V75® (jackpot): Viktor hopes for another win with his poster girl
Her last start was the race of her career, when she won in 1:10.4.
Viktor Flink Ideborn now races his poster girl Urbana Southwind again and hopes for another win in V75® at his home track.
"That was a fantastic effort by her, last time out. It would be awesome if she could win again," says Viktor Flink Ideborn.
Sundbyholm Racetrack in Eskilstuna is this week's V75® host and we have another jackpot. According to the calculations, there is SEK 37 million in the pool for all seven winners picked.
Viktor Flink Ideborn has an exciting afternoon ahead of himself. He trains twelve horses and is licensed at Sundbyholm Racetrack. Two years ago, he became a professional trainer, after working eleven years for Roger Walmann. There, he took care of Elitlopp winner Magic Tonight.
"Magic Tonight lives at my farm, where he breeds a few mares every year. He's in a field with two broodmares and we also have a couple of yearlings and 2-year-olds that by him. It's lovely to see him every day," says Viktor, who trains at Berga Gård, just outside Eskilstuna.
"An energetic lady with her own will"
Urbina Southwind is the star of the twelve-horse Flink Ideborn stable. She was one of the first horses he got to train when she started his stable, two years ago. She has been a success on the racetracks and as of March of last year, he also owns her. Urbina Southwind has won nine out of 30 starts and finished top three 17 times. She has earned SEK 871,223 and if she wins on Saturday, she will surpass SEK 1 million in earnings.
"13 Urbina Southwind (V75-6) is an energetic lady with her own will. She's a fantastic racehorse and she knows exactly what she's supposed to do. It could work against her sometimes because she can get a bit too eager in a race, but after scoring down and after a race she's very nice and quiet. She likes her job and has done everything right so far," says Flink Ideborn.
"Thought she would race super"
Urbina Southwind came up with the race of her career in her last start when she bombed around the track in a V86 race at Solvalla to win in 1:10.4, impressively for Erik Adielsson. That time, she raced barefoot and in an American sulky.
"It was a fantastic effort and she was great. I told people before the race that she never felt better in training. She was so sharp and I thought she would race super".
"I have trained her carefully and she improves with each race. It doesn't feel like she has peaked yet".
"Good post position Saturday — she is extremely fast in the start"
The Saturday conditions are a bit different compared to her last start, as she now starts with a 20-meter handicap in Diamantstoet, a middle-distance race. She drew post position seven, a great post position in volt start, with Erik Adilesson who is one of the best drivers in the country when it comes to getting a horse to leave fast, something Viktor is very pleased with.
"The post position is exciting and she is extremely fast in the start. There's a good chance she will get a quick start and find a good spot. She feels good in training after her last start and she's just as sharp and alert as she was before that start".
"She keeps surprising us and you can never write her off. I think she should be mentioned early again, even if it looks like two mares on the starting distance will be her toughest opponents; Wäjersten's horses are always good and Jobilene Ridge is probably the one to beat. Her last race was an Urbina Southwind effort," says Viktor with a laugh.
Since this is a volt start race, Urbina Southwind will race in a regular style sulky and Viktor will also keep the shoes on her feet this time.
"I'm saving her feet, but it's also to make her a bit safer in the start. She has raced well with shoes in the past and I don't think the shoes are what determines who wins at the end".
Any other changes?
"No, but she has raced with a pull-down bridle in her last two starts, which hasn't been pulled down. Last time out, we didn't need it and two starts ago, she sat last after an early break so there was no reason to use it. So, the pull-down bridle hasn't been used yet and once we use it, it should be an extra gear for her. It will be fun to see in a race," says Viktor Flink Ideborn.
How big would it be for you to see your horse win at your home track and get a training win in V75?
"It would be huge, of course. It would be awesome. I hope Urbina Southwind will continue putting us on the map".