GalopSport’s new time machine ”Sprinter” has a remarkable memory, and RaceTime has used her knowledge to write an article about the highest-handicapped Scandinavian-trained horses of this century.
APPEL AU MAITRE, DANO-MAST AND SQUARE DE LUYNES.
With a maximum handicap of 98, three horses top the list as the best Scandinavian-trained horses of this century. They are Appel Au Maitre, Dano-Mast and Square De Luynes. Their careers are well known, but it is worth refreshing the memory of their performances and those of the other Scandinavian top horses.
Among Appel Au Maitre’s many wins were Svenskt Derby and the Norwegian Derby in 2007, Stockholm Cup International (Gr.3) in 2007 and 2008 and Stockholms Stora Pris (Gr.3) in 2009.
Appel Au Maitre was trained by Wido Neuroth, and Stall Perlen’s legendary stallion has now stood for many years at Stutteri Hjortebo.
At stud Appel Au Maitre is the sire of 11 horses with a handicap of 90 or more.
Suspicious Mind (96), Good Fortune (94), Seneschal (94), Schamyl (92), Appelina (91), My Fortune (91), Titannia (90), Marta (90), Cotton Eye Joe (90), Tin Win (90) and Sir Camelot (90).
Dano-Mast was owned by Stald Composit and Stald Mosehøj and trained by Flemming Poulsen, and he is the Scandinavian-trained horse with the greatest international record of this century.
He won two Group 2 races in France, the Prix Jean de Chaudenay at Saint-Cloud and the Prix Dollar at Longchamp, and he was twice third at Group 1 level, in the Hong Kong Cup and the Grosser Preis von Baden.
In Scandinavia he won two Group 3 races, Stockholm Cup International in 2002 and the Scandinavian Open in 2003, as well as four Listed races. At stud Dano-Mast stood in France, and he became the sire of 52 winners whose progeny have earned 1.3 million euro.
Stall Power Girls’ Niels Petersen-trained Square De Luynes ran only 13 times in his career. He won eight times, and five of those wins came in Group 3 races. Three years running, in 2019, 2020 and 2021, he won Stockholm Cup International (Gr.3).
SIX TOP SPRINTERS WITH A HANDICAP OF 97.
On the list we find six horses that made their mark above all over the shorter distances: Aramus, Duca Di Como, Giant Sandman, Let’sgoforit, Ragazzo and Verde Mar.
Francisco Castro-trained Aramus was imported from Chile in 2001. He won two Group 3 races, the Polar Million Cup at Øvrevoll and Täby Open Championship.
Duca Di Como was trained by Cathrine Erichsen, and he delighted the crowds with his speed out of the stalls. He became both a classic winner, with victory in the Norwegian 2000 Guineas in 2018, and a Group 3 winner, with victory in the Polar Cup in 2019. Both races on Øvrevoll’s turf.
But 15 of his 22 wins came on dirt. And 13 of them were in Listed races. He won Pramms Memorial (L) at Jägersro three times, and for five years running, 2019-23, Tattersalls Nickes Minneslöpning on the Bro Park dirt.
Sandman Stables’ strikingly handsome Giant Sandman was trained by Rune Haugen.
Giant Sandman produced one of the greatest performances by a Scandinavian-trained horse in 2013, when he beat the entire German sprinting elite in the Goldene Peitsche (Gr.2) at Baden-Baden. In Scandinavia he won the Group 3 Polar Cup in 2011 and was successful in five Listed races as well.
Giant Sandman is the sire of two classic winners, A Ladys Dream, who won Mowerinaløb in 2024, and No Surrender, who won Jockeyklubbens 2000 Guineas in 2025 and the same year Breeders’ Prize Sprint and Breeders’ Trophy Classic.
The sprint king, the grey Let’sgoforit, won the Zawawi Cup (Gr.3) at Jägersro two years running, in 2014 and 2015, for Bodil Hallencreutz. He won half of his 42 starts – all on dirt and most of them at Jägersro, among them Lanwades Stud Sprint (L) twice.
RAGAZZO – THE BEST SCANDINAVIAN-BRED.
The Academy Award son Ragazzo is, with a handicap of 97, the only Scandinavian-bred horse on the list of the best horses in Scandinavia of this century.
Stall Trotting-owned Ragazzo was bred in Norway by Johan C. Løken and trained by Annike Bye Hansen. Ragazzo won the Polar Cup at Øvrevoll twice and five Listed races. In all Ragazzo won 13 times, and he had a place percentage of 64.
Verde Mar was born in Brazil and trained by Fabricio Borges.
He won the Zawawi Cup at Jägersro three years running from 2011-13. For the first two years it was a Listed race, but in 2013 it was upgraded to a Group 3. At stud Verde Mar is the sire of Bearfoot, who won Svenskt Oaks in 2018.
SIR LANDO CAME CLOSE TO TRIUMPHS ABROAD SEVERAL TIMES.
Sir Lando is another horse Stall Perlen has on the list, and like Appel Au Maitre he was trained by Wido Neuroth.
As a three-year-old Sir Lando ran in three derbies. In the German Derby he passed the post third, beaten less than four lengths, but was later demoted to fourth. The performance made him favourite for Svenskt Derby. There, however, he had to settle for third. Later, in the Norwegian Derby, it became a second place behind Go Go Gadget.
The following year Sir Lando was second and third in two Group 2 races, both at Cologne, the Gerling-Preis and the Hansa-Preis. But the year brought no wins. Wido Neuroth ran several of his very best horses in Germany, and his son Jan-Erik has continued that tradition.
In 2012 the big wins finally came for Sir Lando. Twice he beat the Scandinavian elite. First in Stockholms Stora Pris (Gr.3), where he beat Without Fear and Bank Of Burden, and later in the year when he won Walter Nilsens Minneløp (Gr.3) at Øvrevoll ahead of the same two horses.
Mandrake El Mago was, like Aramus, imported from Chile and trained by Francisco Castro.
He won a Group 3 in the Marit Sveaas Minneløp in 2004 and three Listed races: Pramms Memorial at Jägersro and Stockholms Stora Pris in both 2003 and 2004. After the 2004 win his partner Manuel Santos said: ”He is a pure Formula 1”.
At stud Mandrake El Mago became the sire of El Gran Mago, who won Breeders’ Trophy Stayer in 2013.
In 2015 Flemming Velin bought the Group 3 winner, the Galileo son Fields Of Athenry, who was trained by Aidan O’Brien and owned by the Coolmore team. And that same year Fields Of Athenry was a fine third in the St. Leger Stakes (Gr.1) at Doncaster.
Unfortunately his Scandinavian career was a disappointment. He was unplaced in his four starts in Scandinavia, and at no point did he run up to his high handicap.
ENTANGLE AND THEATRICAL AWARD THE BEST MARES.
With a maximum handicap of 96, just below the very top, we find several horses that have written Scandinavian racing history. That includes the two wonder mares Entangle and Theatrical Award, who are thus the highest-handicapped Scandinavian-trained mares of this century.
Entangle won two classic races, one group race and eight Listed races. The classic wins came in the Norwegian 1000 Guineas and the Norwegian Oaks in 2009. And in 2011, with Jacob Johansen on her back, she won the Marit Sveaas Minneløp at Øvrevoll ahead of Sir Lando and Bank Of Burden. The Listed wins included the Polar Mile Cup at Øvrevoll three times and Bloomers’ Vase at Täby twice.
After the end of her racing career Entangle was sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in Newmarket for 120,000 guineas.
The phantom mare Theatrical Award was, like Ragazzo, by the highly successful stallion Academy Award, who was owned jointly by Stutteri Hjortebo and York Stutteri. She was bred in Norway by Johan Solbjerg.
Theatrical Award won the Norwegian Derby and the Norwegian 2000 Guineas in 2008. The following year came her most remarkable win, when she took the Marit Sveaas Minneløp (Gr.3) ahead of Appel Au Maitre, who here suffered his first defeat at Øvrevoll.
And in 2010 Theatrical Award managed to beat Appel Au Maitre again in Stockholm Cup International (Gr.3), although both had to give best to the English horse Mores Wells.
Later they met again under more agreeable circumstances, and in 2013 Theatrical Award had a foal by Appel Au Maitre, Lifeofbryan. Lifeofbryan won the Norwegian Championship for three-year-olds, and he was favourite to win the Danish Derby in 2016, but he had to settle for third, several lengths behind the winner Suspicious Mind.
HORSES WE WILL REMEMBER.
With a maximum handicap of 96 we also find several other horses that have shaped the Scandinavian feature races since 2000. Here are some examples.
The two highest-handicapped Danish-bred horses of this century are King David and Suspicious Mind, who both reached a maximum handicap of 96.
As a three-year-old in 2018 King David won Jockeyklubbens 2000 Guineas at Bro Park and the Jutland Derby.
The following year came perhaps his greatest win, when Oliver Wilson delivered a dream ride and secured King David victory in the Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg (Gr.3).
Later in his racing career came two further Group 3 wins – both in 2022, in the Marit Sveaas Minneløp and in Stockholms Stora Pris, just as King David won Pokalløb (L) at Klampenborg three years running, 2020-22. King David is today owned by his breeder, Stutteri Stork, and in 2026 he has covered a fine first book of mares at Stutteri Hjortebo.
The Appel Au Maitre son Suspicious Mind is the most successful Danish-bred horse of recent times with earnings of 4.7 million kroner. He ran for nine seasons, and he won 24 of his 49 starts. Suspicious Mind was bred at Stutteri Hjortebo.
Suspicious Mind won two classic races in 2016, first the Danish Derby and later the Danish St. Leger. As an older horse he impressed above all with three wins in a row in the Scandinavian Open Championship in the years 2020-22.
With a maximum handicap of 96 we also find the two super sprinters Alcohuaz and Beat Baby. Lennart Reuterskiöld-trained Alcohuaz won five Listed races in Scandinavia in 2010 and 2011, and he also made his mark strongly outside Scandinavia.
It became four wins in Germany and France, three of them in Listed races. In Germany Alcohuaz won two Listed races, at Baden-Baden and at Hoppegarten in Berlin respectively. And in France he won a Listed race at Maisons-Laffitte.
There is no doubt that his high handicap reflects performances outside Scandinavia, as is also the case for a number of the other horses mentioned in this article.
Beat Baby was, in the best part of his career, trained by Niels Petersen. He won two Listed races in Scandinavia in 2013, Täby Open Sprint Championship and Jägersro Sprint. He will above all be remembered, though, for his triumph when, as an eight-year-old at Meydan, he won the Gulf News Sport.
Brownie and Valley Chapel also belong in the category with a maximum handicap of 96. Brownie was owned by Lone Kaj-Nielsen and trained by Bent Olsen.
As a three-year-old Brownie won the Norwegian 2000 Guineas, and as an older horse he twice became a Group 3 winner. At Øvrevoll he won the Polar Cup in 2016 and later that year the Marit Sveaas Minneløp, where he beat Hurricane Red and Bank Of Burden, who both ended their racing careers with a maximum handicap of 95.
The triple Derby winner Valley Chapel – so far the last one we have had – fought many duels with his contemporary Dano-Mast. As a rule with Valley Chapel as the better, but there were exceptions.
Valley Chapel was, like Appel Au Maitre and Sir Lando, owned by Stall Perlen and trained by Wido Neuroth.
Besides the three Derby wins Valley Chapel won five Group 3 races as an older horse, among them Stockholm Cup International twice and the Scandinavian Open Championship twice.
Valley Chapel ran in a good many races in Germany and France, often at Longchamp, and he achieved many top placings, but unlike Dano-Mast he never won a race outside Scandinavia.
GREAT WISH THE HIGHEST-HANDICAPPED SCANDINAVIAN-TRAINED HORSE IN 2026.
Not surprisingly it is the Bent Olsen-trained Great Wish who, with a current handicap of 96, tops the list of the best horses in Scandinavian training in 2026. That is due not least to the stallion’s international achievements.
This year it has become three narrow defeats in top international company in Group 1 races. One at Meydan and two at Royal Ascot. And two wins: in the Dubai Sprint (L) at Meydan and in the Group 3 Barrière Prix de Meautry at Deauville, where Great Wish swept all opposition aside and won by five lengths.
In Scandinavia it came to only a single start this year, on the Danish Derby day, where Great Wish won the Zawawi Sprint Cup (L).
Great Wish is by this year’s champion sire in Europe, Night Of Thunder, and owned by Lone og Kaj Nielsens Fond.
This century · Scandinavia
Highest handicap
| No. | Hcp | Horse · pedigree | Trainer | Owner | Breeder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98 |  Appel Au Maitreb. 2004 (FR) · by Starborough (GB) – out of Rotina (FR) (by Crystal Glitters (USA))Trainer: Wido Neuroth · Owner: Stall Perlen · Breeder: Aliette & Gilles Forien | Wido Neuroth | Stall Perlen | Aliette & Gilles Forien |
| 2 | 98 |  Dano-Mastb. 1996 (GB) · by Unfuwain (USA) – out of Camera Girl (GB) (by Kalaglow (IRE))Trainer: Flemming Poulsen · Owner: Stald Composit & Stald Mosehøj · Breeder: P. D. & Mrs. Player | Flemming Poulsen | Stald Composit & Stald Mosehøj | P. D. & Mrs. Player |
| 3 | 98 |  Square De Luynesb. 2015 (FR) · by Manduro (GER) – out of Power Girl (GER) (by Dashing Blade (GB))Trainer: Niels Petersen · Owner: Stall Power Girls · Breeder: Jacques Beres | Niels Petersen | Stall Power Girls | Jacques Beres |
| 4 | 97 |  Aramusb. 1997 (CHI) · by Royal Danzig (USA) – out of Anysha (CHI) (by Baalbek (CHI))Trainer: Francisco Castro · Owner: Malmö Main Air Cargo, Ragnarsson & Bernerup · Breeder: Haras Jockey | Francisco Castro | Malmö Main Air Cargo, Ragnarsson & Bernerup | Haras Jockey |
| 5 | 97 |  Duca Di Comob. 2015 (IRE) · by Clodovil (IRE) – out of Quality Love (USA) (by Elusive Quality (USA))Trainer: Cathrine Erichsen · Owner: Stall Como · Breeder: Crone Stud Farms Ltd | Cathrine Erichsen | Stall Como | Crone Stud Farms Ltd |
| 6 | 97 |  Giant Sandmanb. 2007 (IRE) · by Footstepsinthesand (GB) – out of Sharamana (USA) (by Darshaan (GB))Trainer: Rune Haugen · Owner: Sandman Stables · Breeder: Barronstown Stud | Rune Haugen | Sandman Stables | Barronstown Stud |
| 7 | 97 |  Let’sgoforitb. 2008 (IRE) · by Verglas (IRE) – out of Slewcie (USA) (by Seattle Slew (USA))Trainer: Bodil Hallencreutz · Owner: Bodil Hallencreutz & Barbro L. Wehtje · Breeder: Skymarc Farm Inc. & Castlemartin Stud | Bodil Hallencreutz | Bodil Hallencreutz & Barbro L. Wehtje | Skymarc Farm Inc. & Castlemartin Stud |
| 8 | 97 |  Mandrake El Magob. 1999 (CHI) · by Golden Voyager (USA) – out of Manon Lescaut (CHI) (by Musketeer (USA))Trainer: Francisco Castro · Owner: Malmö Main Air, Nils-Otto Bernerup & Håkan Rosengren · Breeder: Haras Matancilla | Francisco Castro | Malmö Main Air, Nils-Otto Bernerup & Håkan Rosengren | Haras Matancilla |
| 9 | 97 |  Ragazzob. 2009 (NOR) · by Academy Award (IRE) – out of Private Property (IRE) (by Pips Pride (GB))Trainer: Annike Bye Hansen · Owner: Stall Trotting · Breeder: Johan C. Løken | Annike Bye Hansen | Stall Trotting | Johan C. Løken |
| 10 | 97 | Sir Landob. 2007 (GB) · by Lando (GER) – out of Burqa (GB) (by Nashwan (USA))Trainer: Wido Neuroth · Owner: Stall Perlen · Breeder: Stowell Hill Ltd | Wido Neuroth | Stall Perlen | Stowell Hill Ltd |
| 11 | 97 |  Verde Marb. 2007 (BRZ) · by Gilded Time (USA) – out of Jolie Marcia (BRZ) (by Spend A Buck (USA))Trainer: Fabricio Borges · Owner: Fribo Economy & Race Horses AB · Breeder: Haras Santa Rita Da Serra | Fabricio Borges | Fribo Economy & Race Horses AB | Haras Santa Rita Da Serra |
Four names on Sprinter’s official top list were not trained in Scandinavia, and three of them won Stockholm Cup International (Gr.3): Collier Hill in 2004 and 2006, Mores Wells in 2010 and Best Of Lips in 2024. Premio Loco won Pramms Memorial (Gr.3) in 2012.
