There are 15 chances of becoming a classic winner in Scandinavia. In 2025 we got 15 different winners. Grandpa’s Prince tops the general handicap for 3-year-olds together with the Norwegian Derby winner War Socks and the winner of the Norsk 1000 Guineas, Capitana Bling. The year will be remembered for, among other things, very fine performances by the two Danish-bred milers Wassim and No Surrender, as well as for Queen Azteca’s win in the UAE Oaks (Gr.3) at Meydan.
A CAVALCADE OF THE YEAR THAT WAS – THE DERBY CROP.
RaceTime has already published an article about the older horses that shaped the feature races on the Scandinavian racecourses in the 2025 season.
This article focuses on the horses in the Derby crop who particularly made their mark, based on the figures of the Scandinavian general handicapper Nicholas Cordrey.
SCANDINAVIAN GENERAL HANDICAP FOR THE TOP OF THE DERBY CROP
AS AT 10.11.2025
| Horse | Handicap |
| Grandpa’s Prince (GB) | 90 |
| Capitana Bling (IRE) | 89 |
| War Socks (GB) | 89 |
| Crystal Love (IRE) | 88 |
| Icon Bling (IRE) | 88 |
| Queen Azteca (USA) | 87 |
| Wassim (DEN) | 87 |
| Abby (SWE) | 86 |
| Grab The Moment (DEN) | 86 |
| No Surrender (DEN) | 86 |
| Bay Princess (IRE) | 85 |
| Celtic Lullaby (IRE) | 85 |
| Kodiaction (IRE) | 85 |
| Big Chance (NOR) | 84 |
| French Chunky (FR) | 84 |
| Irish Lioness (IRE) | 84 |
| Zakopane (FR) | 84 |
- As can be seen, the top five on the list are imports.
- The highest handicapped Scandinavian-bred horse is Wassim, who was bred at Stutteri Hjortebo.
- Only five of the 17 horses on the list are Scandinavian-bred.
QUEEN AZTECA’S INCREDIBLE TRIUMPH.
The highlight of the year came early in 2025. Outside Scandinavia. On 21 February Queen Azteca (Sharp Azteca) won the UAE Oaks (Gr.3) at Meydan.
The biggest result to date for a Scandinavian-owned and trained horse at Meydan was a reality. Queen Azteca, Kiri and Tom Glæsner Larsen, Niels Petersen and Carlos Lopez had won a classic race in Dubai.
Queen Azteca was later in 2025 sold to the USA, where she has been fifth and sixth in a Grade 1 and a Grade 2 race.
THREE SCANDINAVIAN DERBY WINNERS WHO NEVER MET.
On the Scandinavian tracks the Derbys in Sweden, Denmark and Norway are always the highlight of the year. And this year we got three different winners.
The Svenskt Derby comes first in the calendar. And Queen Azteca, who had also excelled on her Scandinavian debut as a 3-year-old, was a hot favourite. But things do not always go as predicted.
Queen Azteca had to settle for second place after being wide on the way round and wandering a little in the straight.
Celtic Lullaby, on the other hand, had plenty left after a perfect ride by Nicolaj Stott, who kept Celtic Lullaby on the inside most of the way and could finally draw clear of Queen Azteca.
Celtic Lullaby came from second place in the Svenskt Derby Trial, narrowly beaten by Big Red Bling (Volatile). Unfortunately we have not seen Celtic Lullaby in a race since the Svenskt Derby.
Celtic Lullaby became the first foal by Juniper Tree (Galileo) to win a Derby.
The Oasis Dream son Grandpa’s Prince is owned by Rc-Horse HB and in training with Roy Arne Kvisla.
After the Svenskt Derby he impressed with a win in a Class 1 handicap, where he beat Espen Hill. Admittedly he received 10 kilos from the winner, but he also won commandingly by five lengths.
And he followed up on that promise later in the season, among other things with third place in the SFK Jubileumslöpning at Jägersro against older horses.
On his last start at Bro Park this year in the Songline Classic (L), Grandpa’s Prince was third again, but only narrowly beaten by Espen Hill and Lord Mountbatten.
There is no doubt that Grandpa’s Prince will run prominently in the big Scandinavian races for older horses next year.
Grab The Moment (Go Go Gadget) was unraced as a 2-year-old, but already on his debut this year he impressed with an easy win.
After third place in the Svenskt 2000 Guineas, where he was beaten by No Surrender (Giant Sandman) and Wassim (Zarak), and second place in Jockeyklubbens Grand Prix behind Karla With A K (Swipe), Grab The Moment was favourite to win the Danish Derby.
Second favourite was the Danish winter favourite Zarina (Appel Au Maitre), who had won the Svenskt 1000 Guineas ahead of Karla With A K, but she had to settle for fourth place.
Grab The Moment did not disappoint. He won ahead of a smooth-travelling Firstof All (Juniper Tree), who tracked Grab The Moment all the way and came home very strongly.
Go Go Flame (Go Go Gadget) was third and gave Rikke Rohbach Bonde both second and third place in the Danish Derby.
Stall Trick Or Treat have won the Danish Derby twice before, with the half-brothers Mission Possible (Groom Dancer), who won in 2005 and Quite A Mission (Eishin Dunkirk), who won in 2013.
Niels Petersen trained both the sire and the dam of Grab The Moment. The Aerion son Go Go Gadget (Aerion), and the dam, Tatoosh (Xaar).
Go Go Gadget won the Norsk Derby in 2010, and he was Niels Petersen’s first Derby winner.
Niels Petersen becomes champion trainer in both Sweden and Norway this year and thus also Scandinavian champion trainer. It is not the first time.
Stutteri Thorskovgaard’s now deceased stallion Go Go Gadget had an outstanding season as the sire of Grab The Moment, Go Go Flame and Wiggle Wine, who won the Mowerinaløb (the Danish 1000 Guineas).
With War Socks’ (Kameko) win in the Norsk Derby, The JC Organization got their second Derby winner. And the set of Scandinavian Derby winners would have been complete if the same owner’s Firstof All had won the Danish Derby.
As is well known, The JC Organization won the Svenskt Derby in 2020 with Bullof Wall Street (Tapizar).
War Socks’ racing career has been quite untraditional by Scandinavian standards. He was unraced as a 2-year-old – just like Grab The Moment.
War Socks began his 3-year-old season with three starts in Dubai, and on his last start at Meydan he was third in the Jumeirah 2000 Guineas (L), beaten seven lengths by Godolphin’s Ruling Court (Justify), who on his next start won the English 2000 Guineas (Gr.1) at Newmarket.
Then came a single start at Bro Park, where he won easily, before he headed abroad again.
First to Royal Ascot, where War Socks led for a long way but had to give in at the end and finished sixth, and then to Goodwood, where he finished seventh, beaten four lengths.
Despite his international credentials War Socks was not favourite in the Norsk Derby – instead it was the Jan-Erik Neuroth-trained Icon Bling (Lope De Vega).
Icon Bling was unbeaten in four starts in 2025, among them the Norsk 2000 Guineas, where he beat Wassim, and the Norsk Derby Trial Stakes, where he beat the later winner of the Svenskt St. Leger Zakopane (Zarak).
But War Socks was too good for him in the Norsk Derby, which War Socks won easily ahead of Icon Bling and Zakopane.
War Socks is on Niels Petersen’s Dubai team again this year.
It would have been interesting to see whether Elkær Stutteri’s Jydsk Derby winner Acapulco Sunrise (Almanzor) could have gone with War Socks in the Norsk Derby, but unfortunately he was injured after the triumph in Aarhus.
THE SUPER MILERS NO SURRENDER AND WASSIM.
On 26 April this year there was a 3-year-old maiden race at Klampenborg. Niels Petersen’s debutant Acapulco Sunrise, about whom there were many rumours, was favourite.
Among the runners were also last year’s runner-up in Dansk Galop Auktionsløb, No Surrender (Giant Sandman), a half-brother to King Ferdinand (Elusive City), as well as Go Go Flame (Go Go Gadget), who like Acapulco Sunrise was making his debut.
Nobody could know at the time that on that occasion we would see a meeting between three horses who would all leave their mark on the feature races for 3-year-olds in 2025.
No Surrender set a strong pace from the start and won, having made all, ahead of a smooth-travelling debutant Go Go Flame, who came home strongly, and Acapulco Sunrise, who was third.
The others were a long way behind. The maiden race of the year.
No Surrender unfortunately had to be withdrawn from the Danish 2000 Guineas, but on his next start in the Swedish 2000 Guineas he showed his high class.
No Surrender won ahead of the Danish 2000 Guineas winner Wassim (Zarak) and the later Danish Derby winner Grab The Moment.
Later in the season No Surrender met Wassim and Grab The Moment again – once each.
In the Larch Ærespræmie at Klampenborg he had to give best to Wassim, while in the Breeders’ Trophy Classic at Bro Park he again beat Grab The Moment – this time over 1750 metres – and again having made all.
No Surrender ended the season with a win at Øvrevoll in the Breeders’ Prize Sprint and thus won races in all three Scandinavian countries in 2025.
No Surrender is owned by Stald Spitco, who can be pleased that No Surrender earned almost 1.2 million Danish kroner for his owner in 2025.
No Surrender and Oliver Wilson on the way to victory in the Breeders’ Prize Sprint. Oliver Wilson was also in the saddle on No Surrender when he won the Breeders’ Trophy Classic Photo: www.hesteguiden.com.
And with earnings of almost 1.4 million Swedish kronor No Surrender became the most successful horse in Sweden in 2025. His breeder Stutteri Hjortebo was at the same time by far the most successful breeder in Sweden.
No Surrender did not run in the Danish Derby, as there was doubt about his stamina. The same applied to Wassim, and that is why the Larch Ærespræmie at Klampenborg on Derby day gave us a meeting between the two giants.
Karin Salling’s Wassim, who is in training with Niels Petersen at Øvrevoll, was unbeaten in his three starts as a 2-year-old at Øvrevoll, among them the Norsk Kriterium.
His 3-year-old debut came straight in the Danish 2000 Guineas, where he continued his winning run and beat Golden Dreams (Girolamo), who won three times at Klampenborg this year.
Wassim therefore lined up as a hot favourite to win the Svenskt 2000 Guineas as well, and many probably believed at that point that Wassim would win all three Scandinavian 2000 Guineas.
But that is not how it went. In the Svenskt 2000 Guineas he was, as already mentioned, beaten by No Surrender and in the Norsk 2000 Guineas by another of the crop’s really big stars Icon Bling.
And there was another second place at Øvrevoll in the Norsk Mesterskab for 3-åringer behind Big Chance (Sporting Chance), who came from a win in the Drømmemilen.
Big Chance won five times in all at Øvrevoll in 2025.
Back at Klampenborg the Larch Ærespræmie became a contest between the two 2000 Guineas winners No Surrender and Wassim.
For once No Surrender was not first away, but he quickly found his place in front.
In the straight No Surrender and Wassim fought side by side for a long way, but in the end Wassim was able to draw clear and gain revenge for his defeat by No Surrender in the Swedish 2000 Guineas.
Wassim ran twice more in 2025 against older horses and was fourth both times, among them in the Polar Cup at Øvrevoll, won by Aphelios (Kodiac).
CAPITANA BLING, CRYSTAL LOVE AND ABBY IMPRESSED AMONG THE FILLIES.
The last of the Scandinavian 1000 Guineas, the Norsk 1000 Guineas, was won by Capitana Bling (Invincible Army).
Later in the season she also won the Altamiralöpning at Jägersro, and in the Lanwades Stud Stakes (L) at Bro Park Capitana Bling beat the older fillies and mares.
With 89 in the general handicap Capitana Bling is the highest handicapped filly in the Derby crop.
The first Scandinavian Oaks, the Svenskt Oaks, was won by the Niels Petersen-trained Supernova Bling (Starspangledbanner), who took her first win here ahead of A Million Dreams (Moohaajim) and Abby (Appel au Maitre), for whom the distance was undoubtedly too far.
Abby was thus much happier over half that distance, and Lennart Reuterskiöld Jr’s filly was one of the crop’s super sprinters with wins in all five of her starts over 1200 metres at Jägersro.
Another 3-year-old super sprinter was Stall Perlen’s 2-year-old star, Crystal Love (Oasis Dream). At the end of her 3-year-old season she showed considerable ability over the sprint distances against the best older horses in Scandinavia.
First Crystal Love was third in the Polar Cup (L) behind Aphelios (Kodiac) and Youonlyliveonce (Sidestep) at Øvrevoll.
And Crystal Love ended the season with third place in the Bro Park Sprint Championship (L) behind Lamborghini BF (Holy Roman Emperor) and Aphelios, who here suffered his first defeat on turf.
Crystal Love was reasonably close to the two, who both gave her 2½ kilos in weight-for-age. Not bad for a 3-year-old.
The Danish Oaks was, like the Swedish Oaks, also won by a maiden, the Bent Olsen-trained Happy Legend (Rock Of Gibraltar).
The Danish Derby runner-up Firstof All was a hot favourite, but she stumbled on the far side, and Nicolaj Stott ended up on the grass.
The Danish Oaks was a great success for the Olsen family. Bent Olsen trained the first and third home, and his daughter Lea the second, fourth and fifth.
Bent and Lea Olsen, who are based at Jydsk Væddeløbsbane, are both doing extremely well. Bent Olsen became champion trainer at Klampenborg this year.
And looking at their total earnings, Bent Olsen becomes Denmark’s most successful trainer and his daughter Lea the second. Both with total prize money in 2025 of more than three million kroner.
The Norsk Oaks was won easily by Mauna Queen (Inns Of Court) by as much as six lengths. A Million Dreams was second, as in the Svenskt Oaks, while the Swedish Oaks winner, Supernova Bling, this time had to settle for third place.
ZAKOPANE GAVE STALL PERLEN THE SVENSKT ST. LEGER FOR THE FOURTH YEAR RUNNING.
Zakopane (Zarak), who is a half-brother to Admiral De Vega (Lope De Vega), was bought by Stall Perlen at Arqana’s October Sale in Deauville in 2023, where he was the most expensive horse, so expectations of him have always been high.
He won on his only start as a 2-year-old, and he began this season with a win in the Södra Skåningarnas Derbytest at Jägersro. He was therefore among the more fancied for the Svenskt Derby, where he had to settle for sixth place, however.
It went better in the Norsk Derby, where he was third behind War Socks and Icon Bling.
And Zakopane ended the season with a win in the Swedish St. Leger ahead of Galactico Bling (Galileo). It was Stall Perlen’s fourth triumph in a row in the Svenskt St. Leger.
ANNIKE BYE HANSEN HAD ANOTHER FINE SEASON.
Galactico Bling came from second place in the Norsk St. Leger, where he was beaten by the Annike Bye Hansen-trained If He Says So (Summer Front), who for the second time in his career won the Norsk St. Leger.
With relatively few horses in training in 2025, Annike Bye Hansen has won six Listed races with Aphelios and Admiral De Vega.
Plus two classic races. The Norsk Oaks with Mauna Queen and, as described, the Norsk St. Leger with If He Says So. For several years in a row Annike Bye Hansen has now trained one feature race winner after another – that is impressive!
A THIRD MAIDEN WIN IN A CLASSIC RACE.
The Danish St. Leger was won by Stald Spitco’s Sandhurst (Havana Gold) ahead of Firstof All. It was the third time in 2025 that a maiden won a classic race in Scandinavia.
Sandhurst came from third place in the Swedish St. Leger, where he was beaten by Zakopane and Galactico Bling.
Again Firstof All was favourite, but as in the Danish Derby she had to settle for second place. It had also been a long season.
With 83 in the handicap Firstof All is placed just below the top of the general handicap for Scandinavian 3-year-olds, alongside Acapulco Sunrise and Go Go Flame, among others.
The 3-year-old Bay Princess impressed in the year’s last big race for fillies and mares, Jockeyklubbens Avelslöpning over 2400 metres at Jägersro.
She comfortably beat the 5-year-old Ninasimone (Rio De La Plata), who came from a win at Bro Park in the Stockholm Fillies & Mares Stakes, and the Swedish Oaks winner Supernova Bling.
CAN THE DERBY CROP HOLD ITS OWN AGAINST THE OLDER HORSES?
It will be interesting to see how this year’s Derby crop fares next year.
Several of the crop have already produced really good results in races against older horses. Among them Grandpa’s Prince, Capitana Bling, Crystal Love and Icon Bling, and they are indeed already high in the handicap.
The Norwegian Derby runner-up, the Lope De Vega son Icon Bling, won five of his seven starts in 2025, and in the Arnfinn Lunds Minneløp he beat the older elite.
Icon Bling ended the year on Jägersro’s dirt with third place in the Peas And Carrots Mile (L), beaten by the older super milers Lord Mountbatten and Twirling Ghost.
The three Derby winners Celtic Lullaby, Grab The Moment and War Socks we have not seen against older horses in Scandinavia. Or against each other.
That is something I look forward to.
