V85: After the phenomenal return: Baron Tilly doubles the distance in Harper Hanover’s Race
Right after a lengthy layoff, Baron Tilly showed up at Färjestad and delivered a spectacular comeback.
Now the former top juvenile star appears in a star-studded field in Solvalla’s long-distance classic Harper Hanover’s Race.
"The way he looked last time was phenomenal and we were very happy to see that,” says trainer David Persson ahead of Saturday’s V85 during Elitloppet weekend."
The week Swedish harness racing has been waiting for is here.Elitloppet weekend is approaching with three race days packed with top-class racing action. Saturday’s main event, according to many, is Harper Hanover’s Race, the long-distance classic over demanding three laps at Solvalla with SEK 1 million awaiting the winner.
In "Harper’s," 9 Baron Tilly(V85-7) makes his 30th career start.The horse who among other things won the King’s Trophy during his four-year-old season recently made a comeback that created major buzz. Eight and a half months after his previous start, Baron Tilly returned, now as a gelding, and crushed his rivals at Färjestad.
The six-year-old stopped the clock in 1:09.6 in his first start over sprint distance.
"The feeling is good. He is coming off a strong performance and of course we hope and believe he will be in the same fine condition on Saturday," trainer David Persson says over the phone on Monday morning.
You have to say it was a really eye-catching return?
"It absolutely was. Sure, he got a decent trip, but the way he looked was phenomenal and we were very happy to see that. We had gotten a few indications beforehand that he would also be very sharp, so we still expected the horse to perform quite well."
In "Harper’s," 9 Baron Tilly(V85-7) makes his 30th career start.The horse who among other things won the King’s Trophy during his four-year-old season recently made a comeback that created major buzz. Eight and a half months after his previous start, Baron Tilly returned, now as a gelding, and crushed his rivals at Färjestad.
The six-year-old stopped the clock in 1:09.6 in his first start over sprint distance.
"The feeling is good. He is coming off a strong performance and of course we hope and believe he will be in the same fine condition on Saturday," trainer David Persson says over the phone on Monday morning.
You have to say it was a really eye-catching return?
"It absolutely was. Sure, he got a decent trip, but the way he looked was phenomenal and we were very happy to see that. We had gotten a few indications beforehand that he would also be very sharp, so we still expected the horse to perform quite well."
Handled the layoff the right way
That Baron Tilly has been blessed with sky-high ability is nothing new.
But despite winning half of his starts during the year, the trainer had openly admitted he had not always been completely satisfied with his horse. Still, judging by the impression last time, the horse seems to have handled the long layoff the right way.
"Yes, it seems that way. First he was gelded during the break, then he had knee surgery and throat surgery, but at the same time he has been able to train a lot afterwards. So the feeling is that the layoff has done him good. At the same time he has only made one start since then and before that things had not really gone smoothly for him for about a year and a half; of course we want to see him continue to perform well before we celebrate," says David, adding:
"But right now we are very satisfied and happy, then we will see on Saturday evening how we feel."
Do you feel the horse has moved forward a lot with the last start in his legs?
"Hard to say. As I said, he had trained a lot before that race, but at the same time he was not super prepared either, so I would like to believe he should move forward from it."
Now Baron Tilly fits almost perfectly into the conditions of Harper Hanover’s Race. Was this your plan all along?
"We had definitely seen the race on the condition sheet, I can admit that, although it was still a long way off especially considering the horse’s history. Now it is double the distance on Saturday and naturally it becomes something completely different, but historically the horse is very strong. It will be a completely different challenge on Saturday compared to last time but as I said, he has definitely raced well over these distances before, there is no denying that."
But despite winning half of his starts during the year, the trainer had openly admitted he had not always been completely satisfied with his horse. Still, judging by the impression last time, the horse seems to have handled the long layoff the right way.
"Yes, it seems that way. First he was gelded during the break, then he had knee surgery and throat surgery, but at the same time he has been able to train a lot afterwards. So the feeling is that the layoff has done him good. At the same time he has only made one start since then and before that things had not really gone smoothly for him for about a year and a half; of course we want to see him continue to perform well before we celebrate," says David, adding:
"But right now we are very satisfied and happy, then we will see on Saturday evening how we feel."
Do you feel the horse has moved forward a lot with the last start in his legs?
"Hard to say. As I said, he had trained a lot before that race, but at the same time he was not super prepared either, so I would like to believe he should move forward from it."
Now Baron Tilly fits almost perfectly into the conditions of Harper Hanover’s Race. Was this your plan all along?
"We had definitely seen the race on the condition sheet, I can admit that, although it was still a long way off especially considering the horse’s history. Now it is double the distance on Saturday and naturally it becomes something completely different, but historically the horse is very strong. It will be a completely different challenge on Saturday compared to last time but as I said, he has definitely raced well over these distances before, there is no denying that."
Could have been competitive in the Elitloppet
The long-distance race during Elitloppet weekend always delivers a first-class field and this year is no exception.
Gaining Experience, who has looked unbeatable in his three wins this year, starts from the starting distance. Together with Baron Tilly, starting with a 20-meter handicap are winning machines such as Call Me Gleipner, Erik the Phantom and Eminent Kronos, while from the 40-meter handicap come High on Pepper and the French brigade led by defending champion Inmarosa.
"It will require a lot to win. We cannot go into a race like this thinking we are just going to win, everything has to work out and flow perfectly for us if it is going to be enough. But I would not be shocked if we win, we will go out there to enjoy ourselves and try to race him with the horse's best interest the whole way, then we simply have to see how things develop over the final kilometer," says David, who is still considering the equipment:
"We are thinking about it a little. He raced with a can’t-see-back bridle last time, but it could be that we use a pull-down bridle now, we will see during the week how things develop."
By the way, was it never discussed that Baron Tilly could perhaps have been a horse for the Elitloppet instead?
"Absolutely it was. Ola Lernå (Solvalla racing director editor’s note) called me to check in a little, to see where our interest stood even if Baron Tilly was maybe not at the very top of his priority list. I do not know, but with a few days to reflect on the Färjestad race I think he would have been competitive even in the Elitloppet, but at the same time he has only made one start after the layoff and after discussing it with both the driver and the owners we felt that the Elitloppet might be a little too tough right now."
After Saturday then, do you have a clear plan for him?
"No, we are taking it one start at a time with him. But of course, considering the race last time, it opened a few doors for us to potentially have a fun season with him. But as I said, he has only made one race so far, we want to see him put together more good races first. So I am really boring, but I have to say that phrase: we are taking it one race at a time with him and then we will see."
Improving form after the stay in FranceThe Axevalla trainer also brings another horse to Saturday’s V85.
3 Kaxig In (V85-3) raced during the autumn and winter in France but has been back home for some time and has made two starts. After a very sharp win at Färjestad two starts ago, the horse most recently finished fourth in the Silver Division at Åby. Now a final in the same class awaits.
"I think he has done well in these two starts. At Färjestad he equaled the national record and last time he finished really well, that was good for being him and it will be exciting to see him on Saturday. I think he will race well but I am fully aware it will probably be difficult to win because we are facing very, very strong rivals. At the same time the horse is definitely improving in form and we will see, if Björn Goop can give him an ground saving trip I do not think he will embarrass himself anyway. The draw turned out well, he has struggled with bad posts quite often, he can leave pretty well too so he could get a nice trip," says David Persson.
3 Kaxig In (V85-3) raced during the autumn and winter in France but has been back home for some time and has made two starts. After a very sharp win at Färjestad two starts ago, the horse most recently finished fourth in the Silver Division at Åby. Now a final in the same class awaits.
"I think he has done well in these two starts. At Färjestad he equaled the national record and last time he finished really well, that was good for being him and it will be exciting to see him on Saturday. I think he will race well but I am fully aware it will probably be difficult to win because we are facing very, very strong rivals. At the same time the horse is definitely improving in form and we will see, if Björn Goop can give him an ground saving trip I do not think he will embarrass himself anyway. The draw turned out well, he has struggled with bad posts quite often, he can leave pretty well too so he could get a nice trip," says David Persson.