V86®: Macahan ready for his seasonal debut
He was brought along nicely and gently but still finished fourth in the Swedish Trotting Derby last year.
This Wednesday, Macahan makes his first start of the year at home at Åby. He is one of trainer Maria Törnqvist's favorite horses.
"He is pretty big and heavy, and I'm sure he needs this start, but I won't be surprised if he still wins. I think Macahan should be considered a winning candidate," she says about the V86® start on Wednesday.
The third week of April is a week that Maria Törnqvist has planned for and thought about, for a long time.
After a great 2024 with earnings of SEK 9.5 million to the stable, the time has come for her two best horses to make their seasonal debuts.
To avoid the two biggest stars of the stable racing against each other, she had to think long and hard what was best for both horses when planning their individual 4-years-old campaigns last year. The same dilemma reoccurred this year. Macahan closed out his season already in the middle of October and was put away fresh and sound. Stable mate Bicc's Tobee kept racing and finished second in the Breeders Crown, where he made SEK 800,000, beaten only by the longshot Eclipse As, who out tripped him.
Bicc's Tobee is entered to V75® at Klosterskogen, Norway this Saturday and Macahan starts off his season at home, at Åby, on Wednesday.
"Macahan and Bicc's Tobee are the best horses in my stable. I didn't want to race them both in the Breeders Crown. We'll see how it goes this year. Both have felt good in training this past winter and it will be exciting to see them race again," says Maria Törnqvist.
Macahan against older horses
Macahan won his elimination and finished fourth in the final of the Swedish Trotting Derby. He also qualified for the final of the King's Trophy (made a break in the final) and he is one of the best of his crop in Sweden. He has been brought along carefully and according to the trainer, he has the makings of a horse that could get better with age.
6 Macahan (V86-1) faces older rivals on Wednesday, and he is the only 5-year-old in the first leg of V86®.
"It is what it is when it's a seasonal debut, and you know the horse is not going to be in top form. He is pretty big and heavy, and I'm sure he needs a start. But the race didn't come out all that tough on Wednesday, and he should have a chance to win," says Maria Törnqvist.
Carl-Johan Jepson drove the horse in the Swedish Trotting Derby and will do so also in the seasonal debut.
"Either Jepson will try for the lead, or give the horse a nice trip. Macahan always races well off cover. Winning this start is not as important for us as the way he races. But he should still be considered on the V86 tickets," she says.
A slimmer star
Six months have passed since the horse last raced. He is entered barefoot, only upfront.
"He will not race with his optimal balance on Wednesday. The plan is that he will race at Åby on May 3 in the big race for 5-year-ols (Lyon Grand Prix). I hope, of course, that he is good enough to race against the best 5-year-olds and to continue to progress. He likes to train and thinks it's fun and he has grown into his big body now," says the Åby trainer.
Macahan is not as heavy anymore. More of a complete racehorse, rather.
"I gave him a shorter season last year, so that he would continue to progress this year. He's getting there. I don't think he's as heavy of a horse anymore. I have trained him a bit faster the last few weeks and he feels great."
Enough about Macahan. You have two more nice horses that will be heavily used on the V86 tickets. 11 Soulmate Pellini (V86-3) makes his seasonal debut. The 4-year-old was one of the favorites in his V75 debut at the end of December, but made a break, What happened?
"Too bad he drew such a bad post position here. He's a very nice horse that we have big hopes for this year. I hope he can still be a factor, despite the post position. Him making a break in V75 was partly my fault, I shouldn't have raced him in a volt start race. But he was good after that break and he has looked great all winter. Due to the post position, i have to lay a bit low regarding his chances, after all. He will race barefoot upfront."
Five wins in nine starts so far for 1 Fawaz Mill (V86-7) after joining your stable. He won in V75 at Halmstad two starts ago, back in March. In the final at Solvalla, he made a break. What happened?
"I made a mistake with his equipment, last time out. Fawaz Mill is still in good form. Post one in volt start is great and he should be able to leave fast again. He's a nice horse and i hope he will be in the photo. I don't know yet if he will race with or without shoes, We will decide after the warmup," says Maria Törnqvist.