V75®/super jackpot: "Campo Bahia feels great"
It's super jackpot on V75® this Saturday where a sole winner can take home SEK 100 million.
In the star-studded Jämtlands Stora Pris Campo Bahia will return to the races.
"I'm sure he's the best horse in the race and he feels very good. But he's not in top form and he drew a bad post position. The bettors need to be careful with him" says Conrad Lugauer.
The Elitlopp weekend is behind us and the big races of the summer are here.
Östersund is hosting V75® this Saturday and offers a very good race card. Jämtlands Stora Pris with SEK 500,000 to the winner almost looks like an Elitlopp field. Several star trotters will line up behind the gate and Campo Bahia will make a very interesting return to the racetracks. Conrad Lugauer's super trotter hasn't raced since he came home from his trip to France this past winter. In his first start at Vincennes he was going towards a win against FaceTime Bourbon when a break in the lead at the top of the stretch ruined his day. In the start after he was sick and since he returned home he has focused on breeding during the spring.
"Campo Bahia (V75-7) was breeding for six weeks before we gave him three weeks off. He was limited to 60 mares and his book was full. After that we have gotten three and a half months of training into him. He feels great" says Conrad Lugauer.
Trained in 1:13.5 - "very good"
Before the races last Tuesday at Jägersro, Lugauer brought Campo Bahia to the track to train a faster heat. He trotted 1:13.5/2,100 meters with a faster finish. The trainer was very pleased with his horse.
"I wanted to see and feel how he moved at higher speed and he was very good. He was strong and very good. I couldn't be any happier with him right now" says 'Connie'.
"His form is at 80-85% - won't be an aggressive drive"
The five year old stud horse will make the trip from Skåne to Östersund (1,000 kilometers). He will take on the older elite in a race full of star trotters. On top of that he drew a bad post position - post seven behind the gate.
"Initially we planned on racing him in Copenhagen Cup but for the longest time it was unclear wether they would race or not. It was hard to plan when we didn't know so we decided to aim for this race at Östersund instead. There aren't that many fitting races for him right now".
"This turned out to be a super race and he drew a bad post. The bettors need to be careful with him and the most important thing for me is that he finishes well. There won't be an aggressive drive when he's not ready for it. His form is at 80-85% and I wouldn't feel good giving him a tough trip in first start back after a long layoff. Especially since we have big goals for him in the future".
"But on the other hand it's Campo Bahia we're talking about so you can't write him off either. It's a bit tricky with post seven and it's hard to say how the race will unfold for him from there. But I'm intent on not leaving and give him an economical drive instead. Cyber Lane drew a dream post and will get a much better trip than my horse. If you want to beat him you have to make a move and put pressure on him early and it doesn't feel like an option for me this time" says Lugauer.
And adds quickly:
"I feel bad traveling so far just to give him a nice trip but when the horse is not in top form and we have big goals ahead of us it has to be that way. No changes, he will race with shoes, open bridle and in the same sulky he usually does".
"Would be awesome to go to USA"
The four time millionaire (SEK) then takes aim at this summer's big races and there could also be a trip to USA this fall.
"He will not continue up to Boden next week, he will return home after the race. We have big goals for him this year, Jubileumspokalen at Solvalla in August and the Breeders Crown final at Meadowlands in the end of October. Before that he will race here at home over the summer. It would be awesome to go to USA to race him at a mile track".