On 8 December, the Ippodromo del Mediterraneo in Sicily will host a major day of racing as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. Several Maltese drivers, owners, and their horses are set to travel to the neighbouring island to participate in three of the key races on the card.
Maltese trotting will be prominently featured in Siracusa, with participants competing in three of the six races scheduled for the day. The first Maltese entry will be Tony Demanuele, who will take part in the fourth and final leg of the Mediterranean Horseracing Union’s Drivers Championship. Demanuele is an experienced driver with several international appearances, representing the Malta Racing Club in Maltese colours. Earlier legs of the championship featured Julian Farrugia, who finished fourth in the opening leg held in Malta in March, Charles Camilleri, who competed in France, and Paul Galea, who represented Malta in Hungary.
Maltese owners will also take part in the Islands Championship, another competition organised by the Mediterranean Horseracing Union. This event sees five Maltese horses and drivers competing against five Sicilian participants. The Malta Racing Club coordinated expressions of interest from local owners and forwarded entries to its Italian counterpart, which selected five participants to race in the fifth event of the meeting. Maltese representatives will include Summerrazz driven by Paul Galea, Ex Aequo de Cosse with Noel Baldacchino, Carbonfiber ridden by Charles Degiorgio, Fakir de Gesvres guided by Charles Camilleri, and King Of Greenwood with Kurt Saliba in the sulky.
In the final race of the day, Maltese-owned DJ Spritz will contest the prestigious Group 3 Città di Siracusa, competing for a prize of €37,400. The horse, which recently relocated to Sicily after several years of racing in Sweden, will be driven by Rodney Gatt.
The event provides a significant opportunity for Maltese participants to showcase their talent on an international stage and continue building the profile of Maltese trotting in European competitions.
