by Thomas Hedlund

Today (July 25) the $550,000 Stochampionatet for 4-year-old mares over 2,640 meters (approximately 1.6 miles) closes a three-day meeting at Axevalla racetrack in Sweden and 12 well-merited mares will battle over some 2 1/2 laps.

Six eliminations were held on Friday (July 16) and the contenders must be in great shape to perform at their best just nine days later over the pretty long distance.

This year’s edition contains some of the best mares in the Swedish 4-year-old crop, which is proved by the high average purses among the 12 trotters.

Last year’s dominant Eagle Eye Cherry ($636,000) is the most merited horse in the field, but many SEK millionaires are in the race. Nine out of 12 trotters have earned more than one million Swedish crowns.

The eliminations told us that today’s final should be an exciting story with several horses that are ready to fight for the victory. Muscle Hill mare Hall Of Am started her career in Marcus Melander’s barn in New Jersey and claimed a victory in a Kindergarten Classic elimination before she followed up as fourth in the final and third in Goldsmith Maid in her last start as a 2-year-old.

Hall Of Am has really become one of the hottest horses ahead of Stochampionatet and she (and Jerry Riordan trained Globalizer) came home in the fastest mile rate of the elimination winners: 1:58.

Stochampionatet

2,640 meters

Horse (Sire) – Driver

1. Global Brilliance (S.J.’s Caviar) – Ulf Ohlsson
2. Hall Of Am (Muscle Hill) – Magnus A Djuse
3. Sayonara (Donato Hanover) – Carl Johan Jepson
4. Loaded Maria (Trixton) – Markus B Svedberg
5. Chablis Ribb (Raja Mirchi) – Claes Sjöström
6. Hill’s Angel (Muscle Hill) – Johan Untersteiner
7. Helluva Am (Readly Express) – Jorma Kontio
8. Eagle Eye Cherry (Bold Eagle) – Björn Goop
9. Globalizer (Bold Eagle) – Stefan Persson
10. Barbro Kronos (Trixton) – Erik Adielsson
11. Honey Mearas (Readly Express) – Örjan Kihlström
12. Tilda Express (Readly Express) – Rikard N Skoglund

Tuesday night rumble in Malmö

The $365,000 Hugo Åbergs Memorial mile race highlights the Tuesday night (July 27) race card at Jägersro racetrack where 10 horses are invited.

Swedish-bred trotters dominate the race and most probably one of them will be the race’s first choice. Svante Båth’s Very Kronos (Ready Cash) drew post 2 behind the gate and it looks like the 7-year-old colt has a great shot claiming his first win for the year. Very Kronos is, by many fans, considered as one of the best horses in Sweden and Europe, but 2021 has not been as successful as last season, when he dominated several big races in Sweden.

Tuesday night might be the night when Very Kronos shows the great capacity he holds.

The $161,000 second final of Breeders Course for 3-year-olds is held the same night in Malmö and Italian trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro has two great chances in the race. Gocciadoro drives Readly Express son Colibri Jet while Örjan Kihlström sits behind Cash Maker. Love You Too (Love You), who claimed the first final in Breeders Course (1.3 miles) at Solvalla on Elitloppet day, starts from post 9. The distance on Tuesday night is 1,640 meters.

Hugo Åbergs Memorial

One mile

Horse (Sire) – Driver

1. Who’s Who (Maharajah) – Örjan Kihlström
2. Very Kronos (Ready Cash) – Erik Adielsson
3. Night Brodde (Up And Quick) – Conrad Lugauer
4. Upstate Face (Joke Face) – Adrian Kolgjini
5. Calle Crown (Great Challenger) – Johnny Takter
6. Gareth Boko (Make It Happen) – Magnus A Djuse
7. Alrajah One (Maharajah) – Alessandro Gocciadoro
8. Cokstile (Quite Easy) – Jorma Kontio
9. Cyber Lane (Raja Mirchi) – Johan Untersteiner
10. Hickothepooh (Triton Sund) – Vidar Hop