V75®: "He has a tremendous speed – can close very fast"
After his V75® victory last time out, Magnus Jakobsson said that Always A Pleasure could be the best horse he has ever trained.
This Saturday, there are STL finals at Åby, and Magnus has a dream scenario he is hoping for.
"He has a tremendous speed and can trot very fast. If we can get a covered up trip until the top of the stretch, the others have to watch out" says Magnus Jakobsson.
Åby Racetrack is hosting V75® with the STL finals this Saturday, and also Åby Stora Pris with SEK 1.5 million to the winner. Magnus Jakobsson is not in the featured race, but he has two horses from his own stable qualified for the finals. Both won their respective legs when Årjäng hosted V75, a few weeks ago. Always A Pleasure and Charlock Wiking were the two horses behind the V75 double for the likable Färjestad trainer, who is optimistic going into the finals on Saturday.
"I am coming with two horses in top form and I don't think either of them should be counted out. With some racing luck they are both in the mix for a top spot, even if one of them feels like a hotter chance" says Magnus Jakobsson, who trains 45 horses at his farm, 10 kilometers west of Karlstad.
"Has the potential of becoming a top horse – very good gaited"
The hotter chance of the two on Saturday is 9 Always A Pleasure (V75-4). The 5-year-old horse has won seven times in ten career starts. He also has two seconds and one third place finish, meaning he has never missed the board. Trainer Jakobsson spoke very highly about his horse before his last start, saying that he might be the best horse he has ever trained. After the convincing V75 victory, he certainly does not need to withdraw his statement.
"It's not impossible that he could be the best one. He has started his career in a great way and has the potential to go really far. He was very good when he won in his most recent start and crossed the finish line with a good bounce to his stride. He did not feel empty at all, so there was some left in the tank" says Magnus.
And adds:
"He was supposed to race at Örebro back in April but had to be scratched due to a hoof crack. He was hurting from it for a while before it healed properly. He was off for a week and didn't resume full training until the end of May. So even if he was well prepared for his last start, he still hadn't raced for three months".
What would you say his best qualities are since you think so highly of him?
"He has a very good gait and a great mindset. He's a very, very nice horse. You could pretty much do anything you want with him, and drive him however you like. You can leave and he comes right back to you, and you don't have to commit to a certain type of tactics. He is also strong, so he's very versatile as a racehorse".
What has he done in training after his most recent start?
"He has trained as usual and last week I gave him a faster heat at my farm track. He felt good and smooth and I'm very satisfied with my horse. I do think very highly of him" says Jakobsson.
What are your thoughts on the Saturday final, where you start from post position nine, in the second tier behind the gate?
"I would have loved to start in the first tier, of course, but post nine will do. He's in against some very good horses and I can't just drive figure eights around them. The trip has to work out for us to win":
What is your dream scenario for the race?
"That would be using his tremendous speed. He is super sharp with a covered up trip and he can trot very fast for a while. With a good trip and cover until the stretch, then the others have to watch out. No changes, he will race the same as in his last start".
"Closed very fast to win"
Magnus Jakobsson's second V75 starter in the STL finals is Charlock Wiking, who starts from post position five in the fifth leg. He closed lightning fast to win his leg in Årjäng and starts from a better post this time.
"5 Charlock Wiking (V75-5) came up huge last time out and it was nice to see him get that win. In the race prior, he was locked in, climbing all over horses and he felt like a winner already that time. Last time out, the trip worked out perfectly, with cover all the way until the top of the stretch. He had many lengths to make up, but he closed incredibly fast".
"He has trained together with Always A Pleasure after his last start and they have done pretty much the same things. He has been fresh and sound in training and it feels like he remains in top form. Charlock can leave fast if I want to, and even if I haven't really studied the race, it feels like he could maybe make it to the lead. It looks like an even field and I don't think you can count him out. He will race with a blind bridle this time, instead of the pull-down bridle he had in his last start since this race goes behind the gate. No other changes" says Magnus Jakobsson.