V86®: "One of the horses who can win - both here and in the Kriterium"
We are getting closer to the eliminations for the Swedish Kriterium and the Oaks. In three weeks the best three-year-olds will square off at Solvalla and this Wednesday and some of them are racing on V86 this week.
One of them is Robert Bergh's best three-year-old Night Art, who has won five out of nine career starts.
"He is good enough to be one of the horses who can win both this race and the Kriterium" says Oskar Florhed, second trainer in the Bergh stable.
Wednesday, September 14 is the date for the eliminations to the Swedish Trotting Kriterium and the Swedish Trotting Oaks. This Wednesday, some of the best three-year-olds in the country are getting ready for the eliminations to the most important race of the year. V86 Xpress is back and the card is split between Bjerke (Norwegian Derby eliminations) and Solvalla. At the Swedish capital track, there are several nice three-year-old races for both colts and fillies. In the last leg, Ibrahim Pascha's Race, Robert Bergh is racing the very capable Night Art. The Googoo Gaagaa colt has won five out of nine career starts and he was tremendous when he won Margaretas Tidiga Unghästserie, two starts ago. Night Art was forced to a ferocious pace - 1:11.3 the first kilometer - but fought bravely and still managed to hang on for the win. In his last start, he made a break in the start, though.
"7 Night Art (V86-8) was too sharp last time out and almost crawled out of his harness in the start. He is not to be trusted in the start. Two starts ago he was fantastic when he won that Margareta race. He feels great in training and he is always very calm and quiet at home" says Oskar Florhed, second trainer in the Robert Bergh stable.
"So far he has shown that he is our best three-year-old. Personally, I thought that some of the others would step up but Night Art is the best one right now. He is very capable and has a lot of speed, he is easy to train and to keep sound. You can drive him however you want, if you leave hard with him it's no problem to rate him, he never pulls. It's just the start that has been his Achilles heel".
"There is much more to do - many more gears left in him"
Night Art is the favorite to win the SEK 100,000 first prize on Wednesday. He starts from post position seven behind the gate, with trainer Robert Bergh in the sulky.
"It's better for him to have a post position far out, than one, two or three. They have to trot a bit faster out there and it suits him better. I actually think the horse is very quick out of the gate if he minds his manners, but you can't just send him".
"The horse is good enough to be one of the horses who can win both this race and also the Kriterium. Night Art has that kind of good qualities. No changes on him. He still races with heavy front shoes and barefoot behind, open bridle and a set earhood. There is much more to do there going forward. There are many more gears left in him, when he is ready." says Oskar Florhed.
Power's little sister chasing her first win
The Robert Bergh stable has one more V86 starter. La Donna goes out in the fourth leg and she doesn't seem to be among the favorites. She is winless so far in ten starts, but she has two second places and four thirds. She starts from the inside post behind the gate this time and she is a younger sister to Power.
"1 La Donna (V86-4) closed well in her last start, but so far it feels like she is half asleep in the races. She has gotten some tough trips but this time she has a good post position and can get a nice trip. She can leave OK, I would say she is average out of the gate. It's a good post for her, but she is in tough and she is here to learn. We will take this start as a tightener for the Oaks elimination. No changes on her either" says Oskar Florhed.