Overtaker By Sib and Quipson win first finals of the season

Overtaker By Sib (Marco Refalo) winner of the MRC Champion Trotter for class Premier, Gold and Silver trotters.

Yesterday’s meeting at the Marsa Racetrack heralded the start of the new 2017 horse racing season with the first meeting of the year on ten races all for trotters. The two most important races were handicap finals from the MRC Champion trotter open for horses from various classes on a short distance of 2160m. These finals were won by Overtaker By Sib and Quipson.

The major event was the final for class Premier, Gold and Silver trotters. Here eleven horses lined up for this race. It was Rapide Du Matin (Julian Farrugia) the fastest trotter at first. However after few metres, this horse was overtaken by Swedish mare Cummin (Rodney Gatt) which opened a small lead from Sensei (Noel Baldacchino). Midway through the distance, it was Gozitan driver Marco Refalo which put Overtaker By Sib in front and this Italian trotter continued to keep up the pace to seal its first win of the season in front of Power To Be (Charles Camilleri). Cummin (Rodney Gatt) and Turbot De Renier (Ivan Bilocca) finished respectively in third and fourth place. The winner clocked an average time of 1.17.7” per kilometer.

Eleven other trotters took part in the class Bronze and Copper final. Here although, it was starting with a 20 metre handicap, French thirteen year old trotter Quipson (Noel Baldacchino) managed to take the lead after only few metres. This horse led all the way and passed the finishing post first easily by seven lengths from two Swedish mares, Jezira (Rodney Gatt) and White Flame (David Ellul). Seigneur Du Dropt (Michael Sultana) finished fourth. Mr Edwin Borg, MRC Chairman, presented the winning trophies to the owners of the two winning horses.

Yesterday’s card included also two races for class Gold trotters. In the first class Gold race, French newcomer Tenor Courtamblay (Ryan Scicluna) was unchallenged during almost all the 2140m distance. This ten year old trotter secured its first win in Malta easily by two lengths from Quillian Joyeux (Andrew Farrugia) and P.A. Surprise (Lorraine Cunningham). Ronson Cloc (Carmelo Farrugia) finished fourth.

Similar was also the second race from the same category. Here Danish debutante Remain Garbo led all the way under the guidance of Charles Camilleri. This nine year old trotter secured its first win in Malta without any particular trouble from Ripsos De Fa (Ivan Bilocca) and Tango De La Manza (Brian Zammit). Lover Roc (Jurgen Attard) followed behind in that order.

During yesterday’s meeting Noel Baldacchino was awarded as the best driver of the 2016 season, Kurt Saliba as the best driver in the under 25 category and the owners of the Italian trotter Overtaker By Sib were also presented with a trophy after that their horse finished the most consistent of last year.

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held next Sunday. The first race should start at 1.15pm.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Valentino De Monti (Nathaniel Barbara) – 1.18.4”

Race 2. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Petrus Du Vivier (Chris Cassar) – 1.17.5”

Race 3. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Rocky De Jervi (Jeffrey Said) – 1.17.9”

Race 4. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Relinetcho (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.4”

Race 5. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Mad Neo (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.17.5”

Race 6. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Tenor Courtamblay (Ryan Scicluna) – 1.17.8”

Race 7. MRC Champion Trotter Final. Class Bronze-Copper. Dist – 2160m. 1. Quipson (Noel Baldacchino) – 1.18.3”

Race 8. Class Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Remain Garbo (Charles Camilleri) – 1.16.8”

Race 9. MRC Champion Trotter Final. Class Premier-Gold-Silver. Dist – 2160m. 1. Overtaker By Sib (Marco Refalo) –
1.17.7”

Race 10. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ultra Dag (Felix Casha) – 1.18.2”

Overtaker By Sib u Quipson jirbhu l-ewwel finali tas-sena

Il-bierah wara nofsinhar fil-korsa tal-Marsa fetah l-istagun 2017 bl-ewwel laqgha tas-sena fuq ghaxar tigrijiet kollha tat-trott fuq distanzi qosra. Din il-laqgha fost l-ohrajn inkludiet zewg finali ghal diversi klassijiet mill-MRC Champion Trotter bil-bidu bil-vantagg u fuq distanza ta’ 2160m. Dawn il-finali ntrebhu minn Overtaker By Sib u Quipson.

L-aktar finali mistennija kienet dik ghall-klassijiet Premier, Gold u Silver. Hdax kienu l-finalisti f’din il-finali. Rapide Du Matin (Julian Farrugia) kien l-aktar ziemel veloci fl-ewwel metri. Madanakollu wara ftit dan inqabez minn Cummin (Rodney Gatt). F’nofs id-distanza, is-sewwieq Ghawdxi Marco Refalo pogga quddiem lill-popolari Overtaker By Sib li kien qieghed jibda b’distakk kbir ta’ erbghin metru.

Dan fetah vantagg zghir minn Sensei (Noel Baldacchino) u Royal De Vaiges (David Ellul). It-Taljan Overtaker By Sib kompla fejn halla l-istagun li ghadda meta rnexxilu jtemm rebbieh wara li fl-ahhar metri xejjen ukoll l-isfida ta’ Power To Be (Charles Camilleri). Cummin u Turbot De Renier (Ivan Bilocca) kellhom jikkuntentaw bit-tielet u r-raba’ pozizzjoni rispettivament. Intant ir-rebbieh kellu medja ta’ 1.17.7” fil-kilometru.

Fil-finali ghall-klassijiet Bronze u Copper ukoll hadu sehem b’kollox hdax -il ziemel. Din il-finali setghet biss tibda wara t-tielet tentattiv li kien hemm biex jinghata l-bidu ufficjali taghha. Ghalkemm kien qieghed jibda b’distakk ta’ ghoxrin metru, Quipson (Noel Baldacchino) irnexxilu jgib fix-xejn dan l-izvantagg biss wara ftit metri. Hu zamm il-kmand sat-tmiem biex hareg rebbieh facilment b’vantagg ta’ ftit aktar min sitt tulijiet minn zewg dwieb Zvedizi, Jezira (Rodney Gatt) u White Flame (David Ellul). Seigneur Du Dropt (Michael Sultana) dahal fir-raba’ pozizzjoni.

Fi tmiem dawn iz-zewg finali, Edwin Borg, Chairman tal-Malta Racing Club ippremja lis-sidien taz-zwiemel rebbieha.

Il-laqgha nkludiet ukoll zewg tigrijiet tal-klassi Gold. Fl-ewwel wahda, il-gdid Franciz Tenor Courtamblay (Ryan Scicluna) kien quddiem kwazi tul id-distanza kollha. Dan irnexxilu jaqsam il-linja finali l-ewwel, facilment, b’vantagg ta’ madwar zewg tulijiet minn Quillian Joyeux (Andrew Farrugia) u P.A. Surprise (Lorraine Cunnigham). Ronson Cloc (Carmelo Farrugia) temm warajhom f’dik l-ordni.

Simili wkoll kienet it-tieni tigrija mill-istess klassi, b’ziemel iehor gdid, id-Daniz Remain Garbo ma jonqosx milli jiehu l-ewwel rebha tieghu meta fdat f’idejn Charles Camilleri. Dan iz-ziemel ta’ disa’ snin mexxa lill-kumplament tista tghid bla ebda tbatija tul id-distanza u temm l-ewwel quddiem Ripsos De Fa (Ivan Bilocca), Tango De La Manza (Brian Zammit) u Lover Roc (Jurgen Attard).

Matul din il-laqgha Noel Baldacchino gie premjat bhala l-ahjar sewwieq tal-istagun li ghadda; Kurt Saliba bhala l-ahjar sewwieq taht il-25 sena u s-sidien tat-Taljan Overtaker By Sib wara li dan temm l-aktar ziemel konsistenti s-sena li ghaddiet.

Ir-rizultati kollha

I Tigrija. Klassi Copper. Dist – 2140m. 1. Valentino De Monti (N. Barbara) Hin – 2.47.8” (1.18.4”) 2. Digital Logic (C. Debono) 3. Tilt De Loge (M. Sultana) 4. Zeta Jones A (C. Camilleri)

II Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Petrus Du Vivier (C. Cassar) Hin – 2.45.9” (1.17.5”) 2. Leja Ni Macay (R. Gatt) 3. All American Class (D. Ellul) 4. Ugolin Du Rib (J. Spiteri)

III Tigrija. Klassi Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Rocky De Jervi (J. Said) Hin – 2.46.6” (1.17.9”) 2. Zootaren (K. Sciberras) 3. Classic Toll (Sh. Axisa) 4. Mona The Quick (N. Baldacchino)

IV Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Relinetcho (R. Gatt) Hin – 2.47.8” (1.18.4”) 2. Roi Des Couperies (P. Galea) 3. Veikko Hornline (J. Farrugia) 4. Tagena Run (J. Gafa’)

V Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Mad Neo (N. Baldacchino) Hin – 2.45.8” (1.17.5”) 2. Very Nice Seven (C. Camilleri) 3. Cowboy Party (J. C. Pace) 4. Los Angeles (Jos. Farrugia)

VI Tigrija. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Tenor Courtamblay (R. Scicluna) Hin – 2.46.6” (1.17.8”) 2. Quillian Joyeux (A. Farrugia) 3. P.A. Surprise (L. Cunningham) 4. Ronson Cloc (C. Farrugia)

VII Tigrija. Finali MRC Champion Trotter. Klassi Bronze-Copper. Dist – 2160m. 1. Quipson (N. Baldacchino) Hin – 2.49.1” (1.18.3”) 2. Jezira (R. Gatt) 3. White Flame (D. Ellul) 4. Seigneur Du Dropt (M. Sultana)

VIII Tigrija. Klassi Gold. Dist – 2140m. 1. Remain Garbo (C. Camilleri) Hin – 2.44.3” (1.16.8”) 2. Ripsos De Fa (I. Bilocca) 3. Tango De La Manza (B. Zammit) 4. Lover Roc (J. Attard)

IX Tigrija. Finali MRC Champion Trotter. Klassi Premier-Gold-Silver. Dist – 2160m. 1. Overtaker By Sib (M. Refalo) Hin – 2.47.8” (1.17.7”) 2. Power To Be (C. Camilleri) 3. Cummin (R. Gatt) 4. Turbot De Renier (I. Bilocca)

X Tigrija. Klassi Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Ultra Dag (F. Casha) Hin – 2.47.4” (1.18.2”) 2. Thank You Darling (N. Baldacchino) 3. Tirana C.N. (M. Farrugia) 4. Masana Macay (T. Tanti)