by Thomas Hedlund

Åby racetrack in Sweden plays host to the $295,000 Åby Stora Pris over 3,140 meters this Saturday (Aug. 13). A strong, 12-horse field that will battle for the big trophy.

Saturday’s race card is great with finals in all V75 divisions and purses are high in almost every race on the card. The Åby Stora Pris is obviously the highlight of the day and a very interesting field will battle over the long distance.

Elitloppet runner up Hail Mary (Googoo Gaagaa) is one of the favorites in the race and the 6-year-old drew post 1 behind the gate.

ÅBY STORA PRIS 2022

3,140 meters

Horse – Driver

1. Hail Mary – Örjan Kihlström

2. Staro Leonardo – Joakim Lövgren

3. Oracle Tile – Kristian Malmin

4. Kennedy – Gabriele Gelormini

5. Admiral As – Per Lennartsson

6. Always Ek – Alessandro Gocciadoro

7. Mindyourvalue W.F. – Robert Bergh

8. Brother Bill – Magnus A Djuse

9. Best Ofdream Trio – Kim Eriksson

10. Rackham – Christoffer Eriksson

11. Moni Viking – Björn Goop

12. Milligan’s School – Mats E Djuse

WIRE TO WIRE FOR CAPITAL MAIL

Italian Derby runner up Capital Mail (Nad al Sheba) hit the lead when the $102,000 Gran Premio Criterium 4 anni was on the schedule at Ippodromo Garigliano on Thursday (Aug. 4) night. And from the lead, Capital Mail was hard to beat, even if challenger Cointreau tightened the gap over the stretch and the two horses came home in a mile rate of 1:57 over 1.3 miles. Inside leader Capital Mail held his nose and head first at the wire and the 4-year-old claimed another big trophy in his career.

The 4-year-old mares met in the $67,000 Gran Premio Campionato Femminile and Alessandro Gocciadoro’s Clarissa (Exploit Caf) proved best after a first over trip. Clarissa won the $90,000 Gran Premio Orsi Mangelli Filly last year and belongs in the top of the crop among Italian-bred 4-year-old mares. The mile rate was 1:58 over 1.3 miles.

An inside position as third and a quick finish was the winning recipe for Doni Maker (Yankee Glide) in the $67,000 Gran Premio Campionato for 3-year-old fillies. The mile rate for the Yankee Glide daughter was 1:59 over 1.3 miles.

STOLETHESHOW BEST IN NORWAY

Frode Hamre’s Stoletheshow (Dream Vacation) followed up his runner-up performance in the Hugo Åbergs Memorial with a tight win in the $47,500 Norwegian Championship at Biri racetrack on Saturday (Aug. 6) afternoon.

Hamre took it safe with his 7-year-old trotter and the duo was seen in sixth over as toughest opponent Cicero T.G. controlled the race outside the leader. Stoletheshow attacked three wide with a half mile to go and when he connected outside of Cicero T.G. at the stretch, the fight began and Stoletheshow proved to be the best in mile rate 1:57.4 over 1.6 miles.

Miss Pepper (Quite Easy) left third over on the backstretch when the $47,500 Norwegian Championship for mares was held during the same day at Biri and Miss Pepper’s strong finish was enough to claim the title in a mile rate of 1:58 over 1.3 miles.

Two divisions of $56,000 Prinsessan Märtha Luise Pokallopp for 3-year-olds were held at Biri and it became a successful day for trainer Anders Wolden Lundström, who claimed the title for both fillies and colts.

Nancy Lou (Muscle Hill—Peaceful Way) was a 95-1 upset in the fillies’ division and Wolden Lundström’s trotter disarmed leader L.A.’s Venus shortly ahead of the wire. Nancy Lou was seen in fourth position on the inside and racing room appeared during the race’s last half mile, when leader L.A.’s Venus tried to fly away from her opponents.

Nancy Lou won in 1:58.1 over 1.3 miles and her mother Peaceful Way (Angus Hall—Royal Bait) is a Canadian and American Hall of Famer, after her career which included 33 wins in 52 starts and a lifetime earnings of $3,245,055.

In the colts’ division, I.D.Forecast (Village Mystic) fought bravely after a first over trip and claimed the trophy in a mile rate of 1:59.2 for driver Kristian Malmin.

ALLAIRE DOMINATED AT ENGHIEN

Philippe Allaire-trained horses dominated the race card at Enghien, Paris on Saturday (Aug. 6) afternoon.

The $92,000 Prix de Geneve for 4-year-old trotters resulted in a big success for Allaire since his Izoard Vedaquais (Bird Parker) hit the lead with stablemates Callmethebreeze and Italiano Vero following behind. Izoard Vedaquais cruised to a safe win in 1:57.3 over 1.7 miles and the two stablemates claimed the places behind the winner. It was a great success for Allaire and his dominance wasn’t over. In the $92,000 Prix de Berlin for 3-year-olds, Just A Gigolo (Boccador de Simm) hit the lead at an early stage of the race and driver Franck Nivard opted to let quick attacker Deus Zack take control of the race after a while. Nivard had great trust in his horse and Just A Gigolo had to do the heavy work outside the leader during the race’s remaining kilometer. Just A Gigolo was more or less outstanding over the stretch. Stablemate Joyner Sport finished strongly as second and Allaire noted that he claimed the top two places even in this race.

The mile rate for Just A Gigolo was 1:59 over 1.7 miles.