V75® (jackpot): "He is an incredible horse - but I am a bit uncertain"
He started the year with three straight wins and he was incredibly impressive when he won his elimination to the King's Trophy.
But in the final Iznogoud Am was not at his best, even if he got trip at a tough pace, first up.
This mega talented horse now returns and he is trying to win V75 at his home track.
"He's an incredible horse who feels very good in training. I believe he should have a good chance to win, but I am a bit uncertain after his last start" says Stefan P Pettersson.
The Mantorp-licensed trainer has said a lot of good things about his top four-year-old earlier as he has won impressively. Especially two starts ago in the King's Trophy elimination when Iznogoud Am was completely outstanding and left his opponents far behind. He was therefor one of the biggest threats to the favorite Francesco Zet in the final, but he was not at his best that day, even if a tough trip excused him. After a first turn out three-wide, he then had to trot the rest of the race parked outside the leader. At the top of the stretch he was tired and finished outside the money.
"6 Iznogoud Am (V75-1) was looked at by a veterinarian after his last start but he didn't find anything, so we don't really know what was wrong with him. He has felt good in training after that start and he feels just as good as before" says trainer Stefan P Pettersson, who does not have a theory as to why his horse raced badly.
"It was a stop-and-go sort of race and some horses don't like when there's not an even pace throughout the race. But I honestly don't know, his behaviour was a bit odd".
"We have to hope that he just had a bad day and he felt very good when I trained him at the racetrack recently. I let him stretch out at the end and he trotted 1:10 speed for 500 meters and felt very good".
"Has a lot of ability"
On Saturday, V75 will be raced at Mantorp and comes with a jackpot. There is SEK 54 million in the pool for all seven winners picked and in the first leg, the favorite is most likely Iznogoud AM. He starts from post position six behind the gate over 1,640 meters and gets Erik Adielsson in the sulky this time. Stefan P Pettersson would love to win with his star trotter in front of the home crowd and he has said earlier that Iznogoud Am is an extraordinary horse.
"Of course I believe in my horse, but I have to admit I am a bit uncertain after his last start. Normally he should have a good chance. He can leave quickly, he might not be the quickest in the first 100 meters, but once he gets up to full speed, he has a very long stride. I assume it will be an aggressive drive and many opponents should be happy to sit on his back" says Stefan P Pettersson.
And adds:
"He is in incredible horse and if we can get everything to work out he is a top horse. I had Oasis Bi who made SEK 19 million and it would be ridiculous to say that this one is better, but Iznogoud AM has a huge amount of talent. No changes, he will race barefoot upfront, with an open bridle and in an American sulky again".