V75®: The confident go-ahead: "I will glady take first over - good chance"
Two starts ago he finished second behind the impossible Odd Herakles.
In the following start Tangen Haap was in a league of his own and now the coldblood star owned by the Sedin brothers is chasing a new V75® victory.
"I will gladly take first over and I think he will beat Mel Odin from that position if they want to race him in the lead. My horse is fantastic and he has to have a good chance to win" says Björn Karlsson.
This Saturday's V75® is being raced in Skellefteå and comes with a jackpot. According to ATG's calculations, a sole winner can take home SEK 37 millions with all seven winners picked. One of the favorites and many bettors' singled horse will be Tangen Haap. The coldblood star - owned by ex NHL players Henrik and Daniel Sedin - has made SEK 3.6 million and at age eleven he is maybe better than ever. Two starts ago he trotted 1:19.8 behind Odd Herakles who set a world record pace in the lead. In his most recent start Tangen Haap was in a league of his own when he won easily from second over.
"5 Tangen Haap (V75-3) is very consistent. As long as he doesn't have to race against Odd Herakles or Månprinsen A.M. then he has a good chance to beat the rest. I thought he was in good form going into Elitkampen and into the summer. Now he's back in very good shape again and he likes the fall season when it cools off a bit in the air. He is good now, he has been very consistent the last couple of years and he still is. He is awesome" says Björn Karlsson.
"Two starts ago I didn't even bother trying to keep up with Odd Herakles, I let him set his own pace in the lead. You can't beat him and I raced to be second at that point. In his last start in Gävle everything worked out well and he was in a bit cheaper than before too. He won without being tired and he crossed the wire with a good bounce in his stride".
"Has become more strong than speedy as an older horse"
Tangen Haap will start from post position five behind the gait. The distance is 1,640 meters which is an advantage according to trainer Karlsson.
"As older he has become more strong than speedy which goes for most horses as they get older. It's usually the strong horses who are best on 1,600 meters. On the short distance you have to go full speed from start to finish. I think I have the strongest horse in the field and I will gladly take first over" says Björn.
"I'm sure they want to make it a horse race with Mel Odin who starts to our inside. But since it's 1,600 meters I have no problem going first over with my horse. When the race is 2,100 meters I have to give him a better trip. I think he will take down Mel Odin from the outside but I will try for the lead. I suspect that they want to race Mel Odin in the lead after his third place in the Swedish Championship, in that case we will have to sit parked on the outside".
"The time in between starts fits my horse better now and three weeks since his most recent start is perfect. He feels good all the time and should be even sharper now compared to his last start. The post position is good and he can leave well and I have to look at this as a good chance to win".
"Could be a pull down bridle for the very first time"
Any shoeing or equipment changes?
"We might race him with a pull down bridle for the very first time. I have said before that he has to make 100 starts before I put a pull down bridle on him, he is so honest and gives it his all in every start and now he has made over 100 starts, all with an open bridle. I want to keep that door open during to week to see how he feels in training. Other than that he will race barefoot and in the hybrid sulky as usual".