V75®: Back at it with a winning machine from Norway
Ove A Lindqvist and Ann-Catrin Frisk are back at it again.
The couple from Skellefteå recently purchased the winning machine Cool Trix from Norway and he won his first start in Sweden last week.
This Saturday, the 6-year-old makes an interesting start in V75 at Östersund.
"It's a tough race on Saturday but horses who are used to winning, usually do well," says Ove.
Since the star of the stable Olly Håleryd left the stable last spring, the amateur trainers from Skellefteå have searched for a new horse to train.
The new acquisition Cool Trix from Norway joined the stable in early November. Ann-Catrin Frisk is the sole owner of the 6-year-old gelding.
"That's how we wanted it this time. Anki owns the whole horse. If she gets as attached to him as she did with OIly Håleryd, he can't be moved suddenly. It was a tough breakup with Olly and it was because of the individual, not her racing credentials. But we have let that go now and all is well. We also had her little sister Rya Håleryd and we know that we have developed two good horses and done our job. We look forward now," says Ove A Lindqvist.
Ann-Catrin Frisk has five horses in training and the 6-year-old Cool Trix is the only older horse. Ove says that it remains to be seen if he can fill the void after Olly Håleryd, who raced successfully in V75 and was in the midst of her racing career, when the owners decided to move the horse to Daniel Redén.
"Cool Trix is a sweet horse and we like him. Anki gets attached to horses easily. Not only the good ones, but the bad ones as well!" says Ove A Lindqvist with a laugh.
Came race ready
Cool Trix came race ready from the Norwegian champion trainer Frode Hamre. A winning machine with 28 wins in 39 starts and over SEK 1.1 million in earnings, in both the Bronze- and Silver division in Norway.
The horse was bought from the United States at age three by the well-known owner Eirik Djuve. This past fall, Djuve came out with a statement saying that all his horses trained by Frode Hamre were for sale.
"I have known Eirik Djuve for a long time, I once bought a coldblood trotter named Sjefen from him. Djuve owns many top trotters in Norway and we heard about Cool Trix being for sale," says Ove A Lindqvist.
A race ready winning machine does not come cheap, of course.
"We thought he was affordable. He feels like a horse above average, no doubts about that. But he hasn't proven anything for us yet. We have to work to keep him at the level he was for Hamre. I don't think we can improve a horse that comes from such a good trainer, but he can do well the way he is," says Ove.
Won his first start
Cool Trix won right away in his first start for his new trainer, at Boden on November 29. Lindqvist made a move to the lead after 500 meters, after a slow start. After that, it was all Cool Trix.
"He raced with corks for the first time and felt good. He had no problems with that. Hamre told me he was sure he would race well with corks, too. He's a trotting machine".
You took a slow start in his first start for you. Was it just a safety measure?
"Hamre had left slowly with him in most starts and I asked him why. He said the horse was usually such a heavy favorite that he knew he would get to the front anyway, without having to use him in the start. He can leave fast too. When they have left with him, he has left in 1:07-speed the first 500 meters".
What do you think about post position six behind the gate in the Silver division (V75-2) at Östersund on Saturday?
"It's a tricky post, I think. There are quick horses both to our inside and to our outside. I think he will end up battling for the win. Even if I don't leave with him, he can do some work himself, he's a strong horse. If they leave hard, I could make a move in the middle of the race. He has shown that he can handle doing some of the work. When he won in V75 at Bjerke in March, he trotted the last kilometer three wide and still crushed them".
The annual barefoot ban is in effect as of December 1. What are your thoughts on how much grip is needed at Östersund when the temperature is supposed to be below zero ?
"I will put corks in his shoes and he will race with the same equipment as in his most recent start. We know that the American sulky makes a big difference for him, but we won't put it on him for now, he will race in a regular style sulky. He also races with a pull-down bridle and earplugs. I think he should go on the V75 ticket, even if it's a tough race. These horses that are used to winning, usually do well" says Ove A Lindqvist.