V75® (Sunday): Kashmir River could be the longshot in Stochampionatet
Despite a five-star effort in her elimination, she got defeated.
Kashmir River could be the dark horse of the field in Stochampionatet, despite a tough post position.
The race that is the goal for all the four-year-old mares in the country is here.
Stochampionatet is being raced this Sunday at Axevalla. The winner of the glorious stake race will be SEK 1.2 million richer. The race day includes an extra V75 card.
One of the mares who has had Stochampionatet as their goal is 11 Kashmir River (V75-7). The daughter of Django Riff, who is trained by Björn Röcklinger, finished third in last year's Oaks and she is now ready for another prestigious final.
"There are many big races for her this year and this is one of the goals we have had and it's also the first big race for her this year. This is where you want to race and now we have made it to the final, at least".
Held on strongly after a tough beginning
Kashmir River made her fourth start of the year last time out when she raced in the Stochampionatet elimination. She then came up with a very strong effort - even though she did not win. Her and driver Petter Lundberg had to go 1:10 the first 500 meters to make it to the lead, then held on strongly but had to surrender to Felizia Zet just before the finish line.
"She raced well to finsih second. It was a very good effort, even if you want to win a race like that. But that´s racing, sometimes you lose, even if the mare was good. I don't know how much she will improve off of that start, but she won't be any worse this time, that much I can say for sure".
Finishing second in the elimination means a worse post position
The issue with finishing second in the elimination is that you will not get one of the better post positions in the final. That is something that has decided the outcome of many stake finals before. Kashmir River has to start from post position eleven in Stochampionatet.
"No, that wasn't the best post position. But it is what it is and we have to hope for some racing luck from there. There are many good horses in the first tier and maybe they will go at each other a little tougher than they should so we can sit back and wait and cash in down the stretch. That´s the type of scenario we need to have a chance to win".
Stochampionatet has had its share of longshot winners throughout the years. And it sure has been possible to win from bad post positions; Honey Mearas won from post position eleven last year and two years before that, Activated won from post position twelve.
So you don't think we should write her off completely?
"We have a good mare, but she is in against incredibly tough mares. Many times in a race like this, it comes down to luck and we sort of lost the draw, since we finished second in the elimination. But she is in good form and she looks good after her last start" says Björn Röcklinger.