After the Cassar Fuels Autumn Championships trotters’ semi-finals held in the last meeting, attention now shifts to flat racing. The meeting due for Sunday 23 October starting at 2pm includes two semi-finals on the long 2,250m distance for the Exotique Challenge Cup reserved for thoroughbreds.

Fifteen of our best thoroughbreds will battle for the eight places available in the final, with four qualifiers from each semi-final.

These include current Mediterranean Derby holder Buttermilk, past Mediterranean Derby double winner Just The Best, Piscopo Gardens Cup winner Friarscourt and all the others. US thoroughbred Lite North Wind will also make its debut in these qualifiers.

The seven trotting races on the 2,640m distance favour horses with stronger staying power. These include an interesting Premier class race with 16 horses vying for a prestigious win, including recent winners Noble d’Ete, Niky du Donjon, five time winner Energy Launcher and various others.

Two interesting Gold class races feature horses originating in five different countries. Several of them have raced in the Premier class and some are close to promotion to that class.

With the season approaching some of its most prestigious appointments, more and more horses should be reaching their top form, with balanced races being anticipated throughout the meeting.