by Thomas Hedlund

Timo Nurmos stable in Sweden produces top horses basically in every crop and after last year’s dominance in the $800,000 Kriteriet for 3-year-olds, Nurmos’ winner Fame And Glory (Tactical Landing) was ready for a world record performance on Wednesday (July 17) night.

In Eskilstuna’s $60,000 Fyraåringstestet over the Derby distance of 2,640 meters, Fame And Glory, paired with Björn Goop, proved strongest after a first-over trip, outside of stablemate Our Pride during the final lap.

Fame And Glory equaled the record for 4-year-olds over the actual distance on a five-eighths mile track and landed on a mile rate of 1:55.2.

On the same card, Goop tested his super trotter San Moteur (Panne de Moteur) without shoes and in an American bike for the first time, as a try-out before the Åby World Grand Prix in August and the test turned out well. San Moteur disarmed leader Mister Hercules in the stretch and looked strong in a 1:53.2 win over 1.3 miles.

And speaking of the Åby World Grand Prix, Åby’s sports general Jon Walter Pedersen has invited new horses to the race and it seems like it’s not hard to attract the best of the French trotters, even if the connections to Horsy Dream has accepted an invitation.

Adrian Kolgjini’s Barack Face and Alessandro Gocciadoro’s Banderas Bi have both accepted their invitations, respectively and on Saturday (July 20), the winner of V75’s Gold division will receive a ticket to Åby’s big event on Aug. 10, where the winner will get $600,000.

Horses ready for the Åby World Grand Prix 2024 (link to web site here):

Joviality

Barack Face

Banderas Bi

Horsy Dream

Francesco Zet

San Moteur

High On Pepper

OPEN STORY FOR THE MARES

Axevalla racetrack in Sweden plays host to one of the summer’s biggest harness racing events in Europe and during three days (today-Sunday), the fans will get to know some good horses, not in the least in Sunday’s (July 21) $480,000 Stochampionatet for 4-year-old mares over 2,640 meters.

The longer distance and the nine days between the eliminations and final means that the Stochampionatet is a race with pretty tough conditions.

And this year’s race is probably more open than any other edition of the event. Twelve mares qualified for the final via six elimination heats on Friday (July 12) and now it’s time to see who is the queen among the Swedish-bred mares born in
2020.

STOCHAMPIONATET 2024

2,640 meters

Horse — Sire — Driver

1. Daim Brodda — Readly Express — Eirik Höitomt

2. Naomi Bros — Face Time Bourbon — Mika Forss

3. Graces Bird — Bird Parker — Mats E Djuse

4. Kinglet Bird — Nuncio — Örjan Kihlström

5. Ninetta Boko — Father Patrick — Erik Adielsson

6. Farina — Readly Express — Gustaf Johansson

7. Famous Scotch — Maharajah — André Eklundh

8. Queen Of Power — Readly Express — Fredrik Persson

9. Carmita Silvio — Maharajah — Johan Untersteiner

10. Nouchka di Quattro — Maharajah — Stefan Persson

11. Queen Of The Night — Trixton — Magnus A Djuse

12. Pure Diamond — Father Patrick — Carl Johan Jepson