V85® (dream jackpot): The long Sylvester Race fitting for the hometown favorite
2025 has been the chestnut’s breakthrough year, with just over a million earned and victories in two of the country’s major staying races.
Börtas Ankare’s trainer, Mimmi Elfstrand, is aiming for the perfect finale with a win in the Sylvester Race at home at Axevalla on New Year’s Eve.
At least SEK 90 million awaits a sole winner on V85®, with the home favorite playing one of the leading roles.
"If the tough race last time isn’t still in his legs, the opposition doesn’t scare me."
For the eighth year in a row, Axevalla hosts the final of ATG’s Winterburst initiative.
The Dream Jackpot is now being paid out, with a potential SEK 90 million (possibly more) to a single winner on V85®.
Hometown trainer Mimmi Elfstrand believes her stable star 13 Börtas Ankare (V85-8) has a real chance in the final race of the year in Swedish trotting. The Sylvester Race is scheduled to finish just before six o’clock on New Year’s Eve.
The chestnut benefits from the home track advantage and the long distance. With just over a million earned this year alone, however, he has to accept starting with double handicaps this time.
In February, Börtas Ankare won the Bergsåker Winter Trot, and in April, the three-kilometer Orebro Int’l, taking both races impressively from the lead.
Mimmi Elfstrand says he also handles racing from behind well.
"Of course, I want as good a start as possible so that he can find a spot. Then it suits him well if he can stay there until the final backstretch maybe, because he is fast. Yes, he is both strong and fast, this one. He really has everything," says Mimmi Elfstrand.
Linda Sedström drives the horse this time. In Travronden’s Gold Watch at Solvalla in mid-December, winning driver Henrik Kihle selected the powerful chestnut as his first choice in the final, and the horse showed top form. Kihle moved up outside the leader and controlled the field with Börtas Ankare.
Margins are extremely small in the sport, and the trainer hopes everything falls into place now.
"He feels good, but he had a tough race last time at Solvalla and has had some massage and things like that afterward to get rid of old lactic acid. Because he really gave it everything. He has done two workouts, but not full ones, so to speak. Now he will just jog up to the start over these days," says Mimmi Elfstrand.
Rounding the opponents to take a seat first over and doing the hard work himself was not the optimal preparation for the Sylvester Race over the base distance of 2,640 meters.
"I don’t think he will be bad in any way, but there is such a small difference between a real top performance and when he is 'just' good. We have to hope that everything is as usual and that it doesn’t turn out to be too close between starts this time," she says.
"Not facing any monsters"
Börtas Ankare is one of two hometown horses in leading roles in the big New Year’s Eve race, with SEK 448,000 to the winner. David Persson sends out the powerhouse 14 Sandokan.
Mimmi Elfstrand feels Sandokan stands out among the opponents.
"When I looked through the entries, I thought it looked manageable for such a big race. There are no monsters he is facing. David Persson’s horse is really good, of course. The others are all good. But no one directly scares me," she says.
Regained his confidence
Börtas Ankare was born in the village of Börtas in Alingsås, about 50 kilometers north of Gothenburg. Hanna Ljunglide bred the star and owns the horse together with her uncle Kent Karlsson.
In the summer of 2023, Mimmi Elfstrand took over the horse, who at that point had mostly made breaks early in his career.
"When I got him, it immediately felt like a horse that would earn a million (SEK). But that he would earn that entire amount in basically one season is, of course, surprisingly good. He was interfering and needed to get a bit fresher and stronger, and to regain his confidence. We also started racing him with boots on his legs to prevent him from hitting himself and becoming sore during races. It’s incredible how good he has become, and he still has development left in him as well," says the proud trainer.
Win or not on New Year’s Eve – how will you celebrate the new year?
"We’ll celebrate with friends in Kvänum: me, my boyfriend, his sister, and some friends. I think New Year’s Eve at Axevalla is great fun. It’s a fun day. It’s most fun if we win."