V75®: The penny has dropped for Give Me Five N.O.
He has won two in a row from the lead and has done so without being tired.
The winningest driver in Sweden this year, Magnus A Djuse, will once again drive Give Me Five N.O. who makes the 600-kilometer-long trip to Bjerke this Saturday for trainer Oscar Berglund.
"He has always been a capable and promising horse but has been his own worst enemy at times. In the last six months, the penny has dropped, though, and now he is really good" says Oscar Berglund.
V75 goes to Norway and Bjerke Racetrack in Oslo this Saturday. There are plenty of Swedish trainers making the trip across the border. One of them is the Östersund licensed trainer Oscar Berglund, who aims high with Give Me Five N.O. and lets him make his first V75 start. The 4-year-old gelding has two straight wins, the most recent one in a V86 race. He won easily with Magnus A Djuse in the sulky and in the start prior he outclassed his opponents – also from the lead.
"4 Give Me Five N.O. (V75-2) has been great these last two starts and has won easily, without being tired both times. Magnus usually doesn't say much but from what I have learned from him, I could tell that he was very happy with the horse last time out" says Oscar Berglund.
And adds:
"He has always been a capable and promising horse, but he has been his own worst enemy at times. In the last six months, the penny has dropped, though. He has been able to use all his talent and has done everything right. He has been really good lately".
Have you done anything specific to get him to the point where he is at today?
"We have changed his routines a bit, but some horses are just late bloomers, as he has been, and we have just given him the time needed".
How has he felt in training after his last start at Solvalla?
"I trained him today (Monday) and he felt just as good. Not better or worse than he has been lately".
These last two races that he has won, are they the two best races in his career?
"No, I don't think so. He has raced incredibly well, finishing second a couple of times for Mats E Djuse. In those starts, he had to show a little more than in these last two starts, even if he didn't win. In these last two starts he hasn't even been challenged".
How far through the classes could he go?
"He needs to keep developing and he is still in a low class. But he is a very strong horse and that is an important feature. Strong horses usually turn into fast horses in the end.
"The strength itself is his best feature right now, but he has also shown that he can leave fast and has taken the lead in his last two starts" says Oscar.
"Good post position - the distance is an advantage"
Give Me Five N.O. is bred and owned in Norway and on Saturday, trainer Berglund lets his trainee return to his native country. In Class 2, from post position four behind the gate, he is the likely favorite after his last two victories. Magnus A Djuse who, as we write this, has won 236 races this year, will be in the sulky again.
"Post position four is good and the long distance is an advantage for him. He has left well before and has taken the lead easily in his last two starts, but it's hard to say how he measures up against the Norwegian horses this time".
"I know that I have a good horse and a good driver for this class and my horse is still developing, so it will be interesting".
Are you making any changes on him?
"No, he will race the same as in his last start; barefoot all around, open bridle, and in an American sulky. We have almost 600 kilometers to Olso and we plan on leaving early Saturday morning" says Oscar Berglund.