V86®: A chance to beat the big guys again
Last Christmas, he won V75® as a trainer with Fearless Flier.
On Wednesday, the quick mare comes out in the Solvallaserien on the V86® card.
Andreas Forsberg is optimistic despite facing horses and geldings this time.
"She has raced against the boys before, and I think it looks good on paper, with earnings and post positions," says the amateur trainer from Mantorp, who thought more than once about becoming a professional trainer.
The day before Christmas Eve, Fearless Flier won a race for mares in V75® at Eskilstuna.
That was the third win for Andreas Forsberg in the Premier League of trotting.
In 2017, Per Lennartsson won with Feel The Magic at Gävle. In 2021, Örjan Kihlström drove Solkattens Ferrari to victory in V75 at Eskilstuna. Both victories came in legs of Class 2.
Solkattens Ferrari is sold. Forsberg’s new racehorse is the 5-year-old mare Fearless Flier, and she is the one that he is chasing the pros with again.
Or, as he says, the big guys.
"As a small trainer, with just one or two horses, it feels great every time you can match up with the big guys. Fearless Flier has the best pedigree of any horse I've had. Sometimes, it comes through, and for me, she's a star. Bold Eagle as a sire seems to be good stuff," he says.
The amateur trainer from Valdemarsvik, not far from Norrköping, works as an addiction treatment assistant. In his spare time, he trains horses, but he doesn't see it as impossible that he might become a professional trainer one day.
"I would really like to. But I need an owner to back me up so I can start out with a few horses. I think this is so much fun!" says Andreas Forsberg.
Races continuously
On Wednesday, the amateur trainer from Mantorp stands before a bigger task again. Solvallaserien (V86-8) gives the mares allowance, and Fearless Flier, with earnings of SEK 523,000, fits the class very well.
The V75 race, the day before Christmas Eve, was for mares only, and she toyed with her opponents from her 20-meter handicap. In the following start, she went wire-to-wire in a race with SEK 35,000 to the winner at Örebro, and on January 18, she finished fifth in a V75 mare race.
Fearless Flier also raced in mare races at Solvalla and Kalmar after that, finishing second both times. She has raced continuously since February last year when Forsberg started racing her.
"Very sound and healthy"
Fearless Flier is very consistent and has the potential to win again in the STL.
"She's a very nice mare. She has a light gait and a good set of lungs, and she's strong. She's quick, too. Well, she has pretty much everything."
The mare from Mantorp has raced without a break for over a year and is durable and strong.
"That's the secret to it: She has been sound and hasn't been injected for an entire year. Now we treated her up. She had a break for a month before the Kalmar start, the last time out since we treated a couple of spots on her. She is very sound and healthy," says the proud trainer.
Per Lennartsson drives her on Wednesday. He also helped you get your first V75 win in 2017, so you like to use him.
"I like Pelle. I have used him as a driver for many years, and he drives when he can. I've also used some of the younger guys lately, who I think are good. Victor Rosleff and Gustav Johansson. The drivers love her. Victor told me last time that this one is really good! She always does everything right. She's easy to drive and never pulls."
How has she trained going into the Wednesday start, and what can you tell the bettors?
"She feels great. She raced well in her last start, and it feels like she is even sharper after that start. I believe in my horse. She can leave decent if the driver wants to, but I think she races better from behind. 1,600 meters has been a plus for her. I definitely think she should go on the ticket."
This time of the year, it is allowed to race barefoot again; what will you do?
"I have entered her barefoot behind, but I haven't decided yet. She raced like that in a few starts last year, and it worked out very well. But she could just as well race with four aluminum shoes, I will check her feet on Tuesday."
So, the little guy could beat the big guys again?
"Let's hope so. It feels good now, and there is a chance!"