V75® (Saturday): Malmqvist still positive about Nikki Lane
Almost SEK 800,000 earned this season as a 4-year-old.
Roger Malmqvist has Nikki Lane in splendid shape and the mare is in top form now at the end of the season.
"She didn't make it to the final of the Stochampionatet or the Mares Derby and since she didn't have to get emptied out there, she is in real good form now, instead," says Malmqvist about the mare racing in V75 at Halmstad this Saturday.
The traditional V75 Winter Burst during the holidays continues on Saturday, December 28 with a regular V75 card at Halmstad.
This is the fifth card of eight, and it ends with a multi jackpot at Axevalla on New Year's Eve.
The Jägersro licensed trainer Roger Malmqvist had the chance to race in the Boxing Day finals at Solvalla. Nikki Lane was qualified for the Diamantstoet final.
He opted for a leg of Diamatstoet (V75-5) at Halmstad instead. Malmqvist’s nice mare became a millionaire this December and drew post position seven behind the gate in a handicapped race on Saturday.
"I'm pleased with post seven. It couldn't be much better considering the money she has earned. We could have raced at Solvalla, but she would have gotten post 13 there in a final with many good mares. So, I gambled a bit and hoped this would be easier and not more than twelve mares entered," says Roger Malmqvist.
If the gamble works out remains to be seen. The chances to win should be pretty high with a mare that has gotten better over the year.
"I believe we can win. I wouldn't leave her singled from post seven, but I will be semi-aggressive with her again and we won't take back to last," says Malmqvist.
Bombed away to win by ten lengths
After several good efforts in tough races, Nikki Lane got a win in V75 at her home track Jägersro at the end of November.
In a leg of Diamantstoet, Malmqvist gave her a second over trip, despite starting with a 20-meter handicap. He made a move mid-race and sat outside the leader with 1,200 meters to go.
The mare disappeared from her opponents to win by ten lengths after she was asked for speed before the last turn.
"Per Nordström had problems with his mare in the lead and there was no reason to sit outside her any longer. This mare is strong and it felt like she had already won the race with 600 meters to go".
Nikki Lane showed continued top form in her most recent start. Esperia Font and Magnus A Djuse won the race by a small margin before Malmqvist's mare, who had to go four-wide in the last turn.
"In hindsight, I should have sat with her another 150 meters. But we lost to a mare that was better that day".
The second place was worth SEK 75,000. That made the 4-year-old, owned and bred by Prestera International AB in Limhamn, a millionaire.
Was not emptied out
Nikki Lane has made SEK 781,000 this year. She has won two races; both were legs of Diamantstoet.
Roger Malmqvist means that the mare has made a perfect amount of starts. From bad post positions in the eliminations to both the Stochampionatet and the Mares Derby, she did not make it to any of the big stake finals.
"She was not emptied out in one of those eliminations and that's why she is in such good form now. Had she made it to a couple of the big finals, she would have been off for the winter now".
After her great efforts lately, Nikki Lane will have many eyes on her in V75-5 at Halmstad. What is your message to the bettors?
It hasn’t been that much time between starts so we have only trained her here at the farm. We are just as happy with her in training as we were going into her previous starts. She keeps developing and she travels straighter and feels great. So, I sure believe I can win. She has learned to leave better and if we can't find a spot, I will go forward and we will see who is in the lead and what they want to do".
On Saturday, you are also racing 10 Poker Lane (V75-6) who has raced well. He starts in a handicapped race, with a 20-meter handicap.
"This is a nice handicap, that's why we race him here, he had just moved up from the class he was in. This gave us an extra chance and I think it looks interesting. I raced him in the lead at Kalmar, where he had Maroon Day pressing on the outside. Poker was good but showed that he doesn't have the same top form he did, a few starts ago. He probably needed that start. He's a big and heavy horse, you have to train him a bit tougher before a race. I will do so at Jägersro this week. We found a pretty nice spot for him here; he is definitely one of the horses that need to go on the ticket. He needs the trip to work out to be able to win, and if so, he will be in the photo".
A rare race for 3-year-old fillies made it on the V75 card. 4 Jenny Lane gets Jorma Kontio in the sulky in V75-4.
"I chose to not drive her myself since she is sluggish and doesn't always pick up the bit. Jorma Kontio is good with these horses. She's a talented filly. I am disappointed with her racing results because in training she feels really, really good. She's a sister to Wäjersten's Not For Sale and we know how good he is. She should race better with the pedigree, confirmation, and gait she has. I hope it will come and I won't be surprised if it does with Jorma in the sulky. The race is open so, never say never, but her chances of winning are not as good as my other two starters".