V86®: The hometown trainer could have a great night
Lars I Nilsson has the potential to become the man of the night on V86®.
The Jägersro licensed trainer starts four horses at his home track and he thinks neither of them should be ignored by the bettors.
"On paper, both Here's Johnny Sox and Sweetman can win, as long as they get good trips".
The Lars I Nilsson stable closed out last year strongly and is off to a promising start in 2024.
A look in the program for the Wednesday V86, which Jägersro co-hosts with Solvalla, tells you that the trainer has good possibilities of leaving the track with a win or two.
Already in the first leg we get to see the flagship of the stable, 6 Sweetman (V86-1).
The front runner comes out in Vintersprintern, after two starts in the gold division on V75®. Last time out, at Solvalla, the race did not pan out the way the connections had hoped for the 8-year-old. Sweetman had no chance of holding up the lead from his inside post and ended up parked outside the leading favorite High On Pepper and that is a trip the horse does not like.
"The inside post didn't work out for Sweetman and Adrian Kolgjini tried to make a move to the lead but got hung out. The pace was high throughout the race and we can just disregard that start," says Lars I Nilsson.
Is the horse in the same form now as he showed earlier this winter?
"He definitely is. We had high hopes for him in his last start and he should be just as good now. He has felt good after his last start and I think it's an advantage for him to start further out behind the gate, it's easier to go forward from there and he usually leaves very fast from out there".
The tactic for Sweetman this time is pretty much given?
"Yes, we hope to get past the inside horses and get to the lead and if he does, he should have a great chance to win the race. There are other horses in the race and you never know what their drivers have planned, of course".
Both could finish top three
In the third V86 leg, the Lars I Nilsson stable has two starters.
2 Brother Michael made his first start for his new trainer a winning one a year ago, but has been unable to win a race after that. Last time out, the gelding returned to the racetrack after a five-month long hiatus and finished third.
"We were happy with him in his return, last time out. He got a good post here since he can leave pretty well. We hope to get past the inside horse and get a pocket trip and he could finish top three with a trip like that. I don't know if Lövgren's horse could end up in the lead, but either way, that's a very good horse," says Lars, meaning 4 Ytowns Magic, who has been impressive in two straight wins.
What about 3 Vancouver High, who has made breaks in two straight V75 starts. Some bad luck lately, it seems?
"Yes, something like that. Two starts ago, he made a break 50 meters before the finish line with a chance to win, against good horses. He has raced with set earplugs and an earhood earlier, but we had removed them for that start and he got too excited, that's why he made that break. We will put that back on him again and hope that he will mind his manners".
He is a pretty capable horse, isn't he?
"Absolutely, he’s good for the class he's in. He’s good enough for V75 and last fall he was very stable, even if he has gone off course a bit lately. We want to see him stay flat and race a normal race again, but he's a tough race who can do some of the work himself too. We have hopes for both horses to finish top three, it will be hard to beat Lövgren's horse, but he could have a bad day, of course".
"The breaks don't worry me"
The fourth and last V86 starter rom the Lars I Nilsson stable is 10 Here's Johnny Sox (V86-5).
The son of Bold Eagle has been a frequent visitor in the winner circles the last few months and last Christmas he won the final of Class 1 after also having won two of the legs. Last time out, in Kalmar, he made two breaks, though.
"He ran out in the turn by stable entrance and made a break and after that he couldn't get his gait together. We don't know why, if he hit himself somewhere or stepped on himself, but it looked very odd. After that start he's been fine and has trained great, he is happy and content so I think he will race well this week".
So, the breaks in his last start do not worry you?
"No, they don't. As I said, we have no good explanation to them, but the horse feels good just as he did before that start. He has been very consistent before that last start".
It should be a good chance to win for Here's Johnny Sox?
"Yes, he has raced great and has won both a couple of legs and a final in STL. He has reached a good level and we hope that he will continue like that".
Volt start this time and your horse starts from post seven, where he can turn further back and get a quick start. Is that a good or a bad thing for him?
"I think it's a very good thing for him. From that post he can turn in time, find his footing, and it's good that he doesn't have horse all around him. If he stays calm, he should be able to get a really good start".
Sounds like both Here's Johnny Sox and Sweetman have a good chance to win?
"Yes, I think so. On paper, they both have a good chance to win, as long as they get good trips. Things can always go wrong in a horse race, but we are optimistic," says Lars I Nilsson.