V75: Norman's three starters — all underdogs
Chasing big money in V75?
The Solvalla trainer Peter G Norman visits Romme with three strong underdogs on Saturday.
"It is hard to pick one before the others, but perhaps Indigo Brick has the best chance".
Over SEK 380,000 was paid out to the bettors who picked all seven V75 winners last Saturday, after several longshots winning.
This weekend, Romme racetrack hosts the Saturday card and the Solvalla trainer Peter G Norman visits with three horses who could be the keys to a nice payout again.
3 Princess Eleonora (V75-4) has a good post in the mare race, Stodivisionen.
The 5-year-old mare joined the stable this past fall, won in her first start and in her most recent outing, she delivered a solid effort when she finished second after a tough outside trip without cover.
"I thought she raced well in her last start; she had to go on the outside the entire race. She couldn't beat the leader but she kept the rest behind her in a strong way. She was good and showed good form. In the start before that, she ran out in the last turn when she saw the exit, and that was a bummer. Rikard Skoglund who drove, said she was far from tired at that point. But that's history now," says Peter.
She is a pretty capable mare, when she stays flat?
"Yes, I think she has raced well and been consistent, besides that miscue two starts ago. She needs to stay flat again; the post position isn't the best for her in the first tier now that it's volt start. She gets geared up easily and wants too much sometimes. I have to focus on getting her off trotting and then we will take it from there. If she stays flat, she is good enough to finish top three, even if it's tougher in V75, of course".
So, the post position is not as good as it looks on paper?
"It depends, if she just minds her manners, it is a good post, but as I said, she is not easy when it's volt start".
Even and consistent efforts
A horse we have gotten used to seeing frequently in V75 is 8 Indigo Brick (V75-6).
On Saturday, the gelding makes his fourth straight start in the Swedish Trotting League. In his most recent start, he never got in the race from a bad post position, but still closed well after a wide last turn.
"He did. He had a bad post and couldn't really keep up in the fast pace early on, he trotted all he could the entire race, which made him close well and beat many down the stretch. His form is pretty good, he is even and consistent which he has been all winter," says the trainer and adds:
"The conditions are a bit different now, with the inside post, he will need some racing luck to win, but at the same time, with luck he should end up on the photo".
The race is Class 3 against Class 1 on Saturday. What is your take on the race?
"Hard to say. I mean, how it will unfold and where they all end up and my horse is not very quick in the start, neither in volt start or behind the gate. But he's strong and can handle an early move, especially with these conditions".
Tougher at the end without leaving
5 Extremely Sweet (V75-7) represents the Norman stable in the Bronze division, that closes out the card.
The horse won impressively two starts ago in Eskilstuna, but after a tough last kilometer out wide last time out, he had no chance.
"He was a bit flat last time out, after having been very good in the start prior. We haven't found any reason top the sub-par effort, other than that he had a bad day on a surface that he struggled with. This time we have a decent post; he will probably get a nice trip and then we will see. It looks like a tough and even race on paper".
He has, for the first time in a while, a good post behind the gate.
"Yes, he hasn't been lucky in the draw lately and the horse can leave if the driver wants to but recently, I think he has acted a bit tougher at the end when we haven't used him early. We will see. Saturday is still far away and a lot can happen".
It sounds like we could call your three starters dark horses?
"It doesn't feel like any of them has a great chance to win. We will try to make as much money as we can, then we will see. It's tough to pick one before the others, but perhaps Indigo Brick has the best chance, without saying it's a great chance".