While Klampenborg prepares for Saturday’s Bucherer Danish Derby, Norway found its new potential Derby favourite on Thursday evening. The Niels Petersen-trained Phantom Bling wore down the otherwise dominant Super Smooth in the Derby Trial at Øvrevoll – setting course for the Norsk Derby on home turf on August 23.
Super Smooth (Quarterback), who two weeks ago won the Scandinavian Championship for three-year-olds by more than 16 lengths, set off in front as usual.
But this time there was no escape in the end: Carlos Lopez did not get the best of starts on Phantom Bling (New Bay), but solved the task perfectly and settled matters convincingly for a one-length win – with a further three lengths back to Nouvelle Fleur (Study Of Man) in third.
“He is still a little green, but he produced a massive race today. I won’t compare him with the horses running the Danish Derby on Saturday, but Phantom Bling has to be an obvious winning candidate in the Norsk Derby,” said Niels Petersen after the win.
Phantom Bling is owned by Bling Enterprise and was bred by Branton Court Stud in England – and the ambitious owner could note a double later in the evening, as the Jan-Erik Neuroth-trained Galactico Bling (Galileo) under Oliver Wilson made all in the Elite Handicap, a length ahead of Simply Minds (Belardo) and stablemate Schamyl (Appel Au Maitre).
“The trip is a little short for Galactico Bling, so perhaps we will try the Stockholm Cup with him. And I am very pleased with Schamyl, whom we are aiming at the Marit Sveaas Minneløp,” said Neuroth.
The evening had opened with another show of strength from Al Rihla (Caturra), who made every yard under Lorenzo Putzulu and won the two-year-old race by almost ten lengths – ahead of stablemate Hannibalatthegates (Profitable).
Amateur trainer Kieran Watson, who took his first career win with Al Rihla two weeks ago, was now responsible for the first two home.
In the maiden race, the longshot Buck’s Model (Economic Model) provided the surprise of the evening, as the Norwegian-bred gelding under Jules Mobian held on by a head from Perfect Panda (Showcasing) after racing prominently throughout. Cathrine Erichsen trains the Buck Racing homebred, who is now aimed at the Drømmemilen on Norwegian Derby Day.
There was plenty of Danish flavour: the Danish-bred Run For Justice (Wentworth) fought back against Zofi (Mutajally) to win the Bronze Division by a neck for trainer Are Hyldmo and Jacob Johansen.
And the amateur riders’ Høymyr Hesteutstyr Cup V produced a Danish-bred 1-2-3, as Hallvard Soma’s stablemates and full siblings Happiness (Juniper Tree) and Holiday (Juniper Tree) pulled clear to finish ahead of Miss Percy (Sir Percy). Ida Tandberg rode the winner for Stall Fighting Spirit.
The evening’s final race, the Norsk Galopp Cup Bronze Sprint worth NOK 50,000, was a masterclass in front-running, as Carlos Lopez sent the lightning-fast starter Honorah (Ardad) into the lead and was never threatened – winning by a good length from Heart Of Kabeir (El Kabeir) – for amateur trainer Poul Laursen’s second win of the year.
