Goop’s smart move won Åby Stora Pris
by Thomas Hedlund
Björn Goop was entrusted behind Fredrik Wallin’s Immortal Doc (Brillantissime) in Saturday’s (Aug. 16) $300,000 Åby Stora Pris and after a smart move from third over to first over with two laps to go, Immortal Doc proved best.
Kentucky River controlled the field in front and driver Rikard Skoglund was allowed to keep the pace at a moderate level and that was probably why Goop opted to move towards the leader.
Immortal Doc is strong, he likes long distance races like the Åby Stora Pris and he disarmed Kentucky River surprisingly easy at the top of the stretch, leaving Goop to enjoy the ride towards the prestigious victory in a mile rate of 1:57.1 over 3,140 meters.
Kentucky River was second and Staro Mack Crowe third.
UPSET IN MONTECATINI
Two eliminations ended with big dominance by Alessandro Gocciadoro-trained horses when the $110,000 Gran Premio Citta di Montecatini was held in Montecatini, Italy on Friday (Aug. 15) night.
But in the final, Gocciadoro’s elimination winners Banderas Bi and Dany Capar had to capitulate when upsetter Ernesto Spritz (Maharajah) was served the perfect trip behind leader Dany Capar.
Gabriele Gelormini sat behind Gocciadoro’s Dany Capar and when he tried to make the winning move, Ernesto Spritz found racing room and disarmed the leader just before the wire.
The winning time on the half mile-track was 1:55.1.
MAGIC AT VINCENNES
On Saturday (Aug. 16), Vincennes played host to the first preparation races ahead of the three Criterium-races that are scheduled for Sept. 13.
The 3-, 4- and 5-year-old trotters met up on Vincennes’ first day of the autumn meeting and the 3-year-old fillies started the racing day in the $125,000 Prix Reine du Corta. Philippe Allaire trained Magic Night (Helgaffel) came to the lead paired with Paul-Philippe Ploquin and the duo held favorite Mille Etoiles behind by a head in a mile rate of 1:55 over 1.3 miles. Replay here.
Thierry Duvaldestin has great talent in training and shaping young trotters and when 3-year-old colts battled in the $125,000 Prix Abel Bassigny, Duvaldestin’s Mystic Sonato (Village Mystic) looked strong on the lead. Driver Franck Nivard noticed that Maitre Jacques approached quickly in mid-stretch and asked Mystic Sonato for more gas and Duvaldestin’s trotter held all the way, winning in a mile rate of 1:54.4 over 1.3 miles. Replay here.
Liza Josselyn (Ready Cash) was outstanding when the 4-year-old mares gathered in the $125,000 Prix Paul Leguerney. Nicolas Bazire trained Liza Josselyn had to race three wide until she reached the front with a half mile to go, and then she left the rest of the field behind. Liza Josselyn danced to the superior win in a mile rate of 1:54 over 1.3 miles. Jean-Michel Bazire was in the bike. Replay here.
Anthony Barrier hit the lead with Live To Tell (Fifty Kalouma) in the $125,000 Prix Phaeton for 4-year-old colts and Live To Tell stayed there all the way and reached the wire in a splendid mile rate of 1:52.3 over 1.3 miles. Replay here.
Many strong 5-year-olds chased glory in the $125,000 Prix Louis Jariel and two horses shared the trust from the bettors. Koctel du Dain was on the lead with Keep Going in the pocket. The two top names in front and it looked to be Koctel du Dain’s lucky day but Keep Going (Follow You) managed to find racing room between horses in mid-stretch and Mathieu Mottier steered his trotter to Keep Going’s first win 2025 in a mile rate of 1:52 over 1.3 miles. Replay here.
SET FOR WEDNESDAY PARTY AT SOLVALLA
Wednesday’s (Aug. 20) race card at Solvalla includes two big Group 1 races, where the $300,000 Margareta Wallenius-Klebergs Pokal for 5-year-old trotters is the highlight of the evening.
It’s a race with many dark horses, high-level rookies, looking for their paths towards the older elite, respectively.
American-bred Crown and Italian horse Executiv Ek are the two most merited horses in the field of 12, but they both drew posts far outside behind the gate, so it looks to be an open race for the colts and geldings over 2,140 meters.
Earlier that evening, the $200,000 European Championship for Mares is scheduled and Sweden seems to have the best chance in the race; at least Swedish-bred horses. The probable favorite is Daim Brodda, born in Sweden but trained by Thor Borg in Norway. Daim Brodda dominated in the 4-year-old mares crop 2024, banking nearly $500,000 and she has showed that she’s ready to fight the very best horses in Europe. In her previous start ahead of Wednesday’s task she finished third in $320,000 Hugo Åbergs Memorial.
$200,000 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR MARES
2,140 meters
Horse — Country — Driver
1. E.L.Indeed — Finland — Hannu Torvinen
2. Meghan B.R. — Norway — Tom Erik Solberg
3. Diva Ek — Italy — Mats E. Djuse
4. Daim Brodda — Sweden — Eirik Höitomt
5. Betting Pacer — Sweden — Björn Goop
6. Clarissa — Italy — Alessandro Gocciadoro
7. Nortolanda — Germany — Michel F. Rothengatter
8. Monalisa B.R. — Norway — Per Oleg Midtfjeld
9. Great Skills — Sweden — Daniel Wäjersten
10. Olly Håleryd — Sweden — Örjan Kihlström
11. Cash Bank Bigi — Italy — Marcus Lilius
12. Maharina Sun — Norway — Magnus Teien Gundersen
$300,000 MARGARETA WALLENIUS-KLEBERGS POKAL
2,140 meters
Horse — Sire — Driver
1. Bicc’s Tobee — Tobin Kronos — Dwight Pieters
2. Savastano — Ready Cash — Adrian Kolgjini
3. Eldorado Jet — Twister Bi — Magnus A. Djuse
4. Eclipse As — Nuncio — Ulf Ohlsson
5. Makalu Doc — S.J.’s Caviar — Jarno Koskela
6. Global Etalon — Brillantissime — Björn Goop
7. Crown — Chapter Seven — Örjan Kihlström
8. Executiv Ek — Face Time Bourbon — Alessandro Gocciadoro
9. Icebreaker — Chocolatier — Carl Johan Jepson
10. Powwow — Papagayo E. — Lars Anvar Kolle
11. Our Pride — Maharajah — Santtu Raitala
12. Charron — Code Bon — Magnus Teien Gundersen
DOUBLE DECEIVER GOES BACK TO
AMERICA
Daniel Redén trained Double Deceiver (Cantab Hall) will go back to where he came from next month. Well, not for too long, but at least for the Yonkers International Trot, at Yonkers Raceway on Sept. 13. French top trotter Hohneck and German star Gio Cash were both invited to the Yonkers International Trot earlier this summer and this week, American-bred gelding Double Deceiver accepted an invitation.
Double Deceiver has claimed the Sweden Cup, St. Michel-ajo, and Östersunds Stora Pris this summer and he’s a fresh contribution in this year’s Yonkers International Trot.
JERRY RIORDAN SUSPENDED
Successful trainer Jerry Riordan was sentenced to a half-year suspension by the supreme court of Swedish Harness Racing Association on Friday (Aug. 15).
The announcement could be found on travsport.se and said:
“Today, the Supreme Court of Swedish Harness Racing Association has issued a decision in the case against trainer Jerry Riordan. The Supreme Court upholds the decision of the Swedish Harness Racing Association Responsibility and Disciplinary Board (STAD) and thus sentences Riordan to a six-month competition ban and a fine of SEK 100,000 (appr. $10,000) for violations according to the Swedish Harness Racing Competition Regulations, Anti-Doping Regulations and Infection Control Regulations.”
STAD and the Supreme Court mean and assert that Riordan used or possessed prohibited substances and that he has forged vaccination certificates.
“Overall, Riordan has demonstrated a nonchalant approach to the vaccination provisions of the Infection Control Regulations. The procedure is characterized by conduct that is far from an acceptable level. The violations cannot be attributed to carelessness or mistake, since the violations concern several horses on different occasions,” said the Supreme Court of Swedish Harness Racing Association.
The decision cannot be appealed.
