Favourite Royal In wins Queen Elizabeth II Cup final

Gozitan Driver Marco Debono being presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Cup by Her Highness Queen Elizabeth II at the Marsa Racetrack on Saturday (Photo Paul Mifsud).

Certainly, the 48th meeting of the season, which was held Saturday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack, will remain a memorable and a historical one for all local horse racing enthusiasts. During this meeting, Her Highness Queen Elizabeth the Second was present for some minutes at the racetrack and found also the time to present the trophy to Marco Debono, the owner-driver of Royal In, the winning horse of yesterday’s first race, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup final for class Silver trotters on a long distance of 2640m. Yesterday’s card consisted of eight races all for trotters.

It is a well know secret that the Royal family always had a passion for the horse racing sport and in the 1950’s the Queen had also visited the Marsa Racetrack during her stay on the island. Meanwhile, twelve trotters took part in the silver final. Favourite Royal In dashed strongly from the outside 400m to the end of the race and secured its fifth win in a row and its ninth of the season easily by five lengths and a half from Zizazimoko (Tony Demanuele). L.A. Tromb (Rodney Gatt) and Maillot (Clint Vassallo) followed home in that order. At the end of this final, Queen Elizabeth II presented the winning cup to Marco Debono co-owner and driver of the winning horse.

Saturday’s programme also included two semifinal races from the Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer for French trotters registered in class Bronze and three heats from the Prix De Caen for class Copper trotters. From the two class Bronze semifinals twelve horse qualified for the final stage. In the first semifinal from this championship, the early leader, Tasco (Shaun Portelli) ran out of steam midway through the final straight and was outsmarted by Saphir Merite (Joseph Scerri) which gained its second win of the season from Picabia Des Audins (Brian Hili) and L’Ideal De Fersan (Ian Galea). Record Du Stade (Charles Camilleri) and Polytain (Noel Baldacchino) also made it for the final stage.

Saphir Censerie (Kurt Saliba) led all the way during the 2640m distance of the second class Bronze semifinal. This French nine year old trotter grabbed its first win in Malta after beating the challenge of Pittacos (Noel Baldacchino) midway through the final straight. Qumran De La Motte (Frencu Cassar), Voila Dry (Ivan Bilocca), Quad De Beauregard (Emmanuel Fenech) and Roc Magister (Kirsten Axisa) followed home in that order.

The first race on Saturday’s card was a shetland pony race driven by children on a distance of 640 metres. This race was also organised in honour of the Queen and was won by Off The Record driven by Denilson Cortis. After the race, Her Excellency Marie Louise Colerio Preca, the President of Malta presented the trophy to Cortis.

Another meeting consisting of ten races all for trotters will be held on Sunday at the Marsa Racetrack. The first race should start at 1.15pm.

Saturday’s winners

Race 1. Queen Elizabeth II Final. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Royal In (Marco Debono) – 1.16.2”

Race 2. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Herzbrecher (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.4”

Race 3. Prix De Caen Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Ukulele Cehere (Julian Farrugia) – 1.20.6”

Race 4. Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer Semi Final. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Saphir Merite (Joseph Scerri) – 1.19.3”

Race 5. Prix De Caen Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Rocktailo (Redent Magro) – 1.19.2”

Race 6. Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer Semi Final. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Saphir Censerie (Kurt Saliba) – 1.18.2”

Race 7. Prix De Caen Heat. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Arcadie Lory (Clint Vassallo) – 1.21.2”

Race 8. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Big Hit (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.6”

Il-favorit Royal In jittrijonfa quddiem ir-Regina

Il-laqgha li saret is-Sibt fil-korsa tal-Marsa se tibqa wahda storika ghall-isport tat-tigrijiet taz-zwiemel f’pajjizna. Dan minhabba li wara hafna snin zaret il-korsa tal-Marsa r-Regina Elizabetta t-Tieni li fl-ahhar jiem kienet f’pajjizna ghall-laqgha tac-CHOGM. F’din it-48 laqgha tas-sena fuq tmien tigrijiet tat-trott spikkat l-aktar l-ewwel tigrija, finali ghal zwiemel tal-klassi Silver u li se saret ad unur l-istess Regina Elizabetta t-Tieni. Kif mistenni, din intrebhet minn Royal In, misjuq minn wiehed mis-sidien tieghu Marco Debono.

Tnax kienu z-zwiemel li ppartecipaw f’din il-finali, bir-rebbieh Royal In ihalli kollox ghall-ahhar 400m u jirregistra l-hames rebha nfila u d-disa’ wahda tas-sena. Dan b’vantagg ta’ hames tulijiet u nofs quddiem Zizazimoko (Tony Demanuele) u L.A. Tromb (Rodney Gatt). Maillot (Clint Vassallo) temm ir-raba’. Fi tmiem din il-finali l-istess Regina pprezentat it-trofew lill-Ghawdxi Marco Debono fil-prezenza ta’ numru ta’ persuni distinti.

Hamsa mill-kumplament tat-tigrijiet fil-programm kienu semi finali mill-Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer ghal zwiemel Francizi tal-klassi Bronze u heats milll-Prix De Caen ghal zwiemel tal-klassi Copper. Miz-zewg semi finali tal-klassi Bronze, tnax –il ziemel ghaddew ghall-finali. Fl-ewwel wahda, Tasco (Shaun Portelli) ceda kollox f’nofs id-dritta finali u nqabez fost l-ohrajn mir-rebbieh Saphir Merite (Joseph Scerri) li ha t-tieni success tas-sena quddiem Picabia Des Audins (Brian Hili) u L’Ideal De Fersan (Ian Galea).

Fit-tieni semi finali Bronze, kien Saphir Censerie (Kurt Saliba) li rregistra l-ewwel rebha fi xtutna. Dan kien kontinwament quddiem u ttrijonfa mhux qabel xejjen l-isfida ta’ Pittacos (Noel Baldacchino) f’nofs id-dritta finali. Qumran De La Motte (Frencu Cassar) u Voila Dry (Ivan Bilocca) kellhom ukoll prestazzjoni tajba meta kkwalifikaw ukoll ghall-finali bi pjazzament fit-tielet u r-raba’ pozizzjoni.

Il-programm fetah b’tigrija tal-poniiet shetland misjuqa minn tfal fuq distanza ta’ 640 metru. Din ukoll saret ad unur ir-Regina Elizabetta t-Tieni u ntrebhet minn Off The Record misjuq minn Denilson Cortis. Kienet il-President ta’ Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca li premjat lil Cortis fi tmiem it-tigrija.

Ir-rizultati kollha

I Tigrija. Finali Tazza Elizabetta II. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Royal In (M. Debono) Hin – 3.21.2” (1.16.2”) 2. Zizazimoko (T. Demanuele) 3. L.A. Tromb (R. Gatt) 4. Maillot (C. Vassallo)

II Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Herzbrecher (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.47.8” (1.18.4”) 2. Simb Justintime (M. Debono) 3. Broslatts Boy (C. Vassallo) 4. Jezira (S. Galea)

III Tigrija. Heat Prix De Caen. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Ukulele Cehere (J. Farrugia) Hin – 3.32.9” (1.20.6”) 2. Rugaro (D. Grima) 3. Niko De Chamant (V. Fenech) 4. Loulou De La Rose (J. Falzon)

IV Tigrija. Semi Finali Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Saphir Merite (J. Scerri) Hin – 3.29.3” (1.19.3”) 2. Picabia Des Audins (B. Hili) 3. L’Ideal De Fersan (I. Galea) 4. Tasco (Sh. Portelli) 5. Record Du Stade (C. Camilleri) 6. Polytain (N. Baldacchino)

V Tigrija. Heat Prix De Caen. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Rocktailo (R. Magro) Hin – 3.29.1” (1.19.2”) 2. Ocean Gede (M. Fenech) 3. Amiral Benault (P. Galea) 4. Volcanic Yamm (Ch. Gauci)

VI Tigrija. Semi Finali Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Saphir Censerie (K. Saliba) Hin – 3.26.5” (1.18.2”) 2. Pittacos (N. Baldacchino) 3. Qumran De La Motte (F. Cassar) 4. Voila Dry (I. Bilocca) 5. Quad De Beauregard (E. Fenech) 6. Roc Magister (K. Axisa)

VII Tigrija. Heat Prix De Caen. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Arcadie Lory (C. Vassallo) Hin – 3.34.5” (1.21.2”) 2. Uranos (T. Demanuele) 3. Uthman Des Rouches (E. Attard) 4. Alana (M. Cauchi)

VIII Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Big Hit (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.48.1” (1.18.6”) 2. Absolutelymeadow (K. Saliba) 3. Regius (N. Baldacchino) 4. Notre Joyeux (C. Camilleri)