V86® (jackpot): Benny has come to Solvalla to stay
Benny Christensen is the globetrotter who has come to Solvalla to stay.
On Wednesday, he hopes that Prometheus gives him a flying start as a trainer at our capital's track.
Benny Christensen is the latest addition to Solvalla's trainers' club.
After having been a trainer at Solänget and a short stop in Eskilstuna, he now belongs to the racetrack in our capital city. As of a couple of weeks, he is training at Söderby Gård, in Märsta, just north of Stockholm.
"It's very inspiring, actually. Solvalla has taken very good care of us and we have settled in nicely. An opportunity came up when they were parceling off some land here, so we got the chance to buy Hemtorpet as it's called. It suits us perfectly, my wife works up in Skellefteå and flies up there every week, so now we are only fifteen minutes from Arlanda airport. This is sort of a dream for us, being here" says Benny and adds:
"They have put a lot of effort and money into making the training center better here and it will be even better. Petri Salmela is stabled here and for the summer season, Alessandro Gocciadoro is also coming here with lots of horses, training on the same tracks as we do".
Been around the world
Benny Christensen has come to Solvalla to stay. The track where he drove his very first race in the 80s. But he has also seen a bit of the world. A lot of it, actually. He has trained and driven in the United States, Canada, Germany, Austria, and also in France for a short while.
"That's right. I can say that I won't die curious at least...It hasn't really been by design, I have traveled around and gotten work offers here and there and I guess I've always had some ants in my pants. But I have gotten a lot of good connections and experiences and learned from every place I've been, like at the Jean-Pierre Dubois stable".
But now you seem to have found your way home?
"Yes, I turned 60 the other day and had barely thought about it before I read it myself in the newspaper. So it's time to slow down a bit now. This is our home now and now that we have made this investment I am done moving around. We don't want a big stable, we have around 30 stalls here".
Do not write Prometheus off
One of the horses with the best record in the stable is the seven-year-old 5 Prometheus (V86-8) who could be worth keeping an eye on for everyone chasing the jackpot millions as Solvalla co-hosts V86 together with Åby on Wednesday. The horse has hit the board in all of his three starts this year and he was good when he finished third in a final of Solvallaserien, last time out. He now comes out in a new leg of the next series.
"Yes, he was very good in his last start, almost surprisingly good. We were in the middle of moving and we hadn't had the best training conditions earlier, so I had some anxiety over not being able to prepare him properly. But then it all worked out and the horse was very good, I was positively surprised. He trotted a new lifetime best and with that start in his legs, I definitely think he should take a step forward too".
How do think this race looks for him?
"He can leave OK, but he needs a couple of strides, then he takes off. He might be a bit faster behind the gate. I don't think we have a chance to take the lead from post five, but he should get a decent position. I do not want to go first up with him, we ended up there two starts ago and he is a bit special this horse, he grabs on and then he spits the bit and then he grabs again. So I think he is best when he's on a helmet".
So the bettors should not write Prometheus off?
"I don't think so, when he was third two starts ago he was among the favorites but last time out he was completely ignored and as I said, with that start in his legs I think he will hit the board with a good trip. You need racing luck in these races, they are all even and despite a few good horses in the race, I don't think my horse is any worse than anyone else. He races with aluminum shoes and as he has before, with a blind bridle and set earplugs and an earhood. So there's an extra gear to use when that day comes".
Looking forward to this summer
A new start and a good-looking future. First-class training conditions, almost 50 acres of paddocks, and 32 stalls. Right now, Christensen has 15 horses in his training. So there is room for more.
"Yes, but we have also bought some more horses. Many of them have had some issues, that we after advise from a veterinarian and with our way of training hope we can find the key to. We also have a few five-year-olds that haven't raced yet, time just hasn't been enough, but we hope to put more time into them now and I think this summer will be good" says Benny.
"Obviously, when you look at what we have, we won't compete with Redén and those big trainers and we might not have a future Elitlopp winner in the stable. but my feeling is good and we will have fun. You always set up goals to work towards, I am certain this will be good and we hope that it starts already on Wednesday".