V86®: Jonna Irri hoping for a show
The 34-year-old Finnish native Jonna Irra is a new trainer at Solvalla as of this past spring.
So far, the best horse in the stable is Majestic Man, of which Jonna is both the breeder and owner.
In V86® at Solvalla on Wednesday, she races the very strong Best In Show As in a race for mares.
"She has a tricky post, but he should be able to finish top three.
In November last year, Jonna Irri showed up on the TV screens from V75 in Eskilstuna and was ecstatic after her horse Majestic Man surprisingly won the silver division.
This past summer, the chestnut gelding finished third in Suur-Hollola-Ajo in Lahti, Finland and he has continued to race well.
Jonna Irri became a trainer at Solvalla back in the spring of this year and today she trains 26 horses at the training center Julmyra, just north of Uppsala, together with her boyfriend Taneli Säde.
"It's huge for a girl like me, coming from a small place in Finland, to be a trainer at Solvalla!" says the 34-year-old who has worked for Pekka Korpi, Petri Salmela and also for Björn Goop at Grosbois, France.
She comes from a trotting family in Finland, where her mother Tuija Irri has been a trainer for many years. Jonna's Brother Joni-Petter is a professional trainer in Tammerfors.
"My mom has slowed down a little bit the last few years and she only trains three horses now. My brother trains at home at the family farm and he has around 40 horses" says Jonna Irri.
The Italian-born Best In Show As was bought from the Johan Untersteiner stable in the summer of last year and she is owned by Iivo Ämmälä in Heby. The five-year-old mare was boxed in when she raced in a 15-horse field (Diamantstoet) on V75 in Östersund, this past summer. She will be back on V75 soon if Jonna gets what she wants.
"Last time out, she raced in a short distance race and started from the second tier, and even if she trotted a new personal best she never had a chance. In the start before that, she won after a first over trip. So her form is good".
In V86-4 she starts with a 20-meter handicap in a 15-horse field and she fits the class well with her earnings of SEK 560,000. But what about the post position?
"I don't understand why she draws in the second tier so much when it's volt start. Now she has post ten on the handicapped volt. She was very good in her last start and the driver was happy and said that she felt like a really good horse. This time, Magnus A Djuse drives again just like when she won. The post position with post three in the second tier might be good for her, she is where she needs to be. No need for her to race at the pylons. She is strong and can do the hard work herself if needed".
How do you like her chances?
"I think she has a chance to finish top three this time. Magnus A Djuse decides the tactics. A lot will be determined by the trip. She will race with shoes this time, she raced barefoot in her last start and it didn't make that big of a difference. The shoes might even help her step away better when it's volt start. After this start I think we will try her on V75" says Jonna Irri.