by Thomas Hedlund

Rome will be in harness racing fans’ focus this upcoming weekend when the $800,000 Derby Italiano di Trotto for 3-year-old trotters will be held in Rome on Sunday (Oct. 9) afternoon.

Fourteen horses enter the big race in the Derby and in the $250,000 Oaks di Trotto.

The distances in the two races are 2,100 meters in the Derby and 1,640 meters in the Oaks.

DERBY DI TROTTO

2,100 meters

Horse – Driver

1. Dimitri Ferm – A Farolfi

2. Denzel Treb – C Ferranti

3. Dakovo Mail – R Ossani

4. Danger Bi – M Biasuzzi

5. Dea Grif – S Raitala

6. Dundee As – A Gocciadoro

7. Denver Gio – A Simioli

8. Dolce Viky – M Pistone

9. Dante Clemar – A Di Nardo

10. Desiderio d’Esi – M Baroncini

11. Dayton – V Gallo

12. Duca As – M Stefani

13. Dardo Zack – A Guzzinati

14. Diamond Truppo – E Bellei

OAKS DI TROTTO

1,640 meters

Horse – Driver

1. Don’t Say Gar – S Raitala

2. Dorothy Bar – A Guzzinati

3. Daughter As – P Gubellini

4. Doni Maker – A Simioli

5. Delicius Gar – A Gocciadoro

6. Due Italia – A Farolfi

7. Doyourbest – B Goop

8. Daytona Roc – F Rocca

9. Dacia del Ronco – A Di Nardo

10. Danish As – V Luongo

11. Divina Trio – M Stefani

12. Dorothy Degli Dei – E Bellei

13. Diva Ek – E Bondo

14. Dublin Fi – M Pistone

AND KRITERIET IN DENMARK

The 3-year-old Danish bred trotters will gather at Charlottenlund racetrack this Sunday (Oct. 9), prepared for battle in $100,000 Kriterium and $60,000 Filly Kriterium.

Cantab Hall son Howlingatthemoon is one of the most merited horses in the Kriterium and over the distance 2,500 meters he will begin from post 1 behind the gate.

Swedish trainer Robert Bergh will probably face a first choice position as he enters the race with Harpy (Bar Hopping), who is owned by Daniel and Henrik Sedin, both successful ice hockey players in NHL, where they played several seasons for Vancouver Canucks.

The Sedin brothers have tasted big victory in the harness racing game before and their biggest success so far is Nahar’s victory in Elitloppet 2013. Harpy can very well be the Sedin brothers next star on the harness racing scene.

KRITERIET

Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Howlingatthemoon – Cantab Hall – Jan Dahlgaard

2. Herbie Peak – Ringostarr Treb – Joakim Lövgren

3. Harpy – Bar Hopping – Robert Bergh

4. Henrik Will – Great Challenge – Ken Ecce

5. Hnokki Speed – Wishing Stone – Birger Jörgensen

6. Heavenly Stone – Wishing Stone – Knud Mönster

7. Hugo Tröjborg – Hillustrious – Steen Juul

8. Hyde Park – Michael’s Turn – Thomas Uhrberg

9. Hurricane Hydrup – Great Challenger – Bo Westergård

10. Hound Dog E.P. – Victor Gio – Mads Hviid

11. Hero Boom Bay – Donato Hanover – Rene Kjaer

12. Harboe – Goetmals Wood – Jeppe Rask

KRITERIET FILLY

Horse – Sire – Driver

1. Havana Sotto – Bird Parker – Thomas Uhrberg

2. Helena D.D. – Orlando Vici – Jeppe Rask

3. Hallöjsa Vang – S.J.’s Caviar – Bo Westergård

4. Head Over Heels – Dominion Beach – Mads Hviid

5. Havanna Banker – Michael’s Turn – Birger Jörgensen

6. Harper – Broadway Hall – Michael Lönborg

7. Heimaey – S.J.’s Caviar – Steen Juul

8. Hekla – S.J.’s Caviar – Rene Jonassen

9. Harpy Shadow – Orlando Vici – Casper M Nielsen

10. Heide – Dominion Beach – Rene Kjaer

11. Havannah Line – S.J.’s Caviar – Joakim Lövgren

12. Heti – E L Titan – Ken Ecce

FIVE IN A ROW FOR BAZIRE

French top driver and trainer Jean-Michel Bazire went to the racetrack in Laval on Wednesday (Oct. 5) afternoon when the $100,000 Grand Prix Anjou-Maine was on the race card and he had a title to defend. As a matter of fact, Bazire had claimed the trophy in Laval four years in a row before Wednesday’s race and he entered the track as first choice behind his weapon Elie de Beaufour.

Elie de Beaufour (Royal Dream) started with 25 meters disadvantage, but Jean-Michel Bazire found the successful path to victory with his 8-year-old gelding.

Elie de Beaufour attacked from second over in the last turn and the home stretch became a battle between leader Hatchet Man and the outside trotter Elie de Beaufour. The latter held his head first at the wire and Jean-Michel Bazire can now look back at five straight wins in Laval’s big race.

Mile rate was 1:57.2 over 1.7 miles and Bazire’s previous winner the past four years are Aubrion du Gers, Cleangame, Dreambraker and Cleangame.

Bazire won the race for the first time in 2005, with Jardy and on three further occasions he has claimed the title in Laval. So, Wednesday’s triumph meant that Bazire now has won the race nine times.