V75 (jackpot): Olly Håleryd has been in a class of her own - "I think she will win again"
She has toyed with her opponents and been in a class of her own in her last starts.
On Saturday, Olly Håleryd can take her second V75 victory in a short time – and Ove A Lindkvist has a lot of faith in his girlfriend Ann-Catrin Frisk's mare.
"I respect the opponents but think she has a great chance of winning. In my world, I doubt that any of the other mares could be better. I think she will win again" says Ove A.
Bergsåker is hosting V75 this Saturday and since there was no payout for five winners picked last week, there is a jackpot this week. The calculations from ATG say that there is SEK 46 million in the pool for all seven winners picked. Ove A Lindkvist has had great success with Olly Håleryd, who has won four out of her five last starts. After two easy wins on V75, she came up sick when she finished third. She then returned to win on V75 at Boden and last time out she was much the best in a cheaper race. When she won on V75, the driver Ove A Lindkvist could wave to the crowd before the finish line.
"9 Olly Håleryd (V75-4) has been great and is an extraordinary mare. You have to remember that she has been in the right class but she can also make others look bad. I hope that she can develop further next year. But the way she has been so far is good enough for me" says Ove A Lindkvist.
"If you think you have a great chance to win you should say so"
The 5-year-old mare is trained by Ove's girlfriend Ann-Catrin Frisk and before her last start on V75 in Boden, Ove left the mare singled in the V75 Expert Picks. He knew what he was talking about as Olly Håleryd was in a class of her own.
"I believe that if you think you have a great chance to win you should just say so. And everyone knows things can go bad and that anything can happen in horserace. But I thought she was a winner and she was".
"When she finished third on V75 at Umeå the start before, she was sick. We had to give her a month off, but she still completely outclassed her opponents. She has won very easily and hasn't been close to tired in her last two starts. I haven't even chirped at her or pulled the earplugs, and she is a pretty lazy horse".
"That's why I'm hopeful for next year. She has learned to leave better behind the gate. Last time out I even tried from the second tier and just threw her right into the bunch. She has had problems before behind the gate, but never in volt start. So, it feels like she has grown up" says Ove.
"She races best first up – feels great in training"
On Saturday, Olly Håleryd will be the favorite in the fourth leg, which is Norrlands Elitserie on V75, with SEK 150,000 to the winner. Ove A Lindkvist is very optimistic and is not afraid to share his thoughts.
"I don't know all the opponents, but Sayonara is a very good mare and Per Linderoth has a good one, too. But Olly has beaten Per's mare fair and square and many of the other mares as well. We haven't raced against Sayonara and I'm sure she's a very tough mare and I have respect for her".
"But I know I have a good mare who doesn't care about which trip she gets. She races best when she goes first up and her worst performances have been in the lead. So, I never worry about a slow pace, since I can just send her first up".
"She has felt good in training after her last start but hasn't trained very tough, mostly in the uphill track and some jogging. The way she feels, she is still in good form and she has finished top three in 17 of her 20 career starts. The three times she missed the board, she either made a break or got locked in".
How good would you say her chances are of winning?
"I think her chances are great, but I respect the opponents. As I said, she has never raced against a mare like Sayonara but if we lose, we lose to someone better. If she loses, I have to start training her for next year, but I don't think she will. I think she will win again" says Ove A Lindkvist.
Any changes on her for this start?
"The change is that she will race barefoot all around this time, just as when she won on V75 two starts ago. We haven't marked it in the system yet, but we will. Other than that, she will race with a blind bridle and a regular style sulky again. I will drive to win and won't hold back when it comes to equipment".
"Trains extremely well – I want to see her in the lead"
Ann-Catrin and Ove A have another starter in the same race, Olea Håleryd. She starts 20 meters ahead of her stablemate Olly Håleryd, from post position six, and she gets Magnus A Djuse in the sulky for the first time. Ove A Lindkvist has a wish when it comes to tactics.
"6 Olea Håleryd (V75-4) trains very well but she has struggled with sickness and nosebleeds. She is not a bleeder though. We have checked her and she should be fine now. She might be a little bit short, but I want to see her in the lead, regardless of who comes at her. Whether she will be raced there or not is up to Magnus, but my recommendation is to race her in the lead".
"She leaves OK in volt start, but she isn't super fast. I think she can get to the lead, though, and I will change to a blind bridle on her. She trains extremely well and I really want to see her in the lead. She raced well when I changed drivers to Hanna Olofsson, she finished second for her and Magnus can usually wake up the dead. She is not as bad as she looks in the program" says Ove A Lindkvist.