With the 2021 racing season nearly coming to a close, on Monday 13th December we will have the President’s Cup Final which is one of the highest honours any owner, horse or driver can win locally.
This year’s edition is being backed by EquestriMalta. This was announced by Max Zammit, CEO of this authority which has been recently set up by the Government to regulate and administer the equestrian sport in Malta. He said that he is pleased that this entity will be associating itself with a race that apart from creating a spectacle its main aim is to collect funds in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation under the Patronage of H.E. The President of Malta Dr George Vella.
Open to the Premier Category, 37 horses took part in 4 heats on Sunday 14th November so that 24 went on to the semi finals that due to inclement weather were raced on Wednesday 1st December. Interesting that three of the finalists also made it in the final of last year although none of them managed to place and one was even scratched before the final.
As is the tradition, for this final it is the owners themselves that choose the numbers with which their horses depart behind the autostart in the final. This choice is done according to the placing and timing acquired in the semi finals making the semi finals even more interesting as everyone tries his best in order to get the chance to choose the more advantageous numbers.
Now that spectators are back on the stands, the Malta Racing Club has taken care to provide a spectacle mainly with the participation of youths and children. In order to welcome the President of Malta with the National Anthem as well as the winner of the race with a dedicated song, we will have with us young Mychael Bartolo Chircop who apart from being a very talented singer he is an avid horse racing follower. It will also be the children who on pony drawn carts will accompany the drivers of the final to the winners’ circle in order to be presented to the public and receive a token of participation. We will also have the Mini President’s Cup which is a trot race for small ponies driven by children forming part of the Malta Racing Club’s Horse Racing Academy with the collaboration of SportMalta.
The finalist horses will be led in a pre race parade by last year’s winner Julio de Luxe with each horse covered in matching horse blankets given to them for the occasion. All those present and horse owners of winning horses during this racing meeting are being encouraged to show their generosity by giving donations to l-Istrina. Solidarjetà bl-Isport volunteers will be on site to collect their donations.
The presentation of trophies to the first five finishers will be done by H.E. The President of Malta Dr George Vella. The winner will also receive a commemorative horse blanket whilst engraving his name on the artistic trophy by Maltese artist George Muscat which was commissioned by H.E. President Emeritus Dr George Abela. Thanks to the support of EquestriMalta, the total prize money to be distributed in this final amouts to €5250.
In the presence of Malta Racing Club/EquestriMalta Vice Chairman Mr Edwin Borg and EquestriMalta CEO Mr Max Zammit, these were the owners’ choices. In paranthesis are the drivers:
1. SIR Q.C. (Paul Galea)
2. GROSS WEIGHT (Noel Baldacchino)
3. PABLO ANDOVER (Daniel Hili)
4. DUKE OF MEARAS (Ludvig Ghigo)
5. ROMANESQUE (Jesmar Gafà)
6. BARON DE MAJUAG (GianLuca Grech)
7. GLEN ORD SUPERB (Kurt Saliba)
8. I WON’T DANCE (Michael Ellul)
9. VIKING’S TOPLINE (Eugenio Bondin)
10.VAKATO (Chris Grech)
11.KASPER TROT (Rodney Gatt)
12.LIAM DANA (Charles Camilleri)