Andreas Lövdal is off to a good start to 2025 and is hot in this week's V86® jackpot card.
The Solvalla trainer himself travels to Åby to race two horses. He also has a horse racing at Solvalla, with Magnus A. Djuse driving.
"I think all my three horses can win if things work out. They all drew well and feel good in training," says Lövdal, who offers some interesting information.
"Ever Loving felt fantastic last time he trained. I haven't felt him better many times, and this week, he will race with a pull-down bridle for the first time."
Åby and Solvalla share this week's V86® Xpress card. A card that is spiced up by a jackpot, with SEK 17 million in the pool for all eight winners picked.
Andreas Lövdal has started the year well, with two wins and two second places in nine starts. He races three of his 17 horses in V86 this Wednesday, and makes the trip to Åby to race two horses himself, while Magnus A Djuse takes care of the horse racing at Solvalla.
"The horses all had fitting conditions this week, and they feel like they are in good form. All three drew well, so it looks interesting," says Andreas Lövdal before we go through the three horses.
"4 Beauty Evo (V86-1) coughed after her last start last year and also came down sick after that race. She was sluggish both before and after that start, but she feels much more alert now. The post position is good, and it looks interesting. If she is as good now as she has been before, no horse in the race is too good for her. If she has a good day, she can absolutely win the race. Last time out, she raced in a regular sulky, but now we go back to the American sulky again. She might race with blinds instead of an open bridle, but I won't decide that until after the warmup. She can leave okay and if you push her out of the gate, she can leave pretty fast," says Lövdal.
"Felt great in training — was flying"
In the second leg, at Solvalla, Ever Loving starts with Magnus A Djuse in the sulky. He raced well when he finished second in his seasonal debut last time out after making a move to sit outside the leader the last kilometer.
"3 Ever Lasting (V86-2) is a very capable horse who beat Fine Manners last fall at one of his victories. He was a bit up and down after that, and he has shown high highs mixed in with some subpar efforts. He was good in his last start and felt fantastic in training today (Monday). I haven't felt him better many times, almost as good as when he beat Fine Manners. It feels like he is getting close to top form again, and he can definitely win the race. He will race with a pull-down bridle for the first time. I tried it in training today, and it worked great. He was flying when I pulled the blinds down," says Andreas.
Two coffin bone fractures for Maksi King
Maksi King is the favorite in the fifth leg, and the horse started his career well for Andreas Lövdal with three straight wins. The first two wins came in the fall of 2023 before he was away from the tracks until last summer, where he won his only start of the year at Färjestad. He then had another long break before he recently returned in Eskilstuna. That was his first start in seven months.
"4 Maksi King (V86-5) has fractured the same coffin bone twice. The first time it happened was when he won his second start, and when he won at Färjestad last year, he fractured that same hoof once again. That's why he has missed so much time. It wasn't as serious this time around, but it was still a fracture."
"A bit sluggish in his return"
"He was a bit sluggish last time out, in his return, but we weren't able to train him the way we wanted before that start because of the weather and track conditions. It was going back and forth between warm and cold and wet and hard. He wasn't as sharp as I wanted him but now, he has that start in his legs and should be quicker and have a better bounce to his stride. He feels more alert in training after that start".
"This time he has a good post, and the conditions are fitting for him here; the long distance is an advantage. This is a strong horse who just keeps coming. He isn't very quick out of the gate, he just leaves okay."
Summer shoes and first time American sulky for Lövdal
Any changes planned for this start?
"Yes, last time out, he raced with corks in his shoes, but he will race with summer shoes on Wednesday. He will also race in an American sulky for the first time for me, but I know he raced in it for his previous trainer in Norway. No other changes, and he could win if he has a good day. His earnings don't match his ability," says Andreas Lövdal.
Who is your best chance in V86?
"I think all three can win with some racing luck. It's hard to put one before the others."