Antoine Du Bourg triumphs in Tazza l-Kbira final

Driven by Redent Magro, Antoine Du Bourg won the 2021 edition of the prestigious Tazza l-Kbira competition reserved for class Premier trotters on a long distance of 2,640m.

This final, organised with the financial support of Bank of Valletta formed part of the 34th meeting of the season made up of nine races all for trotters.

Sunday’s card also included a leg from the international Mediterranean championship for drivers with Malta being represented by Noel Baldacchino.

Twelve trotters lined up for the class Premier final.

It was, Joe Hoo Lee (Matthew Sammut) the fastest horse at first, opening a small lead from Bara Min (Jesmar Gafa’) and Antoine Du Bourg (Redent Magro).

Midway through the distance, Magro asked his French trotter to increase its pace on the outside.

Eventually, Antoine Du Bourg went in front and managed to cross the finishing post first easily by a length and a half from Bara Min, Juvels Boy (Cailin Borg) and Venale (Michael Ellul).

Chaud Devant (Noel Baldacchino) followed home in that order. The winner clocked an average time of 1.14.6” per kilometre, very close to the record of the race. Infact it should be noted that the record of this competition is 1.14.5”, established by Up And Go in 2019.

For Antoine Du Bourg this was its third win in a row and its sixth of the season. At the end of this final, Mr Charles Azzopardi, on behalf of Bank of Valletta and Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Sport Clifton Grima, presented the winning trophy to Peter Agius and Redent Magro, the owner and driver respectively of the winning horse.  

In the Mediterranean Championship leg, the participating drivers drove trotters from class Silver.

Coyote Du Relais (Walter d’Ambrogio – Italy) led all the way and managed to seal its third win of the season easily by ten lengths from Vocean Du Jaar (Redent Magro) and Queenswood (Dylan Garcia – France).

M.T. Khila (Michael Ellul) ended in fourth place.

After the race, Edwin Borg, MRC and Eqwestri Malta chairman presented a commemorative plaque to D’Ambrogio and also to Lorraine Cunningham, the owner of the winning horse.

Another meeting at the Marsa Racetrack will be held on Friday and will include the Krafft Championship final for class Silver trotters. The first race should start at 6.30pm.

Sunday’s winners

Race 1. Class Copper – Gamin De Source (Paul Galea) – 1.17.1”

Race 2. Cheval Francais Race. Class Copper – Futur Du Vernet (Kurt Saliba) – 1.18.3”

Race 3. Mediterranean Championship Leg. Class Silver – Coyote Du Relais (Walter d’Ambrogio – Italy) – 1.17”

Race 4. Cheval Francais Race. Class Copper – Friend (Nelson Azzopardi) – 1.18.4”

Race 5. Cheval Francais Race. Class Copper – Ernest Des Angles (Charlton Gauci) – 1.16.2”

Race 6. Class Silver – Achille Du Fosse (Redent Magro) – 1.16.8”

Race 7. BOV Tazza l-Kbira Championship Final,Class Premier – Antoine Du Bourg (Redent Magro) – 1.14.6”

Race 8. Class Silver – Mr Magnifique (Mark Bonnici) – 1.17,1”

Race 9. Class Gold – Desirez Moi (Joseph Scerri) – 1.15.7”