tigrija. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ronin Del Brenta (S. Vella) Hin – 2.47.2” (1.18.1”) 2. Cocos Kaos (R. Magro) 3. The Womanizer (A. Polidano) 4. Divinis (C. Magro)

II Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Rayon De Soleil (M. Mifsud) Hin – 2.43” (1.16.2”) 2. Rocking Gwen (C. Camilleri) 3. Stefan Sufflor (M. Ellul) 4. Noble Raun (S. Portelli)

III Tigrija. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Original Blue (C. Cassar) Hin – 2.38.7” (1.14.2”) 2. Count Of Life (C. Refalo) 3. Quiet Way (S. Vella) 4. P.A. Surprise (L. Cunningham)

IV Tigrija. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Absolutelymeadow (K. Saliba) Hin – 2.49.2” (1.19.2”) 2. Catch And Smash (R. Caruana) 3. Pine Wood Harry (C. Calleja) 4. Lorenz De Noyelles (R. Gatt)

V Tigrija. Klassi Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Made In Hoff (C. Camilleri) Hin – 2.40.4” (1.15”) 2. Mont Cenis Honey (N. Baldacchino) 3. Opal Hall (T. Mallia) 4. Chiara Sisu (M. Farrugia)

VI Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ravenovillais (N. Baldacchino) Hin – 2.41.9” (1.15.6”) 2. Lion Mcguire (F. Cassar) 3. Blott Tooma (C. Refalo) 4. Black Money Bir (E. Bezzina)

VII Tigrija. Mediterranean Derby. Klassi Galopp. Dist – 1750m. 1. Gold As Good (G. Formica – Italja) Hin – (1.47.4”) 2. Kimberley Downs (M. Sultana) 3. Timolin (D. Zammit) 4. Pearl Storm (C. Vella)

VIII Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Grace Party (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.45.1” (1.17.2”) 2. Sweep The Floor (M. Ellul) 3. Quiara Magic (J. Farrugia) 4. Quad De Beauregard (N. Baldacchino)

IX Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quersis (N. Baldacchino) Hin – 2.42.9” (1.16.1”) 2. Pepita Ans (C. Degiorgio) 3. Command Coger (C. Farrugia) 4. Quiquafini (P. Cachia)