V75®: ”He should be the favorite”
Eyeofthetiger was incredibly impressive in the eliminations to Saturday's big battle at Jägersro.
Trainer Per Nordström agrees that his horse should be the favorite.
"I have nothing negative to report going into the final and he should definitely be the favorite," says the trainer who has specialized in young horses and won the Svensk Uppfödningslöpning three times before.
Per Nordström has made a name for himself as one of the best trainers in the country when it comes to training young horses and has now managed to qualify four horses to the Saturday final of the Svensk Uppfödningslöpning, which goes as the fourth leg of V75®.
The star of the quartet of 2-year-olds, also the race favorite, is Eyeofthetiger.
A big, tall colt who has only lost once in four starts.
Nordström was suspended and watched from the side as Stefan Persson drove the colt to victory in the elimination at Jägersro in a new national record, 1:12.0 over 1,640 meters with the starting gate.
SEK 800,000 awaits the winner on Saturday in the race, where all the purse checks increase by 50 percent if the horse is enrolled in Premiechansen.
A juicy SEK 1.2 million could be handed to Eyeofthetiger.
If he wins...
"Of course, he should be the favorite. Eyeofthetiger is the one that stood out in the eliminations. We all connected to the horse can just hope that nothing strange happens. They are just two years old and not that stable in form. It goes up and down. But so far...I only have positive rapports," Per says.
Pressure after the blowout win
The Jägersro licensed trainer has won Sweden's biggest race for 2-year-olds three times. Twelve years ago, he won with Denim Boko, in 2012, and also with Revelation in 2019, and Islay Mist Sisu in 2020.
Now he has built up the hype once again and presented a talent that has pretty much everything to lose in the Saturday final. A mega favorite that simply should win, according to most handicappers.
"I'm the one who trains the horse, but it was Stefan who drove and, as you say, built up the hype after that blowout win. So, he put a lot of pressure on us to deliver!" he says and laughs.
In the elimination, Per Nordström's colt had to overcome post position eight. Stefan Persson took it nice and slow around the first turn and without pushing the horse, he made it to the lead after 600 meters.
The winning time was a new national record, beaten with plenty left in the tank.
"I have to admit that the colt surprised me too, being able to trot that fast when he was out four-deep. We knew we had something extraordinary here. But this good? Stefan was also very impressed and he told me that he wasn't sure if he ever drove that many better horses," says Per Nordström.
Made a break in Örebro
Eyeofthetiger is owned by Stall Motvind AB and bred by Misty Trotting.
Once in four starts, the colt tasted defeat. In Örebro in October, he made a break after 300 meters.
"He has been one of the most promising colts all along, but he has shown an incredible development curve after that start in Örebro where he made a break. I caught up with the field and he closed fast, and that start improved him a lot. I am not sure why he made that break, but I guess it was a combination of the recall and track condition. It rained, the track was hard and I had too much weight on him that day, just to be safe," he says.
Will play it safe
On Saturday, the colt will race the exact same way he did in the successful elimination. Nordström drives and says he will not take any chances from post position three behind the gate.
"I will just play it safe and drive straight ahead, and won't take any risks early in the race".
You have four starters in the race. 6 Nightlife was not beaten much by the Erwin Bot-trained Eol. You have to be happy with him too?
"There was some time between Svampen where he finished fourth, and his most recent start. He trained as usual at the farm and I think his last start will improve him. He feels great after that start. He's a nice and quiet colt who woke up with that start and he also needed that. We also have 8 Agarita, who has to race against the boys, which is a bit tough. A tough post position too but she has lowered the time in each start, she's a nice filly who will be a good racehorse. She won't win from this post position, but if she can find a spot somewhere decent, she can make good money".
Speaking of bad post positions; you had to pick your post last with 12 Ghirardelli, who finished fourth in the same race as Nightlife was second, after racing in the lead. What are Ghirardelli's chances?
"He had a little bit of fever shortly before his last start, so the conditions weren't optimal for him going into that race. He feels better after that start and I think he is close to top form. The post position is tough for him too, but I'm counting on a good effort from him again. He could get a nice check," says Per Nordström with for starters in the Svensk Uppfödningslöping.