V75: Tarzan comes loaded to Årjängs Stora – "In super form"
SEK 500,000 to the winner and a spot in the Hugo Åbergs Memorial.
That is what awaits the winner of Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp on Saturday.
Stefan "Tarzan" Melander comes loaded with three starters in the race.
"Click Bait is in super form and has never been better. Decision Maker won the draw and will lead the race for a long time. Now that Hail Mary drew badly, we have the chance," says Tarzan.
The STL Summer Tour continues around the country and this Saturday, V75 will be raced in Årjäng, which many people call the most beautiful racetrack in the country. The feature, Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp over 1,640 meters, closes out the V75 card. The winner gets SEK 500,000 and a guaranteed spot in Hugo Åbergs Memorial at Jägersro on July 30. The first prize there is SEK 1,609,000. Last year's winners of Hugo Åbergs, Hail Mary will try to qualify for the race again, but lost the draw this time. Daniel Redén's star trotter starts from post position eight behind the gate, but the 16-time millionaire will most likely still be the betting favorite. Hail Mary comes off an impressive effort when he won Jämtlands Stora Pris easily before Hustle Rain.
"8 Hail Mary (V75-7) was great in his most recent start. He felt incredible when I trained him today (Monday). He was almost a bit too sharp and wanted to mess with the other horses, which means he's in top form, as he usually is in the later part of the summer. He drew badly, but he will race well and despite the post, it looks pretty good for him on paper," says Daniel Redén on his website stallzet.se.
"Björn thought he would win last time out – is better with shoes"
Stefan "Tarzan" Melander has three starters in Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp. The catapult starter Click Bait drew post nine, in the second tier, while his other quick starter Decision Maker drew the pole position behind the gate. Two starts ago, she tried her luck against the best horses in Europe in the Elitlopp but did not make it to the final, after a long period of top form and many impressive efforts. She could not have drawn a better post position. In her most recent start, she finished sixth for Björn Goop and he wants to change her shoeing for this start, from barefoot upfront to shoes all around.
"1 Decision Maker (V75-7) has been great for a long time and Björn thought he was going to win the race with 400 meters to go. But her gait wasn't as smooth as before and Björn thinks she is better with shoes all around, as she raced before. She is not sore in any way; her gait just gets better with shoes. In the Elitlopp she started from post seven and had to leave hard, but this is a different situation. Had I gotten the chance to pick a post, I would have picked post one for her since she is so quick, over 1,600 meters there is no reason to give up the lead. But all that is up to Björn and if we're lucky, we might not have to go all that fast out of the gate. I think she will stay in the lead for a good part of the race and she can win it," says Stefan Melander.
"Has never been better – in incredible form"
Click Bait was the horse that gave driver Per Lennartsson his win number 3,000 when he won from the lead, two starts ago in Tingsryd. Last time out, he started from the outside post and sat last, but closed fast down the stretch to finish fourth. This time, he starts from post nine in the second tier in this short-distance race.
"9 Click Bait (V75-7) is in super form and he has never been better. He has made SEK 7 million, but he is in incredible form right now and Per thinks he races just as well, or even better, from behind as in the lead, which he proved in Kalmar. He was invited to race in Mikkeli but I declined as the long trips are hard on the horses and he is also very study around other horses. Post nine could work out well for him and I ranked him first in the V75 Expert Tips, because I think he is due for a win soon. He needs luck to win, but I definitely think he has the chance," says Melander.
What about your third starter in the race, Thereisnolimit?
"7 Thereisnolimit (V75-7) is also in great form but after he won in Mantorp he hasn't had much racing luck; he has started from bad posts and been locked in. When he won, he just bombed away on the front end but from this post position it will be tough for him to win".
What do you think of the chances that one of your horses will win Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp?
"I hope we can win and now that Hail Mary drew badly, we have the chance".
"Has made a million with only one lifetime win"
The Solvalla trainer has two more V75 starters in Årjäng and here are his comments:
"10 Xanthis Hilton (V75-3) got a bit of a rest after his last start after having made a few starts in a short time. He has achieved some toughness in V75, but he will get a nice trip here from the second tier and just race from behind. I think he will have a good fall season, but this time I'm happy if he’s fourth, or fifth. I think he will be better in his next start, with this start in his legs".
"14 Crazy Life (V75-6) is good right now and she's actually in super form, just like Click Bait. She has made SEK 1 million with only one lifetime win, which is a catastrophe. But she is very sluggish in the start and often gets away slowly and it's not easy as she has also started from bad spots in many start. She has raced well several times and she's a good closer, but she needs overpace to have a chance. Normally, it's tough from post 14. She needs the others to go a bit crazy upfront to have a chance," says Stefan Melander.