March 10, 2019 – Today top trotting action was at Padova (Italy) with two co-featured harness racing events.
The Gr. III Grand Premio Citta di Padova (purse 40,040€, 1640 meters autostart) saw Zabul FI (4m Ganymede-Sole del Rio-Varenne) score timed in 1.12kr over the half-mile track, with Andrea Farolfi aboard for trainer Mauro Baroncini.
The winner sat the pocket before emerging for stretch surge that increased his career earnings to 205,996€.
Zlatan (4m Napoleon Bar-Nastassia Bar) was second after racing parked out for driver Alessandro Gocciadoro. Zante Laser (4f Maharajah-India di Jesolo-Toss Out) was third.
The other top race was the Grand Premio Padovanelle (purse 40,040€, 1640 meters autostart) and veteran Arazi Boko (12g Varenne-Laura Kemp-Express Ride) benefitted from a pocket trip engineering by driver Alessandro Gocciadoro to win timed in 1.12.3kr. Sonia (8f Donato Hanover-Ele Cod-Uronometro) was second for driver Rene Legati, with third to Viola Trio (5f Nad Al Sheba-Face Trio-Toss Out).
On Saturday March 9 the V75 Gold in Sweden was at Farjestad (200,000SEK to the winner, 2140 meters autostart) with victory to 1.4/1 favorite On Track Piraten (11g Kool du Caux-Monrovia-Rite On Line), his second straight Gold win in 2019.
Rikard N. Skoglund teamed the Hans R. Stromberg trainee that scored in 1.13.1kr, for the 45 time in a 144 race career now for 17,516,005 SEK earned.
9.3/1 Phantasm SOA (6m Cromwell-Uiver H-Uver LB) took the second check for Johan Untersteiner and trainer Anders Lundstrom. Third went to the 89.5/1 longshot Rocky Winner (11m Credit Winner) reined by Oskar J. Andersson for trainer Jorgen Westholm.
Today at Kalmar 2/1 Muscle Hustle (6m Muscle Mass-Crown Lauren-Cantab Hall) scored in the Stayerserien (35,000SEK to the winner, 3140 meters voltstart) timed in 1.14.3kr with trainer Robert Bergh at the lines. Bergh and Ecurie des Charmes own Muscle Hustle that won for the 15th time in 47 career starts now for 3,945,230€ earned.
He last raced in October 2016 in Canada before export.
He is being pointed for a possible Elitloppet appearance in late May.
Thomas H. Hicks