by Thomas Hedlund

Alessandro Gocciadoro was in a hurry after his last race at Färjestad racetrack in Sweden on Saturday (June 29) afternoon since the dominating Italian had objectives in Modena, Italy, later the same evening, and as often happens, Gocciadoro came home a winner.

It was two divisions of the Gran Premio Unione Europa for 4-year-olds on the menu and the main race offered $220,000 in the purse.

Andrea Guzzinati sat behind Gocciadoro’s Executiv Ek (Face Time Bourbon) and opted for a three-wide attack with a half mile to go. Before the last turn, Executiv Ek landed outside of leader Expo Wise As, who was the favorite in the hands of Gocciadoro. Expo Wise As made a break just before the homestretch and Executiv Ek sprinted to safe win in a mile rate of 1:56.1 over 1.3 miles.

Guzzinati behind a Gocciadoro trained trotter proved to be the winning recipe this evening in Modena. East Asia (Ready Cash) and Guzzinati claimed the mares’ division of the $87,000 Gran Premio Unione Europa after a first-over trip and landed in a mile rate of 1:54.3.

In Naples, the day after (June 30), Holger Ehlert trained Far West Bi (Muscle Hill) was strongest for driver Roberto Vecchione in the $165,000 Gran Premio Citta’ di Napoli for 3-year-olds.

Far West Bi attacked from his position in fourth over with a half mile to go and the 3-year-old Muscle Hill son held his pace strongly as took advantage of the race before the top of the stretch. It was a mile rate of 1:55.4 over 1.3 miles for Ehlert’s trotter.

JIGGER HAS DRAMATIC WIN IN DENMARK

Steen Juul trained Jigger (Fabulous Wood) impressed a lot when he claimed the $92,500 Jydsk 4-year-old Grand Prix in Århus, Denmark on Sunday (June 30) afternoon.

Jigger had to defend himself bravely during the race’s initial quarter before Juul chose to let Just Hans take over the lead. Jigger later would find position in second over when first choice Icebreaker became the new first over trotter, with a little less than a lap to go.

The homestretch became a spectacular show where several horses had chances to win the race. But Jigger, who attacked three-wide with a quarter to go, was too tough this time and Steen Juul’s trotter won in a mile rate of 2:00.4 over 1.5 miles.

MAIN STAGE — TWO DAYS IN A ROW

Lahti in Finland played host to the $235,000 Suur-Hollola-ajo last weekend and the horses had a tough schedule with races on Saturday (June 29) and the final on Sunday (June 30).

Antti Ojanperä trained Main Stage (Prodigious) was best both days and in Sunday’s race he sprinted to the win in a mile rate of 1:55.1 over 1.3 miles. Santtu Raitala sat in the bike.

FIVE HORSES INVITED TO ÅBY WORLD GRAND PRIX

Joviality (Chapter Seven) received a ticket to the $1,004,500 Åby World Grand Prix earlier this year and on Saturday (June 29), Åby announced some new names for the big race on Aug. 10.

The distance of the new race is 3,140 meters and Åby has managed to attract some of the best horses in the world to the new event.

The winner of the race will receive $600,000 and the interest in coming to Mölndal on the Swedish west coast is big.

Elitloppet winner Horsy Dream, Swedish star San Moteur, High On Pepper and Francesco Zet will join Joviality behind the gate on Aug. 10.

Six more horses will be invited and one spot will be determined by the winner of the Gold division at Axevalla on July 20.

Francesco Zet, who finished fourth in Elitloppet and thereafter claimed the Norrbottens Stora Pris in Boden, had a nice jogging trip when he won the $30,000 Bergslagsloppet in Lindesberg on Wednesday (July 3) night. Francesco Zet played with his opponents in a mile rate of 1:55.3 over 1.3 miles.

IT’S A DOLLAR MAKER BEST IN VICHY

Eric Raffin steered Sébastien Guarato trained It’s A Dollar Maker (Saxo de Vandel) to a safe win in the $130,000 Grand Prix du Conseil Municipal in Vichy, France on Tuesday (July 2) afternoon.

It’s A Dollar Maker hit the lead early in the race and Eric Raffin noted that he had everything under safe control all the way towards the wire. It was a mile rate of 1:56.2 over 1.8 miles for the winner.