V86® (Double Jackpot): "Is extremely quick-footed in a 300-meter sprint"
Magnus Jakobsson earlier said that Always A Pleasure could become the best horse he has ever trained.
He won his seasonal debut swimmingly – and he is now a hot winning candidate in V86®.
"He's one heck of a nice horse who is extremely quick-footed. In a 300-meter sprint, there aren't many that can beat him," says Magnus Jakobsson.
V86® is being raced at Åby and Solvalla this week, and the card once again comes with a jackpot. There is SEK 22 million in the pool for all eight winners picked and a horse that always has a chance to win when he starts, is Always A Pleasure (V86-5). It is hard to argue against that when he shows a winning percentage of 60 and a show percentage of 87. Last year he introduced himself to the V75 bettors when he won V75 in Årjäng and went on to finish second in the final at Åby, behind Keep Gamble. The horse has nine wins in 15 starts and has finished top three in 13 of them. Magnus Jakobsson said early that that Always A Pleasure could become the best horse he has ever trained. That is a statement that the Färjestad licensed trained still sticks by.
"It's not impossible, he's one heck of a nice horse. Let's just hope he can race continuously, since his feet have been bothering him from time to time. That is one reason as to why he hasn't raced sooner or been able to race barefoot yet. He had problems with hoof cracks and abscesses and other things, but now he's been good for some time," says Magnus.
What would you say makes him so good and why you think so highly of him?
"First of all, he has a very good gait. He is extremely quick-footed and in his racing debut, he came home at 1:08.5 speed the last 500 meters. He is very fast and there aren't many horses that can outsprint him over 300 meters. He's also a very pleasant horse to be around. He's still a stud, but a very nice one".
"I hope to be able to race him barefoot in the future, but now is not the time. We tried him barefoot in training once and he was perfect, gait-wise and all. It will be another gear for him the day we pull his shoes, buit his feet are still not good enough for that, right now," says Magnus.
"Not trained to be sharp in his seasonal debut – will improve with that start"
Always A Pleasure made his first start of the year a few of weeks ago in Årjäng and won easily. He left well and from post position four in the volt start, he went straight to the lead. He then controlled the race from start to finish.
"He was good in his seasonal debut and it was a pretty easy race for him. He got to call the shots in the lead and won without being used. He wasn't trained to be sharp and he should be improved with that start in his legs. All is well in training after that, too".
"He managed post four in the volt start without any problems and that shows he's pretty smart. He knows what to do and he's not a horse that gets nervous or acts up", says Magnus Jakobsson.
"He is one of the horses that can win"
Always A Pleasure starts from post position ten in the fifth leg of V86 at Åby, on Wednesday. The race is over 2,140 meters and they start behind the gate. If he is not too far off the lead when they turn for home, his opponents have to hurry to hold him off.
"Starting in the second tier is not the optimum condition, but he races well behind horses. It's hard for me to estimate his chances and I rather not send him first up. Hopefully, the trip will work out and he is best when he gets to use his speed. As long as he doesn't sit too far back, he's one of the horses that can win the race. No changes; shoes all around, a blind bridle and a regular style sulky again," says Magnus Jakobsson.