by Thomas Hedlund

Finnish/Swedish trainer Timo Nurmos knows how to prepare horses for the really big races in Europe and earlier this year he was inducted int the Nordic Hall Of Fame of Harness Racing.

The trainer of horses such as Readly Express, Villiam and Calgary Games has a spectacular weekend ahead of him this week, since his horses, to a very high degree, compete in the prestigious Derby races in both Finland and Sweden.

Nurmos, who is title defender in the Swedish Derby (Calgary Games won 2021) starts his Derby weekend in Finland on Saturday (Sept. 3), where he has two shots in the $240,000 Finnish Derby at Vermo racetrack.

E.L.Jetpack (E L Titan) is perhaps Nurmos’ best chance in the 2,620 meters long race, where some very interesting trotters show up as opponents.

From Helsinki Saturday to Malmö, Sweden on Sunday (Sept. 4) afternoon, that’s the plan for Nurmos and the Sunday card at Jägersro is even more thrilling for the dominant Derby trainer.

In $400,000 Derbystoet for 4-year-old mares, Nurmos trains six out of 12 contenders, which is a feat hard to accomplish for anyone in the game. The probable favorite among his trotters is Lara Boko, who impressed a lot in her elimination at Jägersro on Aug. 23.

It’s not a wild guess to say that a Nurmos trained horse will win Derbystoet 2022 and he chases his third win in the race.

And it’s not impossible that Nurmos will capture the two big trophies at Jägersro Sunday afternoon. In the $800,000 Derby, he presents an undefeated 4-year-old Muscle Hill son, who looked like a star trotter in the elimination over 2,640 meters on Aug. 23. Lulius Boko has not more than some $40,000 on his account after eight lifetime starts and the feeling is that we’ve seen this before. Last year, Calgary Games entered the Derby with pretty much the same background as Lulius Boko and then proved to be totally dominant when he faced more merited trotters in the big race in Malmö.

If Lulius Boko wins the Derby, it will be Timo Nurmos’ fifth victory in the race and he can really do it. Lulius Boko draw number 4 in the Derby while the probable favorite — and crop dominant so far — Francesco Zet will start from post 5 behind the gate.

FINNISH DERBY (SATURDAY)

Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Sahara Flames – Explosive Matter – Santtu Raitala

2. E.L.Jetpack – E L Titan – Jorma Kontio (Nurmos)

3. Dusktodawn Boogie – Lexus Font – Kenneth Danielsen

4. Shackhills Twister – Il Villaggio – Jari Kinnunen

5. BWT Gazeau – Like A Prayer – Antti Teivanen

6. Speedy Norwegian – Lexus Font – Tommi Kylliäinen

7. Magic Madonna – Maharajah – Pekka Korpi

8. Velvet Gold – Maharajah – Iikka Nurmonen (Nurmos)

9. Kiikku’s Giant – Muscle Mass – Hannu Torvinen

10. MAS For You – Il Villaggio – Jukka Torvinen

11. Stonecapes Ulrica – Ready Cash – Olli Koivunen

12. Time Match – Maharajah – Ari Moilanen

DERBYSTOET SWEDEN (SUNDAY)

2,140 meters

Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Senorita Tokio – Southwind Frank – Ulf Ohlsson (Nurmos)

2. Lara Boko – Djali Boko – Mika Forss (Nurmos)

3. Rihanna W.I. – S.J.’s Caviar – Jorma Kontio (Nurmos)

4. A Perfect Face – Classic Photo – Adrian Kolgjini

5. Jump In – Ready Cash – Robert Bergh

6. Merci A’lir – Raja Mirchi – Rikard N Skoglund (Nurmos)

7. Great Skills – Ready Cash -Daniel Wäjersten

8. Miss Imperatrice – Mister J.P. – Örjan Kihlström (Nurmos)

9. Glorius Rain – Donato Hanover – Flemming Jensen

10. Filippa B.J. – Muscle Mass – Thorsten Tietz

11. Isabelle Cash – Ready Cash – Magnus A Djuse (Nurmos)

12. Losch Boko – Raja Mirchi – Björn Goop

SWEDISH DERBY (SUNDAY)

2,640 meters

Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Power Doc – Muscle Massive – Åke Lindblom

2. Edibear – Make It Happen – Stefan Persson

3. Kentucky River – Father Patrick – Per Nordström

4. Lulius Boko – Muscle Hill – Björn Goop (Nurmos)

5. Francesco Zet – Father Patrick – Örjan Kihlström

6. L.A. Boko – Readly Express – Daniel Wäjersten

7. Declan – From Above – Mats E Djuse

8. Imperatur Am – Ready Cash – Magnus Teien Gundersen

9. Iznogoud Am – Muscle Hill – Erik Adielsson

10. Kagan – Scarlet Knight – Robert Bergh

11. Donizetti – Maharajah – Magnus A Djuse

12. Castor The Star – Maharajah – Jörgen Westholm

TWO HEATS IN CESENA

The $185,000 Campionato Europeo over 1,660 meters is scheduled at Cesena on Saturday (Sept. 3) night and 12 trotters will race two heats where the post positions will be reversed in the second heat.

If a horse wins both heats, well then the race is over, but with two different winners, the fans in Italy will have to stay for a race off between the two trotters. Not unexpected, Alessandro Gocciadoro dominates the race with 5 out of 12 contenders and his best shot is probably Vernissage Grif, who has claimed the trophy in Cesena two years in a row. Alessandro Gocciadoro can look back at a four year in a row-success in the race since Arazi Boko won in race off 2018 and 2019. Vernissage Grif managed to determine Campionato Europeo in two heats both 2020 and 2021.

CAMPIONATO EUROPEO 2022

Heat 1

1. Usain Töll

2. Viscarda Jet

3. Vitruvio

4. Vernissage Grif

5. Zacon Gio

6. Generaal Bianco

7. Night Brodde

8. Global Trustworthy

9. Cokstile

10. Diamanten

11. Deimos Racing

12. Chief Orlando

Heat 2

1. Chief Orlando

2. Deimos Racing

3. Diamanten

4. Cokstile

5. Global Trustworthy

6. Night Brodde

7. Generaal Bianco

8. Zacon Gio

9. Vernissage Grif

10. Vitruvio

11. Viscarda Jet

12. Usain Töll