V86® (jackpot): Record-breaking year for the Norwegian top stable
Frode Hamre can look back at his best year as a trainer.
On Wednesday, when V86 is split between Bjerke and Solvalla he is in the spotlight.
"I have several good chances on the card and Oz is my best chance" says the top Norwegian trainer.
Frode Hamre is Norway's best trainer, by far. In 2016 the stable earned NOK 16 million. That was a record they thought would be impossible to beat. With just weeks left of 2022, that record is already beaten by open lengths. This past week, the stable surpassed NOK 20 million in earnings.
"What's satisfying is that we have many horses who are racing well and have done so for a long time. We are a wonderful team and our setup with training, racing schedule and everything else is working very well" says Frode Hamre.
The stable has won several major races like Oslo Grand Prix, Axel Jensens Minneslöp, Ulf Thoresen Grand International and the Norwegian Championship to mention a few of the richest races the Hamre stable has won this year.
"I have to mention Stoletheshow who has been fantastic and has made almost NOK 5 million this year and I hope and think he can be at the same level next year too, it feels that way".
Several chances on the card
On Wednesday, the V86 card comes with a jackpot. Bjerke takes care of four of the legs and like many times before, Frode Hamre is in the spotlight. He has seven starters and many of them can win.
"I agree that it looks good on paper, and many of my starters have a chance to win. If I'm going to put one before the others, it would be 5 Oz (V86-7), he has been very good all year. I think and hope that we can get to lead early and then he should be tough to beat".
Already in V86-1 Hamre will be the favorite with 5 Broadway Don, who has five straight wins.
"He's a very nice horse with a lot of talent. He was a bit of a troublemaker before but as he has raced more and more, he has also matured and become more stable. He can leave pretty well and even if he is in tough, he is good enough to win".
The coldblood 6 Fyri (V86-3) doesn't look impressive lately.
"He is much better than what his past performances say, but he is not safe and he easily makes breaks. He has won nine races this year and he strong and tough and he can do the hard work himself. I would say it's 50/50 that he trots and if he does then he is good enough to win".
One of the best horses in the stable
The Hamre stable has three starters in V86-5 and Frode drives 7 Hede Darling himself, which is a bit surprising.
"I think he is the best horse out of my three in the race. Hede Darling is very capable and is for sure one of the best horses in my stable. He has made two starts for us, in the first start he made a break and in the second start he was sick. I trained him in 1:14/2,100 meters at Jarlsberg a few days ago and he felt fantastic. He has it all and can win even if he gets a tough trip".
You have two more starters, what is their status?
"2 Bill's Man won his last start in a good way. He has a good post and I hope he can get to the lead. Always On Time is the fastest one out of the gate but I think Bill's Man can be the first one on him to take over the lead. He could win".
"11 Ble du Gers is a fantastic horse in many ways. He won last time out and beat Stoletheshow. Ble du Gers always wakes up when it gets colder outside. He drew a bad post position and I can imagine that the driver will be aggressive since the horse is better when he sits close to the front and he doesn't mind going first up. I have three good horses in the race and I hope one of them will win".
At last, Frode Hamre has two starters in V86-7 and he drives 5 Oz himself.
"I think he is my best chance to win of all of them. He has won several races lately and has improved with every start. He trains really strongly and has a good post and I am aiming for the lead. If we don't get there we can still win, that's how good this horse is now".
"I also have 10 Code Young in the race. He finsihed third in the Norwegian Derby and has made a lot of money in a short period of time. He is in tougher now and I think winning might be too tough for him even if he still trains very well. He will race with a pull-down bridle for the first tme and that's the only equipment change on all of my starters".