V86®: Shoes and regular sulky in the Elitlopp prep for Borups Victory – "We want the maximum effect in the Elitlopp"
Borups Victory is already qualified for the Elitloppet for the third year in a row and won the Finnish major race in Seinäjoki in his seasonal debut with ease.
On Wednesday he makes his final prep at Solvalla in the Meadow Roads race, also the fifth “E-race”.
"He was good when he won last time but the track was poor and his hooves got a bit worn when he raced barefoot. That’s why we will put shoes on all four feet now and we will also use a regular sulky. This is to get maximum effect when he races barefoot and in a bike in the Elitloppet," says Oskar Florhed, assistant trainer in the Wäjersten stable.
It is starting to get close to the big battle at Solvalla on the last Sunday in May and with just under three weeks to go, the “Fifth E-race” is raced in V86® on Wednesday where the already Elitloppet-qualified duo Borups Victory and Don Fanucci Zet meet. Borups Victory is already set for his third straight Elitloppet after finishing second two years ago and fifth last year. He made a perfect seasonal debut a few weeks ago by winning the Finnish major race Seinäjoki Race. After a very strong finish, Borups Victory sprinted to an easy win. It was snowing that day and the track was therefore not in the best condition given the circumstances.
"2 Borups Victory (V86-6) won in a good way and he has been nice in training afterwards. Normally he only improves when he gets a start in his legs and the goal is for him to be in peak form for the Elitloppet. The weather was bad in Finland and his hooves got a bit worn when he raced barefoot. That’s why we want to save his hooves now so he can hopefully race barefoot in two heats in the Elitloppet. When we race with shoes we might as well race him in a regular sulky too. That way we get maximum effect when he races both barefoot and with an American sulky in the Elitloppet," says Oskar Florhed.
"He will try a can't-see-back-bridle for the first time ahead of the Elitloppet"
Borups Victory won the post position draw in the Meadow Roads race with post two behind the gate while Don Fanucci Zet starts from the far outside in post eight.
"He feels good but you have to remember he is a bit slower with shoes. He is not as quick off the gate with shoes and we will see how Daniel plans it. He was actually quite decent in the winter at Vincennes when he raced a prep race with shoes and finished fifth."
"It will be a can't-see-back-bridle for the first time, he has used an open bridle before but we are testing a few things now ahead of the Elitloppet weekend," says Florhed.
"I have a hard time seeing 16 horses better than Gio Cash in the Elitloppet"
The Wäjersten stable also has another horse in contention for the Elitloppet but without an official invitation yet. Gio Cash finished with a strong late burst to be third in Finlandia-Ajo on Sunday after being far back in the field from the second tier. Daniel Wäjersten said afterwards he was very pleased with the horse and it is no secret they would like Gio Cash among the 16 horses at Solvalla.
"Gio Cash made a fantastic finish and I think if he gets a ticket he will be very strong in three weeks. Our plan has worked perfectly for him to be at his best that day and I think two heats will suit him. Last year he kept improving after a few races and I think he is even better this year."
"Now I am biased, but I have a hard time seeing 16 horses better than Gio Cash in three weeks. So I really hope he gets an invitation to the Elitloppet, he deserves it," says Florhed.
"Mistakes due to inexperience last time – forget that start"
Daniel Wäjersten also has two more starters on the V86 card. In the fourth leg, the charismatic four-year-old Illuminato starts after two straight wins but broke stride last time.
"7 Illuminato (V86-4) got a bit too aggressive from post two in the volt start last time and it was pure inexperience. That was just an accident and should be forgotten. Now that he starts behind the gate, I don’t think there is any risk of making a break. He is a good horse for the class with nice presence but he has only made three starts and raced against easier opposition. We will see how he handles tougher horses now. He still goes basic with training equipment; steel shoes all around, open bridle and a regular sulky again."
"12 Punchboard (V86-8) won in his seasonal debut and was a solid third last time. He had a very bad post and he tends to struggle when he has to go wide for too long as he runs in a bit in the turns. So we lay low due to post twelve. No other changes, he looked good with barefoot upfront last time. Murphy blind on the left side and a regular sulky," says Oskar Florhed.