Gocciadoro wins two of three Sweden Cup elims

Three elims of the Sweden Cup (elims purses to winner 8,600€, distance 1640 meters autostart) are in the books and these upper-level harness racing horses showed great speed at Solvalla in Sweden.

In elim one the Italian owned and bred Diamond Truppo (5m Varenne-Nives Manco-Indro Park) was in control to score in 1.09.8kr (mile rate 1:52.31) for Alessandro Gocciadoro and Pachuni Horse Srl.

This was the winner’s 15^th career victory in 35 starts. Off at 4.95/1 odds he defeated Ideal du Rocher (6g Clif du Pommereux) with Matthieu Abrivard up and Days So Cool (9g Classic Photo) handled by Magnus A. Djuse. Night Brodde and Ante la Roque completed the top five. The first three will be back for the final.

Elim two saw Missle Hill (9m Muscle Hill-India Hall-Garland Lobell) score in 1.09.2kr (mile rate 1:51.34) for Orjan Kihlstrom and trainer/owner Daniel Reden (Stall Zet).

Missle Hill was off at 7.17/1 odds and recorded his 20^th career victory in 83 starts. He was bred by Silver Linden Farms in the USA.

Click Bait (8m Cantab Hall) was second at 2.21/1 for Per Lennartsson and Stefan Melander. Third was 3/1 Just A Gigolo (5m Boccador de Simm) reined by Gabriele Gelormini for Philippe Allaire, the trainer/owner/breeder. Colibri Jet and Lawmaker completed the top five to the line.

In elim three Gocciadoro scored again with 2.54/1 odds Always EK (8m Filipp Roc-Nike EK-Varenne) timed in 1.08.6kr (mile rate 1:50.37). Effebi SRL owns this 24-time career winner in 68 starts and Alessandro Gocciadoro is the trainer.

The 2.9/1 Gio Cash (5m Victor Gio) made a strong late run to be second for trainer/driver Dion Tessalaar. Emoji (8m Broad Bahn) was third for trainer/driver Flemming Jensen, finishing ahead of Super Nice and Chapuy,

The lineup for the final is shown below with driver assignments. The winner will earn 51,600€ for the Sweden Cup victory.

Felicia Zet (6f Ready Cash-Pampered Princess-Andover Hall) gave Orjan Kihlstrom/Daniel Reden their second victory today, this one in the Mares Elite Lady Snarts sponsored for Stall Courant.

Off at 2.11/1 the comfortable front-end winner earned 18,920€ with this 1.09.9kr (mile rate 1:52.47) timed victory to secure her eighth career win in 27 starts. Betting Pacer (7f Maharajah) was second for trainer/driver Bjorn Goop at 7/1 odds with third to 3.1/1 Zeudi AMG (9f Ideale Luis) reined by trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro. Xerava CD and Aurelia Express completed the top five to the line.

To watch the race replay, click here.

The winning dam Pampered Princess (2004, Andover Hall-Bold Dreamer-Donerail) was a great one that earned US$1,648,362 with a three-year old speed mark of 1:53.0. She was bred in New Jersey by Bill Weaver’s Valley High Stable.

Solvalla, ATG, Veikkaus files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink