What it is
An evening of horse racing in Xewkija, Gozo, held as part of the village feast of St John the Baptist. The card mixes traditional sulky trotting with bareback gallop heats and the longer challenge-cup races, run along the Triq l-Imgarr straight that Xewkija uses for its feast races.
The 2026 race takes place on Saturday 13 June. Start time is around 6:00 pm but the road closures begin at 4:30 pm and the prize-giving stretches past 10:00 pm. Entry is free, no ticketing — pick a spot along the road railings.
Xewkija is the largest village in Gozo by area and the road into the race course is unusually wide for the island, so spectator space is generous. The Rotunda (St John's Church) sits at the end of the same road and is worth a look before the race.