Espoir D’Elphigny and Estournel Mouriez triumph in Premier semifinals

The 27th and the 28th meeting of the year were held between Friday evening and yesterday afternoon at the Marsa Racetrack.

The two most important races held during the weekend were the Prix De Vincennes Championship semifinals for French trotters from class Premier on a short distance of 2140m. From these semifinals, twelve trotters made it to the final stage.

As expected, in the first class Premier semifinal, Espoir D’Elphigny (Rodney Gatt) led all the way during the 2140m distance and manged to seal its second win in a row by a length from Forrest Gede (Claudio Refalo), Diablo D’Herfaie (Michael Ellul) and Doudou De Bouere (Jean Claude Pace). Iron De Ginai (Charles Degiorgio) and Elixir Du Bocage (Jesmar Gafa’) also qualified for the final stage.

In the second semifinal, Estournel Mouriez (Michael Ellul) dashed strongly from the outside during the last 400 metres of the race and registered its second win in Malta by a length from the early leader Formi (Joe Schembri) and Disco D’Occagnes (Noel Baldacchino).

Dreamer Boy (Paul Galea), Easy Maza (Kerstin Galea) and First Dream (Charles Camilleri) followed home in that order.

Friday’s programme also included a normal class Premier race on a long distance of 2640m. Here Italian Al Capone Stecca (Charles Degiorgio) took its first win in Malta after outsmarting Belgian

Laradja Vrijthout (Marco Refalo) midway through the final straight.

FRIDAY’S WINNERS

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Divonne (Steve Grixti) – 1.18”

Race 2. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Easy De Trouville (Alessandro Grech) – 1.15.7”

Race 3. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Billie Holiday (Rodney Gatt) – 1.17.4”

Race 4. Class Gold. Dist – 2640m. 1. Arno Dell’Est (Paul Galea) – 1.15.2”

Race 5. Prix De Cabourg Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Diamant Du Ruel (Jesmar Gafa’) – 1.14.8”

Race 6. Prix De Cabourg Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Gaston De L’Ante (Carl Caruana) – 1.15.1”

Race 7. Prix De Cabourg Semifinal. Class Silver. Dist – 2140m. 1. Exo Des Louanges (Clint Vassallo) – 1.15.4”

Race 8. Class Premier. Dist – 2640m. 1. Al Capone Stecca (Charles Degiorgio) – 1.13.3”

Race 9. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Mad Princess (Rodney Gatt) – 1.17.4”

YESTERDAY’S WINNERS

Race 1. Class Copper. Dist – 2640m. 1. Gamine D’Hawai (Rodney Gatt) – 1.18.4”

Race 2. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Bonbon Bleu (Brian Hili) – 1.17.4”

Race 3. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Great Zeus (Matthew Sammut) – 1.15.7”

Race 4. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Gaia Lucaxelo (Paul Galea) – 1.18.8”

Race 5. Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer Semifinal. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Hola Coquine (James Carabott) – 1.16.8”

Race 6. Prix De Cagnes Sur Mer Semifinal. Class Bronze. Dist – 2140m. 1. Imperial Du Stade (Rodney Gatt) – 1.15.5”

Race 7. Class Bronze. Dist – 2640m. 1. Haita Du Veiuxcour (Charles Camilleri) – 1.16.9”

Race 8. Prix De Vincennes Semifinal. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Espoir D’Elphigny (Rodney Gatt) – 1.14.2”

Race 9. Prix De Vincennes Semifinal. Class Premier. Dist – 2140m. 1. Estournel Mouriez (Michael Ellul) – 1.14.6”

Race 10. Class Silver. Dist – 2640m. 1. Daldry de L’Ante (Marco Debono) – 1.17.7”