V86®: Lozano di Quattro makes his season debut: "You have to be allowed to dream"
He was a candidate for Elitloppet last year. But then he lost his form.
On Wednesday, the fleet-footed Lozano di Quattro returns after a new training setup this past winter.
"He feels better prepared going into his seasonal debut this year than last year," says a hopeful Per K Eriksson.
Last spring, 8 Lozano di Quattro (V86-4) was mentioned as a hot candidate for Elitloppet.
But after a sub-par effort at home at Mantorp at the beginning of May, those plans were canceled.
The gelding returned later in the season to win a leg of the Silver division and closed out the year by finishing fifth in the final in mid-November.
On Wednesday, Lozano di Quattro will race at Solvalla again, when the track co-hosts V86® with Jägersro.
Highly interesting, of course. We had a little chat with trainer/owner Per K Eriksson going into the seasonal debut.
"It will be an exciting seasonal debut. My horse had a great winter. He was off for about five weeks after his last start, where he never even saw a harness; just got to relax. After that, we trained him a lot in the deep sand track and all that, but the difference compared to previous years is that he got four good heats at the racetrack before his seasonal debut, and he feels better prepared compared to last year," says Per.
Hopeful for this year
Lozano di Quattro started 2024 great with three straight wins.
With the new training setup this past winter, trainer Eriksson hopes that his horse will stay in form longer. He explains:
"He trotted 1:11 just because he felt fresh, being away from racing for a while, and earlier, he wasn't really prepared for that, so after two or three starts, he had a dip and lost his form. Hopefully, he won't do that now. We have trained him at 1:15/2,000 meters twice, and last Thursday, we took him to the track and trained behind the gate, and he trotted around 1:18-1:19/1,600 meters. Earlier I just used to train him at 1:19-1:20."
You sound hopeful for this year?
"I am. He feels very sound and fresh, and it feels like he has taken another step mentally. We have also let his head down a bit, and hopefully, that will give him some more gate speed."
The dream about Elitloppet is still alive
The battle for the Elitloppet spots is, as usual, this time of the year, extremely tough.
Four spots are, as of now, taken, and names are added to that list constantly during the spring. Per does not exclude that his horse could be a challenger for one of the Elitlopp spots, this year again.
"He could be. But he must prove himself. He has shown that he has the talent; he has trotted in 1:09 earlier, and he can trot that fast, and even faster now, I really think so. But, as I said, he must prove himself. The horse will get a couple of starts first before we know which way he might go."
So, the hope for an Elitlopp spot is still there?
"It's always there. You have to be allowed to dream, at least. But of course, we must feel that he has a chance, we don't want to race just to participate," says the trainer and continues about the plans after the seasonal debut.
"We have an elimination to the Paralympic Trot at Bollnäs on April 5 as a possible start; I also got a question from Vermo the other day about racing in Finlandia-Ajo. That's a possibility, but we will see after Wednesday."
V86 on Wednesday first, as mentioned. He must have a good chance to win?
"Yes, I think so. There are a couple of good horses in the race, of course. Nurmos' horse (Keep Gamble) and Spader just to mention two. But Lozano di Quattro has so much talent, normally he will end up battling for the win."