V86®: Törnqvist happy with her Fighter
Maria Törnqvist's Fighter Simoni had three consecutive wins back in the fall. The five-year-old has raced well twice in a row now behind Ikaros Sisu on V75®.
The Åby-licensed trainer is happy with how it looks on paper for this week's V86® start at the home track.
"My feeling is that he is better when racing from behind so starting in the second tier is very good for him".
With around 60 horses in training and an all-time high in earnings for the stable in 2021, Maria Törnqvist has gotten a pretty good start to the new year.
A win in the fourth start of the year at Örebro and a second place finish in V75 this past weekend means she is at ease.
"It's always nice to get that first win of the year" says Törnqvist, who has six employees at her farm Däningsholm in Essunga, 85 kilometers northeast of Gothenburg.
The now five-year-old Fighter Simoni has been in Maria's training since he was a yearling. The gelding was not the early kind, but the trainer is happy with the progress he has shown lately.
This past fall the gelding had three wins in a row before the aim was set at V75. In December, Fighter Simoni was brilliant in a Class 2 leg at Åby and he also finshed fifth in the final at Solvalla on Boxing Day, December 26.
Both times he lost to Thomas Uhrberg's star trotter Ikaros Sisu.
"Uhrberg's horse is a top trotter but had mine just gotten out earlier at Åby, you never know. He was last turning for home and closed fast to finsih second" says Maria.
Agressive drive in the final
On Wednesday the distance is 2,640 meters in V86-7 at Åby. Fighter Simoni drew post position nine behind the gate in a ten horse field.
In the Class 2 final at Solvalla he had post position twelve and finsihed fifth, where he after an early move trotted the last kilometer parked outside the leader.
"I don't know why Jepson made that move. Maybe they were going very slow at that point. We were happy with him again but my feeling is that he is better from behind. So I think it's great that he starts from the second tier on Wednesday" says Maria Törnqvist.
What do you think of his chances to win?
"I think it's an even field where three or four horses stand out and mine is one of them. He has just gotten his regular training in between starts to keep him sound and fresh. 2,640 suits him well since he is more strong than quick".
Fighter Simoni seems to be under development?
"He has always been a capable horse. He has been a bit slow to develop both mentally and physically, but he grew up quite a bit as a four-year-old. He's a very good horse and we have never pulled his shoes or raced him with pullouts or anything like that. So I think there is more development to come this year for him".
It sounds like you are optimistic about the Wednesday start?
"Yes, I think I have to be".