V75® (Saturday & Sunday): He can be the king of the Elitlopp weekend
One year ago, one of them won the class 2 final and the other one made a break, still with a chance to win in the final of Elitloppet. This year, that same duo is back at Solvalla – with the weekend's two featured races in aim.
"We are going up with an excellent feeling" says the trainer.
Nobody knows how it would have ended unless Önas Prince (V75-2) had gotten rough gaited and made a break in the last turn of last year's Elitlopp final. The trainer and driver Per Nordström said after the race that he thought he would have won. On Sunday, he could get his revenge. Önas Prince comes to Elitloppet as one of the favorites, undefeated in three starts this year.
"Everything has gone perfectly with the winter training and the starts we have done this year. I have nothing negative to report. The draw came out well for us and we are very satisfied with everything" says Per Nordström.
Önas Prince drew post position two in the first Elitlopp elimination. To his inside is the race favorite, Don Fanucci Zet. The latter made a break from that inside post in last year's Elitlopp final and the question that many ask themselves is if Önas Prince can get past him in the start and get to the much wanted lead.
"We will see. We haven't started side by side that often. We almost did in Hugo Åbergs, except then we had Click Bait in between us and I saw pretty much right out of the gate that Click Bait would not get by him, so I threw my horse down to the pylons. But my horse was not in top form then and he is sharper this year and I will make a serious try in the start".
The fact that Per Nordström himself has trained hard and lost 25 kilos, is something he hopes will have a positive effect.
"That's the thought behind it, that I will also be in top form and transfer that good feeling over to the horse".
"Must have a good chance"
In the Saturday feature at Solvalla, the test of strength Harper Hanovers race, Kentucky River (V75-7) will defend the stable colors. The five-year-old, who won the class 2 final during last year's Elitlopp weekend, comes off a convincing victory in Lyon Grand Prix and just like his stablemate, he was lucky in the draw and starts from a good post position, with the 20 meter handicap.
"He also trained well this past winter and in his most recent start, he even impressed me, because I used his speed three times in the race. I can't complain about the post position either, he got pretty much the best position on that distance and he must have a good chance to win, I really think so".
In Elitloppet, SEK 5 million awaits the winner. In Harper Hanovers race the winner's cut is SEK 1 million. Very few have had the chance to win the two featured races of the Elitlopp weekend.
"It's huge, something I have only dreamed of. Just to have a horse racing this weekend is a big deal, and now I have two really nice horses racing and both have the chance to win".