Digital Motion and Eklas Superior triumph in Gold semifinals

Rodney Gatt winner of three races on Sunday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack (Photo – In-Nazzjon http://www.media.link.com.mt)

The two most important events Sunday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack were the Johnnie Walker Championship semi finals for class Gold trotters on a short distance of 2140m. These races formed part of the 45th meeting of the season made up of ten races all for trotters. These semifinals were won by Digital Motion and Eklas Superior, both driven by Rodney Gatt. Yesterday Gatt finished the best driver with three wins.

From the two class Gold semifinals, ten horses made it for the final stage. In the first semifinal, Swedish seven year old trotter Digital Motion, under the guidance of Rodney Gatt, was unchallenged for most of the 2140m distance. Gatt’s trotter managed to seal its first win on the islands by a length from favourite Power To Be (Noel Baldacchino). Lover Roc (Jurgen Attard) and Qurieux Du Ponchet (Charles Camilleri) ended respectively in third and fourth place. Solide Du Jayle (Tony Cauchi) was the last horse to make it to the final stage from this race.

Eklas Superior (Rodney Gatt) produced a burst of pace 300m from the finishing line of the second class Gold semifinal. This Swedish nine year old trotter went on to record its second win of the season and in Malta easily by a length and half from Sullian Du Mouty (Charles Camilleri) and Energitj (Carl Caruana). Blizzard Ad (Frencu Cassar) and Voyou Atout (Brian Zammit) followed home in that order.

Yesterday’s card included also four normal races for class Silver trotters. In the first class Silver race, the early leader Memory Chip (Julian Farrugia), was outsmarted by Cummin (Rodney Gatt) midway through the final straight. Another Swedish mare, Tagena Run (Jesmar Gafa’) dashed strongly from the outside midway through the final straight of the second class Silver race. This secured its first win in Malta by a length from Titan De Tincques (Rodney Gatt).

In the third class Silver race, Pronger (Marco Refalo) led all the way and registered its first win of the year by half length from Spahi De Belaise (Redent Magro). French newcomer Ultime Des Racques (Clint Vassallo) cruised to its first win in Malta in the fourth and last class Silver race. This French eight year old trotter had to go all out in the final metres to overtake Saphir Censerie (Kurt Saliba).

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Sunday. The first race should start at 1.30pm.

Yesterday’s winners

Race 1. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Almondo Rich (Peter Paul Said) – 1.19.4”

Race 2. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Cummin (Rodney Gatt) – 1.15.5”

Race 3. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Twostep (Gordon Dahl – Denmark) – 1.17.7”

Race 4. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Tagena Run (Jesmar Gafa’) – 1.17.1”

Race 5. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Dreamed Victory (Jason Zahra) – 1.17.1”

Race 6. Johnnie Walker Championship Semi Final. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Digital Motion (Rodney Gatt) – 1.15.3”

Race 7. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Pronger (Marco Refalo) – 1.16.4”

Race 8. Johnnie Walker Championship Semi Final. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Eklas Superior (Rodney Gatt) – 1.16”

Race 9. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ultime Des Racques (Clint Vassallo) – 1.15.9”

Race 10. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Paco (Shaun Portelli) – 1.17.4”

Laqgha memorabbli ghal Rodney Gatt

L-aktar zewg tigrijiet mistennija li saru l-bierah wara nofsinhar fil-korsa tal-Marsa kienu semifinali mill-kampjonat Johnnie Walker ghal zwiemel tal-klassi Gold. Dawn kienu fuq distanza qasira ta’ 2140m u ghamlu parti mill-45 laqgha tal-istagun fuq ghaxar tigrijiet kollha ghal zwiemel tat-trott fuq distanza qasira. Is-semifinali Gold intrebhu minn Digital Motion u Eklas Superior li t-tnejn li huma kienu misjuqa minn Rodney Gatt. Dan is-sewwieq zghazugh intant temm l-ahjar wiehed tal-gurnata bi tliet rebhiet.

Miz-zewg semifinali Gold, ghaxar zwiemel ikkwalifikaw ghall-finali. Fl-ewwel wahda, wara li l-ewwel pozizzjoni alternat bejn numru ta’ zwiemel matul l-ewwel 400m, kien Rodney Gatt li mar quddiem permezz tal-Izvediz Digital Motion. Dan zamm pass konsistenti sat-tmiem biex b’hekk akkwista l-ewwel rebha fi xtutna b’tul mill-favorit Power To Be (Noel Baldacchino) u Lover Roc (Jurgen Attard). Qurieux Du Ponchet (Charles Camilleri) u Solide Du Jayle (Tony Cauchi) kienu l-ahhar zewg zwiemel li ghaddew ghall-ahhar fazi minn din is-semifinali.

Minn naha l-ohra, andament differenti kellha t-tieni semifinali mill-istess kompetizzjoni. Ghal darba ohra Rodney Gatt rega kien il-protagonist ewlieni tat-tigrija din id-darba permezz ta’ Eklas Superior. Dan hasad lil kulhadd b’attakk erbgha fuq in-nahha ta’ barra fid-dritta finali li wasslu biex jiehu t-tieni rebha f’Malta b’tul u nofs minn Sullian Du Mouty (Charles Camilleri) u Energitj (Carl Caruana). Blizzard Ad (Frencu Cassar) u Voyou Atout (Brian Zammit) dahlu warajhom f’dik l-ordni.

Il-kumplament tat-tigrijiet kienu riservati ghal zwiemel mill-klassi Silver u Bronze. Fl-ewwel tigrija Silver, Memory Chip (Julian Farrugia) li kien ghal hafna metri quddiem, inqabez f’nofs id-dritta finali minn Cummin (Rodney Gatt) li hadet il-hames rebha taghha. Sprint tajjeb mibdi f’nofs id-dritta finali tat-tieni tigrija mill-istess klassi wassal lil Zvediza ohra, Tagena Run (Jesmar Gafa’), biex tirregistra l-ewwel rebha taghha f’pajjizna b’tul minn Titan De Tinques (Rodney Gatt).

Fit-tielet tigrija Silver, Pronger ta’ Marco Refalo, kien il-hin kollu quddiem u rnexxilu jiehu l-ewwel rebha tal-istagun mhux qabel ma xejjen l-isfida ta’ Spahi De Belaise (Redent Magro) ftit metri mit-tmiem. Ultime Des Racques (Clint Vassallo), wiehed minn seba’ debuttanti fir-raba’ u l-ahhar tigrija Silver, irnexxilu jiehu wkoll l-ewwel rebha f’pajjizna. Dan iz-ziemel halla kollox ghad-dritta finali meta ghadda lil Saphir Censerie (Kurt Saliba) li kien ghal hafna hin fl-ewwel pozizzjoni.

Ir-rizultati kollha.

I Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Almondo Rich (P.P. Said) Hin – 2.49.8” (1.19.4”) 2. All American Class (D. Ellul) 3. Absolutely Meadow (K. Saliba) 4. Nisio MRS (N. Baldacchino)

II Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Cummin (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.42.5” (1.15.5”) 2. Memory Chip (J. Farrugia) 3. Enzo Nova (N. Baldacchino) 4. Radical Max (J. Gafa’)

III Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Twostep (G. Dahl – Den) Hin – 2.46.2” (1.17.7”) 2. Nikteha BLV (C. Vassallo) 3. Sympa Good (A. Farrugia) 4. L’Ideal De Fersan (I. Galea)

IV Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Tagena Run (J. Gafa’) Hin – 2.45” (1.17.1”) 2. Titan De Tincques (R. Gatt) 3. White Flame (D. Ellul) 4. Saphir Du Meleuc (N. Baldacchino)

V Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Dreamed Victory (J. Zahra) Hin – 2.45” (1.17.1”) 2. O Jensen (M. Fenech) 3. Rikita Du Moulin (J. Said) 4. Ricciola Jet (R. Gatt)

VI Tigrija. Semifinali Kampjonat Johnnie Walker. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Digital Motion (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.41.1” (1.15.3”) 2. Power To Be (N. Baldacchino) 3. Lover Roc (J. Attard) 4. Qurieux Du Ponchet (C. Camilleri) 5. Solide Du Jayle (T. Cauchi)

VII Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Pronger (M. Refalo) Hin – 2.43.6” (1.16.4”) 2. Spahi De Belaise (R. Magro) 3. Tenero (A. Farrugia) 4. Count Of Life (C. Refalo)

VIII Tigrija. Semifinali Kampjonat Johnnie Walker. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Eklas Superior (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.42.7” (1.16”) 2. Sullian Du Mouty (C. Camilleri) 3. Energitj (C. Caruana) 4. Blizzard Ad (F. Cassar) 5. Voyou Atout (B. Zammit)

IX Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ultime Des Racques (C. Vassallo) Hin – 2.42.5” (1.15.9”) 2. Saphir Censerie (K. Saliba) 3. Tricoloren (J. Farrugia) 4. Zack Hornline (M. Ghigo)

X Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Paco (S. Portelli) Hin – 2.45.7” (1.17.4”) 2. Runway (M. Debono) 3. Arcadie Lory (C. Vassallo) 4. Saxo La Chesnaie (M. Falzon)