RaceTime: The Scandinavian racing season 2025 – the 2-year-olds

We have seen many good, well-bred 2-year-olds on the Scandinavian racecourses in 2025. Some of them only showed their ability late in the season. Bullet Bling is the highest handicapped Scandinavian-trained horse, and he is now to try his luck in Dubai. Taifuu was the year’s ”queen of the finish” with narrow wins at Bro Park in the Svealandlöpning and the Vinterfavoriternas Pris, and at Klampenborg Beethoven, Cosmopolitan and Daylight showed promise in the big 2-year-old races.

A CAVALCADE OF THE YEAR THAT WAS – THE 2-YEAR-OLDS.

RaceTime has already published two articles about the 2025 season. One about the older horses and one about the 3-year-olds who shaped the feature races on the Scandinavian racecourses in the 2025 season.

This article focuses on the 2-year-olds who particularly made their mark, based on the figures of the Scandinavian general handicapper Nicholas Cordrey.

MADE HIS DEBUT WITH A WIN IN A FEATURE RACE.

Bullet Bling (Violence) tops the Scandinavian general handicap for 2-year-olds.

On his debut on 29 October at Jägersro over 1600 metres he won the Skånelandlöpning commandingly by 4 lengths.

The until then unbeaten Papa Joe (Kodi Bear), who was favourite, was second and Ferrari BF (Mo Town), who also made his debut, third.

All three horses currently look as though they could help shape next year’s feature races for 3-year-olds.

Bullet Bling, who is Irish-bred, was bought for 60,000 guineas through Edgar Byrne at the spring Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up Sale in Newmarket, and he is entered for Sweden’s Derby series in 2026.

He is by Violence (Medaglia d’Oro), who was unbeaten as a 2-year-old, when among other races he won the Futurity Stakes (Grade 1). On his first start as a 3-year-old, however, he was injured and had to end his racing career.

At stud Violence is the sire of seven individual Grade 1 winners – among them the winner of the Florida Derby (Grade 1) Forte.

Bullet Bling is in training with Niels Petersen at Øvrevoll, and he is on Niels Petersen’s Dubai team, just as this year’s Norwegian Derby winner War Socks (Kameko) was last year.

”THE QUEEN OF THE FINISH” TAIFUU WON TWO FEATURE RACES AT BRO PARK.

Already on her debut this year at Klampenborg Taifuu (Japan) impressed.

After losing many lengths at the start she was second, beaten by L.T. Racing’s Sweet Sunshine (Iffraaj), who later in the season was second in the Amacitalöpning behind Nova Kalejs (Space Blues).

Taifuu followed up with third place in the Goffs Futurity Stakes, won by Cosmopolitan (Make Believe), and in the Danish Criterium she was second and again had to give best to her stable companion Cosmopolitan.

But then came the wins. In the Svealandlöpning she won after a very close finish.

Oliver Wilson had placed Taifuu among the backmarkers on the way round, and in the straight, from a position along the rails, he had to switch Taifuu to the outside, and only after a fantastic finish did she just manage to beat Lala Lou (Sioux Nation) on the line.

Her next start was in the Vinterfavoriternas Pris, and it was almost a repeat performance.

Again Oliver Wilson placed Taifuu among the backmarkers, and halfway up the straight Taifuu was still second last.

But then she finally managed, with enormous speed and by the smallest possible margin, to beat Carrey Light (Expert Eye), the favourite Antonov (Sergei Prokofiev) and Stall Perlen’s fillies Lala Lou and Nouvelle Fleur (Study Of Man), who all came home close to the winner.

Taifuu is owned by Jakobsen og Rasmussen I/S, who under the name Stald Seaside won the Danish Derby in 2012 with Darcy. She was bred by Stutteri Hjortebo and is in training with Søren Jensen at Enghavelyst.

Taifuu is by Japan (Galileo) and out of Beaufort Twelve (Academy Award), who won the Danish Criterium, the Swedish 2000 Guineas and the Breeders’ Prize Sprint – and who like Darcy was owned by Stald Seaside.

Her sire Japan (Galileo) won the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr.1) and the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr.1) as a 3-year-old in 2019, and the same year he was third in the Epsom Derby (Gr.1) and fourth in the Prix de l’Arc (Gr.1).

There is much to suggest that the horses right behind Taifuu in the Vinterfavoriternas Pris are horses we should follow closely next year.

After his debut win by as much as seven lengths Antonov was favourite to win the Vinterfavoriternas Pris.

He had to settle for third place, beaten a length, but he was rewarded with a handicap of 81, which makes him the fourth highest rated in the Scandinavian general handicap for 2-year-olds.

On the same list the runner-up in the Vinterfavoriternas Pris, Carrey Light, is second. Carrey Light is in training with Patrick Wahl at Bro Park, where he had won two races this year before his second place in the Vinterfavoriternas Pris.

Stall Perlen’s two fillies Lala Lou and Nouvelle Fleur are both still maidens. Lala Lou has on her two latest starts, in the Svealandlöpning and the Vinterfavoriternas Pris, both times been very close to Taifuu, and the well-bred Nouvelle Fleur is the first foal out of the Swedish Oaks winner Nouvelle Lune.

STALL TRICK OR TREAT AND THE DANISH DERBY.

Stall Trick or Treat (Morten Myhre) has proud traditions in the Danish Derby.

This year Grab The Moment (Go Go Gadget) won the Danish Derby, and Stall Trick Or Treat have twice previously won the Danish Derby with the half-brothers Mission Possible (Groom Dancer), who won in 2005 and Quite A Mission (Eishin Dunkirk), who won in 2013.

In 2022 Stall Trick Or Treat’s Hear The Drums, by Appel Au Maitre and out of Jungle Julia, was second in the Danish Derby behind Titannia (Appel au Maitre).

And the following year his full brother Cotton Eye Joe was second behind Slava Ukraini (Moohaajim). Both were bred by Stutteri Hjortebo.

Now another full brother, Bruce Almighty, who like the others is in training with Niels Petersen, is to show whether he can do as well as – or perhaps better than – his brothers did.

After third place on his debut in the Skandinavisk Mesterskap for 2-åringer at Øvrevoll, where he was beaten by Tarantina (In Swoop) and Strike Ten (Alson), Bruce Almighty won the Breeders’ Trophy Juvenile (Tommy Gustafsson Memorial) easily ahead of Strike Ten and Lady Medina (Appel au Maitre).

Bruce Almighty was therefore among the more fancied in the Vinterfavoriternas Pris, but there he disappointed with sixth place.

Tarantina, who is a half-sister to the Danish Derby winner Titannia (Appel Au Maitre) and the dual Danish Guineas winner Tassmania (Sir Percy), is unbeaten in her two starts.

She has not run since her win in the Skandinavisk Mesterskap for 2-åringer at Øvrevoll.

Tarantina is in training with Tobias Hellgren and is owned by Dean and Mette Olsen, who also owned the late Titannia and own Tassmania, who is now a broodmare.

Tarantina has a general handicap of 77 after her 2-year-old season.

Strike Ten, who is in training with Jan-Erik Neuroth, is another horse to follow in next year’s feature races for 3-year-olds.

After a season of nothing but second places, among them in the Breeders’ Trophy Juvenile behind Bruce Almighty and in the Norsk Kriterium behind Our Bear (Kodi Bear), a win finally came.

Strike Ten won his last race as a 2-year-old in the SM för 2-åriga Hästar at Bro Park ahead of King Cooper (Lucky Vega).

Our Bear is unbeaten in his two starts at Øvrevoll this year, and on his second start he won, as mentioned, Norway’s biggest 2-year-old race, the Norsk Kriterium, ahead of Strike Ten.

Our Bear is in training with Niels Petersen, who took his fourth win in the Norsk Kriterium since 2018.

After his second place in the SM för 2-åriga Hästar behind Strike Ten, King Cooper won the Valley Chapel Janos Tandaris Minne at Jägersro commandingly. King Cooper is, like another of the crop’s best horses, Carrey Light, in training with Patrick Wahl.

Owner Jens Lauritzen (Stald Shaker), trainer Søren Jensen and breeder Iben Hjorth Buskop (Stutteri Hjortebo) after Cosmopolitan was named Horse of the Year at Klampenborg Racecourse’s championship gala. Photo: Jonas Raaby.

HORSE OF THE YEAR AT KLAMPENBORG 2025 – COSMOPOLITAN.

Cosmopolitan (Make Believe) won three times at Klampenborg this year, among them the two feature races the Goffs Futurity Stakes on Derby day and the Danish Criterium, the most prestigious race for 2-year-olds.

He was therefore very deservedly named 2-Year-Old of the Year at Klampenborg and furthermore Horse of the Year at Klampenborg.

After winning on his debut, Cosmopolitan beat the winner of the Produce Stakes Cool Magic (Moohaajim) in the Goffs Futurity Stakes.

The Bent Olsen-trained Cool Magic ran only once more in her 2-year-old season, in Dansk Galop Auktionsløb, where she was unplaced. Cool Magic ended the year with a handicap of 76.

In the Danish Criterium it became a third win in a row for Cosmopolitan.

The Criterium was run at a breakneck pace, and Oliver Wilson had to ride Cosmopolitan all the way.

Turning into the straight there was still a long way to the leaders, but then Cosmopolitan produced a spectacular run and was finally able to pass his stable companion Taifuu.

It was trainer Søren Jensen’s 20th win in the Danish Criterium.

Cosmopolitan ended the year in the Vinterfavoritternes Ærespræmie, where he lined up as a hot favourite.

But he had to settle for third place, beaten by Beethoven (Goken) and Daylight (Gleneagles).

Perhaps Cosmopolitan missed the strong pace on the way round that there had been in the Danish Criterium.

His owner Stald Shaker (Jens Ditlev Lauritzen) names his horses after cocktails. Cosmopolitan is a drink based on vodka plus cranberry and lime juice. Stald Shaker owns a 1-year-old half-brother to Cosmopolitan, Bramble (Appel Au Maitre), named after a spring cocktail made up of gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, crème de mûre and crushed ice. CHEERS.

Cosmopolitan is very well bred. He is by Make Believe (Makfi) and out of Amorine (Montjeu).

Make Believe won the French 2000 Guineas as a 3-year-old, and at stud he is the sire of Mishriff, who in his racing career earned more than 100 million kroner and won, among others, the French Derby (Gr.1), the Saudi Cup (Gr.1), the Dubai Sheema Classic (Gr.1) and the Juddmonte International Stakes (Gr.1).

FLEMMING VELIN’S INTERESTING DUO.

At the Scandinavian Open Yearling Sale in 2024 Flemming Velin bought two of the sale’s most expensive horses.

A colt by Coolmore’s successful stallion Gleneagles (Galileo), who was named Daylight, and a full brother to the 2024 dual Derby winner Schamyl (Appel Au Maitre – Whistler), who was later named Darlington.

They were both bought for 520,000 kroner.

Ever since they made their debut in the same race at Klampenborg on 15 August, there has been discussion about which of the two is the better.

The funny thing is that they both ended the year with a handicap of 80, although their 2-year-old seasons went very differently.

While Daylight won commandingly on his debut, Darlington had to be withdrawn after unseating Per-Anders Gråberg and injuring him.

In his next race Darlington did leave the stalls, but he had used up a lot of energy at the gate, and he had to settle for fourth place.

And later Darlington again had to be withdrawn from a race because of unruliness. It was therefore decided to move Darlington to Bettina Andersen at Klampenborg, and Bettina and her husband Kim Andersen managed to get Darlington under better control.

It was a good experience to see the former champion jockey Kim Andersen, in lonely majesty, complete a successful schooling race with Darlington on 11 October.

And in the next starts we were given proof of the considerable ability Darlington undoubtedly possesses on his good days.

First came an easy maiden win for Darlington ahead of My Dole (Appel au Maitre) and a one-two for Bettina Andersen.

And in the year’s longest 2-year-old race, the Basnæsløb over 1800 metres, Darlington won again, this time ahead of another of Bettina Andersen’s very promising 2-year-olds, Stald Klampenborg’s King To Be (Moohaajim), who came from a win on his debut ahead of his stable companion Missing (Red Cactus).

After fifth place in the Danish Criterium, Daylight won the year’s best-paid 2-year-old race, Dansk Galop Auktionsløb, where late in the straight he wore down the Rikke Bonde-trained Classic Blaze (Go Go Gadget), who had led for a long way.

The later winner of the Svenskt Kriterium Albarella (Toronado) was third.

Daylight ended his 2-year-old season with second place in the Vinterfavoriternes Ærespræmie, where he was beaten by Beethoven but finished ahead of Cosmopolitan.

With Daylight, whom Flemming Velin trains himself, and Darlington, Flemming Velin is extremely well equipped for next year’s Derbys and other feature races for 3-year-olds.

BEETHOVEN BECAME THE WINTER FAVOURITE.

In the Vinterfavoriternes Ærespræmie at Klampenborg this year three of the crop’s stars met.

And it was Karin Salling’s Beethoven who won.

People were already talking about Beethoven (Goken) when he made his debut at Klampenborg on Derby day, but he disappointed his supporters and was a long way behind the winner Albarella.

It was a completely different Beethoven we saw on his second start 1½ months later, when he won his maiden easily.

And in the Vinterfavoriternes Ærespræmie he made his big breakthrough, when he won ahead of two of the crop’s feature race winners Daylight and Cosmopolitan.

Beethoven was bred at Stutteri Hjortebo, who here got their ninth winter favourite in the last 25 years – and the third in a row in the wake of My Fortune (Appel Au Maitre) in 2023 and Zarina (Appel Au Maitre) last year.

In four of the last five cases where a Hjortebo-bred has won the Vinterfavoritterne, that horse has responded with a classic triumph the following year.

We have to go all the way back to Suspicious Mind (Appel Au Maitre), though, before it also turned into a Derby win.

This year too Lea Olsen has a strong team of 2-year-olds, and besides Beethoven we can mention Lady Medina (Appel au Maitre), who ran prominently in several of the bigger 2-year-old races, as well as Red Mantel and Albarella.

Red Mantel was bred (at Stutteri Hjortebo) and is owned by Oluf I Jensens Gaard ApS, and like her sire Red Cactus (Hard Spun), who won the Svenskt Derby in 2019, she looks to be well at home on dirt.

Red Mantel won the valuable Jockeyklubbens Auktionslöpning at Jägersro ahead of Plattan I Mattan and King Cooper, and she was later third at Jägersro in the Svenskt Kriterium, which her stable companion Albarella won ahead of Red Tattoo (Red Cactus).

It is Red Cactus’ first year with runners, and besides Red Mantel and Red Tattoo the crop also counts the Bettina Andersen-trained Missing, who ended the season with an easy five-length win at Jägersro in the Svenskt Kriterium Consolation ahead of her stable companion My Dole.

Missing is out of Appelé Amour (Appel au Maitre), who is a full sister to the dual Breeders’ winner and quadruple Listed winner Appelina and a half-sister to the Danish Oaks and Breeders’ winner Whistler (Academy Award), who is the dam of Schamyl and Darlington.

Albarella has run prominently in many of the big 2-year-old races, and in the Svenskt Kriterium a big win finally came. There is much to suggest that Albarella appreciated the longer distance of 1750 metres at Jägersro in the Svenskt Kriterium.

Albarella ended the year with a handicap of 77.

Albarella is owned by Lars Jacobsen and Chris Petersen, who have owned racehorses together for more than 30 years, and this was their biggest win to date.

Albarella is out of I Rely, who is a half-sister to several good racehorses, among them I Kirk, Pocahontas Face, Joker Face and Jimmy Action, who have all been at their best over short and middle distances. All bred by Staffan Lidbeck.

ARE NEXT YEAR’S SCANDINAVIAN DERBY WINNERS AMONG THOSE MENTIONED?

I think there is a strong probability of that. But it may well turn out that there are ”hidden stars” out in the stables.

Two of this year’s Derby winners, Grab The Moment and War Socks, were unraced as 2-year-olds. The same goes for the Swedish and Norwegian Derby winner in 2022 Hard One To Please and the Norwegian Derby winner in 2020 Whispering Ocean.

Many 2-year-olds are to winter in Dubai, and they are worth following.

Three of them are trained by Veronika Jandova, all owned by L.T. Racing, and six by Niels Petersen. Four of the Dubai travellers are unraced, but well bred.

Veronika Jandova’s Dancing Queen (Ectot) and Net Worth (Mehmas) as well as Niels Petersen’s Doc Holiday (Appel Au Maitre) and Phantom Bling (New Bay).

Among those that have run we find several who have done really well in Scandinavia this year, and who have already been mentioned, among them Bullet Bling, Bruce Almighty and Sweet Sunshine.

And Lord Greystoke (Ulysses) and Karma Bling (Mehmas) have shown promise in their races so far.