On Friday, Rodney Gatt will represent Malta in the 16th edition of the Prix des Rencontres Internationales du Trotteur Français, organized by the Société du Trotteur Français at the Vincennes race track in Paris, France. As part of its annual tradition, the French association invites drivers and representatives from various countries to participate, and this year’s event will feature competitors from across Europe, including Germany, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Poland, Lithuania, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Ukraine. Notably, Algeria and China will also be participating this year.
The highlight of the event is the Prix des Rencontres Internationales du Trotteur Français, where horses will be driven by drivers from the invited countries. This prestigious race will take place on Friday night as the 7th race on the card, with live coverage available on the French TV station Equidia starting at 9:44 PM. As per tradition, the race will also be a reclamer race, with participating horses available for sale through a blind bidding process, starting at 18,000 euros after the race. Rodney Gatt will drive horse number 14, an 8-year-old gelding named Gowen Chaleonnais, trained by Ms. G. Masschaele and owned by Ms. Marine Ver Hulst from Belgium.
In addition to the race, the Société du Trotteur Français will host an awards ceremony for the best French Trotters in the associated countries. This year, Crack Money will be named the Best French Trotter in Malta for 2023, following an outstanding season with 10 wins and 2 second-place finishes in 12 starts. Owner Stephen Ciangura will be present to receive the award.
Vice-Chairman Tony Demanuele, representing the Malta Racing Club, will also attend the event to continue strengthening the relationship between Malta and the French trotting community. The Société du Trotteur Français, the leading trotting association in Europe, remains a key sponsor of trotting in Malta.
