V86®: Lövdal's winning machine chasing four in a row
He got a flying start to his training career last year and is off to a strong start to the new year.
The Andreas Lövdal stable is constantly adding new, exciting horses and one of them is the Italian winning machine Delon Grif, who has a winning percentage as high as the trainer's.
The gelding is now chasing his fourth straight victory in V86® at Solvalla.
"He's a real tough horse and last time out, he was far from tired when he won. That was the best I have felt him," says Lövdal.
The Solvalla trainer got his trainer's license in August last year, after having worked for Timo Nurmos for many years. Just like his master, Andreas can flaunt a high winning percentage. He had a great start to his training career last year with 11 wins in 26 starts, which gave him a winning percentage of 42.
This year, the stable has four wins in twelve starts, so far, and the winning percentage is 33. The number of horses has gradually increased and new owners have joined the stable in step with the success. Today, he trains 26 horses at the farm Norrby Säteri in Tystberga.
"It has started well and we are pleased. There are always things you can improve and get better at, but I think we are on the right path. New horses have come at a pretty rapid pace, when I first started, we had eight, or nine horses. Pretty soon that number was 15, or 16 and now we have 26 horses," says Andreas Lövdal.
"He is most of all strong – racing first up doesn't bother him"
One of the horses that came to the Lövdal stable last fall was Delon Grif. An Italian-born 5-year-old who had previously raced successfully in his native country. The horse has won ten out of his 27 career starts, which gives him a winning percentage of 37. He has been top three in 15 starts, or 56 percent. Delon Grif has made six starts for Lövdal and it looks like things have come together nicely now as he is sporting a three-start winning streak.
What kind of horse is Delon Grif?
"He is a good and nice Italian horse. He needed some time when he first came here, but now he's on the right path. He is most of all very strong and is not afraid of racing first up. Racing on the outside doesn't bother him and he has won most of his races from the lead or going first up. He's a tough sun of a gun," says Lövdal.
How did you find him in Italy?
"We found him through contacts in Italy and were able to buy him for a group of owners. That was fun. He was a bit sore when he came, but I think we have straightened him out and the results have also started coming".
You said in the winner's circle after he won his last start that that was the best you have felt him?
"Yes, but not just in the race, he felt very good before that start too. He was very loose and alert. That was the best I have felt him and he was far from tired that night".
Has not given up despite post eight – "He is a very tough horse"
On Wednesday, Delon Grif starts again at Solvalla, in a leg of V86. Solvalla co-hosts V86 Xpress together with the Norwegian track Bjerke. He comes out in the eighth and final leg and drew post position eight behind the gate. But since he is a "tough son of a gun", he might be able to get the job done anyway.
"8 Delon Grif (V86-8) is, as I said, a very tough horse and he can do the work himself, but it looks tricky from that post position. I have definitely not given up with such a good horse and we will give it a try".
He is entered to race barefoot behind for the first time for you, but is it also the first time of his career?
"I'm not sure how he has raced in Italy, but I think he has raced barefoot behind there earlier. I will look into that and I am thinking of racing him like that. If he has raced like that in Italy, I think he will race barefoot behind this time".
Could Delon Grif be the poster boy for your stable?
"He sure could. But we have several exciting horses and many nice 3-year-olds, so the stable looks promising," says Andreas Lövdal.