V86® (jackpot) Raw strength can lead all the way to France
The Gävle horse Neymar Boko became a millionaire last time in the major race Bergsåker Winter Trot after a tremendously strong performance three wide over the final 800 meters.
One of many top performances over the past year that could lead to the gelding being moved down to France soon.
"He lives off his strength and I hope to benefit from that again this time," says Kevin Svedlund ahead of Wednesday’s battle in V86® at Bergsåker.
Third place in the Bergsåker Winter Trot last Saturday was worth SEK 92,000, and with that prize money, the six-year-old Neymar Boko has now passed SEK 1 million in career earnings. A milestone often mentioned for geldings competing in France.
Everything is still at the planning stage. But if the conditions are right, trainer Kevin Svedlund is eager to campaign his star at more southern latitudes this spring or summer.
Svedlund does not want to get ahead of himself.
"A lot can happen, of course, but it would certainly be exciting," says the Gävle trainer.
Next up is Wednesday’s battle in V86® in Sundsvall, where Neymar Boko once again will face Daniel Wäjersten’s Shogun R.R., who finished second in the race last time.
In V86-3, the horses start from the same distance. Last Saturday, Neymar Boko was close to making up 20 meters on his rival.
In Bergsåker Winter Trot it was a suitable long distance. Now it is middle distance.
"He should preferably have longer distances, but it is not a major minus with middle distance either, since it is such a small field. He is not very quick in the volt start but is safe to start with and the tactic is to get ahead of Wäjersten’s horse immediately. I will go forward right away. If we do not reach the lead, we will likely have to do the work on the outside of Shogun R.R., but we will try that first. He races with shoes as usual," says Kevin Svedlund.
Third after a tough trip
In Bergsåker Winter Trot, Daniel Wäjersten placed Shogun R.R. in the lead with 1,500 meters to go and had the immensely strong High On Pepper on the outside. Claes Sjöström moved out after a ground-saving trip with Västerbo Tramp in the closing stages, and the upset was a fact.
Third after his very punishing trip, narrowly beaten at the wire, was Neymar Boko.
"To circle those horses alone out three-wide and finish with them at the wire was really good. The inside trip worked out for Västerbo Tramp, and he was able to come at full speed on the outside of the track. My horse delivered a top performance and should be included on the ticket this time, in my opinion. On paper, Neymar and Shogun R.R. are head and shoulders above in that race. Unless someone gets an overly good trip again," he says.
Just beaten in the final
Neymar Boko’s main merits so far are two V75® victories in January and February last year, plus lower-class performances on the way up through the classes.
The effort last time in elite company was one of the strong gelding’s best races of his career. Perhaps the very best?
"It was one of his best races at least. He did something similar when he was very good in the finals at Solvalla in March in Class 2 leg when he was narrowly beaten before the line by Tretiak. Then we also had to go first three-wide. This horse has delivered many tough efforts," says the proud trainer.
Kevin Svedlund owns the horse on a lease together with Gävle resident Magnus Englund (Rosåker AB).
Robert Dunder initially trained and qualified Neymar Boko, and made four starts with him as a four-year-old before he felt he had run out of solutions with the then-troublesome horse.
"With Dunder, he once ran straight down inside the pylons and straight out in the final turn. That was why they gave up on him when he showed such tendencies. It is hard to say what caused it. He behaved that way quite simply, and we had to work carefully to remove it. He can tilt his head slightly to the right in the turns now, but it is nothing he loses momentum from. He is fully manageable nowadays."
When did you feel he could become really good?
"It has always felt that there is a lot of ability in him; his heart and lungs are good. If everything goes well, he will race on Wednesday, March 18, at Bergsåker again in a 3,000-meter race. The race is written so that, for example, High On Pepper cannot enter. We may have plans for France with him. We have at least started to look in that direction. There are quite a lot of races down there once they have earned over SEK 1 million. Both at provincial tracks and the bigger tracks. He lives off his strength. Here at home, we do not have that many races over longer distances that suit him," says Kevin Svedlund, who also has 9 Fixa Vendil (V86-7) to start on Wednesday.
The mare has some difficulty winning, and Svedlund believes in a top-three spot first and foremost if she can get a trip along the pylons.