V86® (jackpot): Tarzan's form stable ready to strike again
His stable is in good form now and he has been piling up wins the last few weeks.
Stefan Melander has a few hot chances on V86® at Solvalla this Wednesday.
"Benchmark feels incredible in training and Xanthis Hilton was great when he won his last start. If he stays flat, he should have a good chance to win" says 'Tarzan', whose horse challenged none other than Barack Face to the finish line, to lose in a photo finish in the spring.
Jägersro and Solvalla are co-hosting V86®, which has a jackpot this week. There is SEK 16 million in the pool for all eight winners picked and a trainer whose horses have come in to very good form right now is Stefan Melander. During the last two weeks, the stable has won six races and has delivered many impressive efforts. Last Sunday, Decision Maker stood out when she took her second consecutive victory and made it to the Breeders Crown final for 4-year-old mares. She won her semi-final very easily and looked great for Björn Goop.
Stefan Melander has cut down his stable gradually in the last few years and he now has 38 horses in training.
"I have said all along that when I turn 60, I will start to cut down. It's been hard to do but we have sold many racehorses and the plan is to come down to 25 horses" says Stefan Melander.
One of the horses offered for sale recently is Benchmark. who won on V86 two weeks ago. He was a buy back for SEK 330,000, but he can raise his value further this Wednesday. Benchmark comes out from post position 10, together with Örjan Kihlström.
"10 Benchmark (V86-2) is a very good horse who has had good form for a while now since he closed very well to finish second at Jägersro on the Derby weekend".
"After that, he got parked out twice in a row but held on strongly, and in his most recent start, he came home faster than 1:10-speed the last 500 meters. You have to be happy with that and he is a nice and capable horse. He fits this class well and has shown that he races well from behind, at Jägersro for instance. He should be able to climb up a few more classes and has felt incredible in training after his last start. If things work out from the second tier, he has a chance to win again. He will most likely race in an American sulky this time, and barefoot upfront again" says Melander.
You also have My Honky Tonk Man in the same race. What are his chances?
"9 My Honky Tonk Man (V86-2) is a nice horse who always does his best as long as he trots. He raced well in his last start and he's a pretty capable horse. But it will be tough for him to win this race".
"Raced incredibly well last time out"
In the sixth leg, the Solvalla trainer sends out two 3-year-olds who are both still maidens.
"2 Andiamo (V86-6) has gotten better and better lately and has raced consistently. I think it's a nice horse who could finish top three again".
"5 Waypoint Sequence (V86-6) came up huge and finished second last time out and she was really good after a tough trip. She is really coming along nicely now and should do well again, even if post five in volt start can be tricky".
Challenged Barack Face – won his last start and is the best chance
The hottest chance on V86 comes in the last leg, where Xanthis Hilton will be the big favorite after his convincing win in his last start. He has earlier this year raced against some of the best 4-year-olds out there, and in May, he challenged Barack Face to a photo finish in Margaretas Tidiga Unghästserie. He now starts from post four behind the gate with Magnus A Djuse in the sulky, who has also driven the gelding in his last two starts.
"4 Xanthis Hilton (V86-8) was great when he won his last start in 1:13.3 over the long distance with volt start. He has raced great several times before and he is very good for his class. He showed how much talent he has this spring when he led most of the race and just lost by a nose to Barack Face. He has made some breaks before, but I hope that's all in the past. If he doesn't make a break, I think he has a good chance to win. He will most likely race in an American sulky now that they start behind the gate, but that's up to the driver. He will race barefoot upfront again, no other changes" says Stefan Melander.