V86®: Werder makes the trip to Solvalla
Two racehorses in the stable.
Stephanie Werder is off to a flying start of the year and hopes for continued success when they both show up on V86®.
Stephanie Werder takes the trip to our capital this Wednesday.
She brings with her two mares that have shown good form lately. 2 Ten O'Clock (V86-2) has in a short time, impressively won two straight starts, and stablemate 9 Dancing Days (V86-6) was recently an upset winner on V75®. The duo now shows up on V86, which this week is split between Solvalla and Bergsåker.
The 5-year-old Ten O'Clock was winless in the first 28 starts of her career, but since joining the Werder stable last fall, the mare has gone through an apparent transformation. The mare broke her maiden at the beginning of February and followed that victory up by winning again, just a few days later, easily from the lead.
"Everything has worked out perfectly for Ten O'Clock now. A lot has changed for her, new feed, training schedule, pretty much everything. She also needed a bit more time than we first thought, but have that has paid off now," says Stephanie, and continues talking about the impressive effort last time out:
"Yes, she was like a new horse. We must have gotten some of the pieces right, I think it's a combination of everything we have worked on".
There were only four days in between the two wins. Could that have made her better?
"No idea. I happened to enter her to two different tracks that week...so, both yes and no, you could say. Racing back-to-back within a few days is good, as long the legs hold up for it, but she seems to have found stability now and we see no signs of the bone fragility disorder she was suffering from earlier".
She starts from post two in volt start this time, how will that work out for her?
"Very well. She can leave fast from there, so we are happy with the draw. She doesn't need the lead, she races well from behind too. but she has raced very well in the lead in two starts now so we hope she can get there again," says the trainer, who also informs about a possible equipment change:
"We will try to take some weight off her in training before this start, both mares are going to train together at Jägersro. We would like to try an American sulky on Ten O'Clock too, but since it's volt start this time, she won't be able to race in it. But it will be interesting with less weight, she has never tried that before, we will have to try and see exactly how it will be on Wednesday".
So, we have to assume she has a good chance to win again?
"Of course, a lot has to work out, but I assume that they will be in the same form as they have been in for some time now, and if it works out, it could be fun".
Post position is a big advantage
The second starter from the Werder stable is, as mentioned, Dancing Days.
The mare has raced well for quite some time now and at the end of January at Axevalla, she was the upset winner on V75. But, when she last time out, at Åby, raced on V75 again, she had no chance after a tough first up trip.
"She just doesn't like racing first up. It has nothing to do with her not being strong enough for it, she just doesn't like racing there, that's the only trip she doesn't like. In hindsight, we should have left harder with her and we could have ended up in the pocket instead, but that's easy to say after the race. She can only be used once in a race and if you use her hard early, she's just an average horse at the end, but if you can save that speed until the end, she is faster than most".
Her win two starts ago came after a lightning-fast finish.
Considering the mare's ability to close and her speed, post position nine behind the gate might not be all that bad?
"Yes, I think the post is a big advantage. We were very happy to see that. I was hoping for post nine to twelve, preferably twelve since she has won from that post before," says Stephanie with a laugh.
"I also think that I have had a hard time getting the best drivers on my horses lately, but now I have Ken Ecce and he knows the horses, which I think also is an advantage here".
It sounds like Dancing Days should also be considered a winning candidate?
"Yes, well it might be tough to win since we are in against Katja Melkko's horse (4 Yucatan Diamant Editor's Note) who seems to be the real deal. I don't know how he can leave, but hopefully, he can do the hard work upfront, so that we can give him a run for his money at the end. It wouldn't be too bad to finish second behind a horse like that either".
Chances are, you could have a nice outing at Solvalla?
"Yes, we hope so. It will be a late night, we might have to stay over," says Stephanie Werder.