Pat De Fontaine triumphs in VOB Grand Final

Driver Noel Baldacchino, owner Lorry Gatt together with relatives and friends celebrating the success of Pat De Fontaine (Photo Tonio Buhagiar)

As expected, the VOB Grand Final for class Premier trotters on a short distance of 2140m was the main attraction on Friday’s card. This Grand Final was won by French Pat De Fontaine under the guidance of Noel Baldacchino and formed part of the 31st meeting of the season made up of nine races all for trotters.

Nine horses lined up in the class Premier final. It was Yanantin Boko (Darren Mizzi) which set the early pace from Zalgado Transs R (Nicholas Bonello) and Pat De Fontaine (Noel Baldacchino). However, with 300m to go, Yanantin Boko was unable to keep up the pace and couldn’t sustain the challenge of Pat De Fontaine which stormed ahead in the final metres and cruised to its third win in Malta. Oran (Julian Farrugia) and Cloria Victis (Charles Degiorgio) ended respectively in third and fourth place.

After this final, Messrs Patrick Cachia and David Scicluna, on behalf of the racetrack bookmakers, presented the winning trophy to Lorry Gatt and Noel Baldacchino, owner and driver respectively of the winning horse. Pat De Fontaine clocked an average time of 1.15.7” per kilometer.

Friday’s programme included also two races for class Gold trotters. Early leader, Carnegie Hall (Darren Mizzi) ran out of steam midway through the final straight of the first class Gold race and was overtaken by Italian Laval (Charles Camilleri) which secured its second win in Malta by half length from Quel Imprevu (Tony Demanuele) and Versace Boko (Warren Spiteri).

In the second class Gold race, favourite Quel Homme (Noel Baldacchino) started to increase its pace with a lap to go. This French ten year old trotter took the lead around 400m from the finishing line and registered its second win in a row and in Malta from Nitesco d’Antony (David Ellul) and Quicker Magoda (Brian Hili). Olry Meslois (Emmanuel Fenech) finished fourth.

On Friday a special donkey fun race was also organized at the Marsa Race Track. In this race, on a short distance for 250m, the donkeys were driven by established and popular drivers. It was won by a donkey driven by Tony Demanuele.

Charles Camilleri was also awarded as the best driver of last month after winning nine races and obtaining seventeen placings. A memento to Camilleri was presented by the chairman of the Malta Racing Club, Matthew Brincat.

The 2014 season will resume with another meeting on September.

Friday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Uranium Des Arkads (Kurt Saliba) – 1.18.6”

Race 2. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Winner Farming (Anton Pace) – 1.17.3”

Race 3. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Paco (Christian Xerri) – 1.17.6”

Race 4. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Joss QC (Chris Grech) – 1.16.7”

Race 5. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Laval (Charles Camilleri) – 1.16.8”

Race 6. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quel Homme (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.16.8”

Race 7. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Andri Boko (Tony Demanuele) – 1.16.8”

Race 8. VOB Grand Final. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Pat De Fontaine (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.15.7”

Race 9. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Rocking Gwen (Charles Camilleri) – 1.17.2”

Pat De Fontaine b’wirja mill-aqwa fil-finali VOB

L-aktar tigrija importanti li saret il-Gimgha fil-ghaxija fil-korsa tal-Marsa kienet il-finali tal-kompetizzjoni VOB ghal zwiemel tal-klassi Premier fuq distanza qasira ta’ 2140m. Din il-finali ntrebhet mill-Franciz Pat De Fontaine misjuq minn Noel Baldacchino u ghamlet parti mill-31 laqgha tal-istagun fuq disa’ tigrijiet tat-trott. Dan kien ukoll l-ahhar programm qabel il-waqfa tas-Sajf, bl-istagun 2014 jitkompla mal-bidu ta’ Settembru.

Disgha kienu z-zwiemel li hadu sehem fil-gran finali. Hekk kif inghata l-bidu ufficjali, kien Yanantin Boko (Darren Mizzi) li beda l-aktar b’sahhtu, fejn matul l-ewwel metri dan fetah vantagg zghir minn Zalgado Transs R (Nicholas Bonello) u Pat De Fontaine (Noel Baldacchino). L-andament tat-tigrija baqa’ hekk sakemm iz-zwiemel qabdu jaffrontaw id-dritta finali. Kien f’dak il-hin li wasal l-isprint qawwi ta’ Pat De Fontaine li mar quddiem u qasam il-linja finali l-ewwel b’vantagg ta’ tul mill-istess Yanantin Boko. Oran (Julian Farrugia) u Cloria Victis (Charles Degiorgio) wkoll kellhom wirja pozittiva.

Hekk kif hareg ir-rizultat ufficjali saret ukoll il-prezentazzjoni li tmexxiet minn Patrick Cachia u David Scicluna, f’isem il-bookmakers tal-korsa. Dawn ipprezentaw it-trofew lil Baldacchino u Lorry Gatt, is-sewwieq u s-sid rispettivament taz-ziemel rebbieh. Pat De Fontaine kellu medja ta’ 1.15.7” fil-kilometru.

Il-programm inkluda wkoll zewg tigrijiet tal-klassi Gold. Fl-ewwel wahda, Carnegie Hall (Darren Mizzi), li kien l-aktar b’sahhtu fl-ewwel metri u li okkupa l-ewwel post ghal parti twila tad-distanza, ceda kollox fid-dritta finali. Dan inqabez mit-Taljan Laval (Charles Camilleri) li ha t-tieni success f’Malta quddiem Quel Imprevu (Tony Demanuele) u Versace Boko (Warren Spiteri).

Fit-tieni tigrija Gold, Noel Baldacchino pogga lill-favorit Quel Homme quddiem madwar 400m mit-tmiem. Dan ma fallix milli jiehu t-tieni rebha nfila u f’Malta minn Nitesco d’Antony (David Ellul) u Quicker Magoda (Brian Hili). Olry Meslois (Emmanuel Fenech) kellu wkoll wirja tajba meta temm fir-raba’ pozizzjoni.

Matul l-istess programm saret tigrija tal-hmir ghall-karita’ fuq distanza qasira ta’ 250m. Dawn il-hmir kienu misjuqa minn sewwieqa stabbiliti, bit-tigrija tintrebah mill-hmara Franza misjuqa minn Tony Demanuele. Charles Camilleri gie wkoll premjat bhala l-ahjar sewwieq ghax-xahar ta’ Mejju. Dan wara li x-xahar li ghadda dan is-sewwieq rebah disa’ tigrijiet u kellu sbatax –il pjazzament. Importanti kienu z-zewg rebhiet permezz ta’ Prieure fosthom il-ksur ta’ rekord nazzjonali fuq distanza ta’ mil. Il-prezentazzjoni lil Camilleri saret minn Matthew Brincat, Chairman tal-Malta Racing Club.

Ir-rizultati kollha.

I Tigrija. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Uranium Des Arkads (K. Saliba) Hin – 2.46.2” (1.18.6”) 2. Ocean Gede (M. Fenech) 3. Claude Carnevale (F. Cassar) 4. Nevada Sun (A. Mifsud)

II Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Winner Farming (A. Pace) Hin – 2.45.4” (1.17.3”) 2. Sandrone (J. Vassallo) 3. Vasterbo Mugger (C. Degiorgio) 4. Wonderofyou (J. Farrugia)

III Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Paco (C. Xerri) Hin – 2.46.1” (1.17.6”) 2. Sweep The Floor (M. Ellul) 3. Novak (T. Demanuele) 4. Orio De Marancourt (F. Cassar)

IV Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Joss QC (C. Grech) Hin – 2.44.1” (1.16.7”) 2. Quattro du Gite (R. Gatt) 3. Quersis (N. Baldacchino) 4. Ouf Boy (D. Mizzi)

V Tigrija. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Laval (C. Camilleri) Hin – 2.44.3” (1.16.8”) 2. Quel Imprevu (T. Demanuele) 3. Versace Boko (W. Spiteri) 4. Carnegie Hall (D. Mizzi)

VI Tigrija. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Quel Homme (N. Baldacchino) Hin – 2.44.3” (1.16.8”) 2. Nitesco d’Antony (D. Ellul) 3. Quicker Magoda (B. Hili) 4. Olry Meslois (E. Fenech)

VII Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Andri Boko (T. Demanuele) Hin – 2.44.3” (1.16.8”) 2. Grace Party (R. Gatt) 3. Livi Champion (K. Saliba) 4. Newman (K. Sciberras)

VIII Tigrija. Gran Finali VOB. Klassi Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Pat De Fontaine (N. Baldacchino) Hin – 2.42.1” (1.15.7”) 2. Yanantin Boko (D. Mizzi) 3. Oran (J Farrugia) 4. Cloria Victis (C. Degiorgio)

IX Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Rocking Gwen (C. Camilleri) Hin – 2.45.2” (1.17.2”) 2. Red Love (P. Galea) 3. Roc Magister (K. Axisa) 4. Isebel (C. Xerri)