Redén on Elitloppet (V75® Sunday): "Like shooting off a rubber band"
After finishing second twice and fourth as many times, five times could be the charm for Propulsion in Elitloppet.
And it's a stoked horse coming to race.
After months of heavy training he got to stride out last week in a quicker heat.
"It was like shooting off a rubber band" says trainer Daniel Redén.
Nine year old Propulsion (V75®-7) has been part of the very elite of trotters for many seasons now. His long record is full of heavy titles. Among them are two Trotting Masters, two Åby Stora Pris, three Hugo Åbergs Memorial, the Olympic Trot and the Finladia-Ajo. He has won 13 races with a first prize of at least SEK 1 million and in 2018 he made more money than any other Swedish trained trotter during one year when he banked SEK 11 million. But there is one certain victory missing. One that would sit on top of all the others. The one in Elitloppet at his home track Solvalla.
"It doesn't bother me that much actually. We've been able win so many other big races with him. But when you've been second twice, you also want to win. Maybe one day? Maybe already on Sunday? We don't know...
For Daniel Redén there will be more Eltilopps. But for Propulsion it's now or never.
"Next year he will be ten and then he has with almost 100% certainty been retired to stud".
"Proppen has told me he's ready"
What are Propulsion's chances of obtaining that so desirable title? If you ask the bettors he has the biggest chance of all the 16 trotters. He is the favorite despite not having raced since Prix d'Amerique in the end of January. On top of that, he drew the worst possible post position in his elimination, post eight behind the gate.
"After Prix d'Amerique I came home and I wasn't particularly pleased with him. It was cold and damp and he was feeling stiff. But his body feels good when he trains and moves a lot so we trained him as usual and now the last month it has gotten warmer and then he's a different horse and last week he has felt very, very good" says Daniel Redén and explicates:
"He trains a lot of heavy training on my deep track so I wanted to give him a quicker heat on a faster track and it was like shooting off a rubber band".
It was Thursday last week that Propulsion trained the 'rubber band' heat in front of Elitlopp manager Anders Malmrot and to his and the entire racing industry in Sweden's delight, Daniel Redén said yes to participating in Elitloppet.
"That's when I decided for sure. Before that I wasn't entirely sure. I knew he was training well but I wanted to feel that he had the right bounce to his stride on a faster track, and he did. Then we have to see. He's nine years old and drew the worst possible post position. So it's not optimal in any way. But we've done what we can and 'Proppen has told me that he's ready.
The fact that he hasn't raced in four months does not worry the trainer.
"Of course you usually want to give your horse a race first. But 'Proppen' is not an ordinary horse. I have two other horses in my stable to compare with, who are also in the race and they are both very, very good.
Sorbet won his first start of the year in 1:09.8 in a very good way. Missle Hill won his seasonal debut in 1:10.4 under tight lines and was far from tired. And I can say that here at home they're nowhere near Propulsion in training. They can't do what he did last Thursday".
The tough draw is of course not a plus but it's also nothing that makes Daniel Redén want to give up. And why would he? As late as last year the winner Dijon started from post position eight in his elimination.
"I'm sure everyone who draws post eight will let out a sigh and I sure wasn't happy either, but I've processed that and I'm trying to find a solution to it, so it still feels good today.
What type of solution did you find?
"That I have Propulsion..."
Like a wine that gets better with age and a quick little guy
Even though they don't have the same star status as Propulsion, his stable mates Sorbet (V75-6) and Missle Hill (V75-6) are no ordinary horses. The former did not go through from his elimination last year but has looked very impressive going into this year's race. In his last start he won Meadow Road's race after being parked the entire mile.
"Sorbet is nine years old and just like a good wine he just gets better with age. He has taken another step up since the pony Frej came into his life to settle his nerves. I think Sorbet is a bit underrated and hasn't gotten that stamp of approval despite having made almost SEK 7 million. He never raced badly and he's not far from the best ones in this race. Considering the post position he drew (2) I think he should have a chance, at least in the elimination".
Missle Hill has won five out of nice starts since arriving to the Daniel Redén stable from USA before the start of last year. This year he's sporting two straight wins from the lead.
"He's a very good sprinter. He's a little guy with an incredible gait. I'm sure he will race well on the middle and long distances too, but sprinting is really his thing. He drew a good post (4) and he will race well here".