The season at Fyens Væddeløbsbane ended on Sunday with three races, and in the middle one the horse of the year was settled by a single point. Royal Dane finished only third in Handicap Class 3, but Lexington Avenue, who was just ahead of him, ended one point behind in the overall standings.
Royal Dane went into the final day on 61 points, and third place brought him five plus the one point every start earns — 67 in all. Lexington Avenue had 55, and second place brought him ten plus one — 66.
He beat Royal Dane by three quarters of a length and lost the title on the margin.
The race itself went to a third horse. Lærke Jensen’s Marsk Torkdahl (Make Believe) won by a neck for Mikkel Mortensen and so shut the door on both Sugar Crust (Barocci) and Alakay (Wilshire Boulevard), who were fifth and fourth. Sugar Crust needed a win; Alakay could not reach the title whatever the outcome.
Royal Dane (Wilshire Boulevard) takes the title home to Lulu Tøpholm and Sandie Kjær. Tøpholm was at the same time crowned champion owner on Funen with DKK 117,300, and Royal Dane also stands as the course’s highest earner with DKK 73,340.
Four titles on the same horse
Royal Dane was bred by Light Valley Stud, and he is the stud’s only horse on Funen this year. Their DKK 73,340 are therefore his own, and they are enough for the breeders’ championship ahead of the American Spendthrift Farm, who bred Lexington Avenue, and ahead of Berner Olsen.
One horse thus carries four of the day’s six championships: horse of the year, highest earner, champion owner and champion breeder.
Tina Mortensen took the championship on the line
The trainers’ championship went to Tina Mortensen, who finished with seven wins against Sandie Kjær’s three. The outcome was settled in advance, but the Odense trainer did the job thoroughly on the final day: she won the opening race and had the runner-up in both of the others.
In doing so she also took the lead on prize money, which she had trailed on all the way. DKK 187,100 against Sandie Kjær’s DKK 184,300 — before Sunday it stood at 156,700 against 177,900.
The jockeys’ championship went to Evelina Rönnlund with five wins, and she was not even present, being engaged at Øvrevoll at the same time. Mikkel Mortensen would have had to win all three races to pass her; he won one and finished on three winners.
A maiden win in Lensbaron Berners Ærespræmie
The day opened with Lensbaron Berners Ærespræmie for amateur riders and apprentices, and there Solaia won the first race of her career at the tenth attempt.
Tina Mortensen’s three-year-old Appel Au Maitre filly had been seventh twice in a row, but over 1800 metres she drew a length and a half clear of Karsten Johansen’s Good Life (Appel Au Maitre), with Marika Masuhr in the saddle. Three quarters of a length further back came Callmebymyname (Reliable Man).
There were honorary prizes for both the owner, Miga Horses A/S, and the rider.
Sara Slot should have ridden her own Nevertheless (Reliable Man) in the race, but the gelding was withdrawn. Instead she took two second places out of the day, with Lexington Avenue and with Maziyah.
Maziyah was beaten for the first time
A run came to an end in the closing race. Tina Mortensen’s three-year-old Maziyah (Giant Sandman) had won both her previous starts, but Jytte Løgtved’s Big Hunter (Juniper Tree) held a length and a half to her under Mathilde Lund Johansen.
Big Hunter is both trained and owned by Jytte Løgtved, and it was his third win of the year — he also won in July and August and was beaten a head at Odense on 12 September. Melissa Vesterholm rode her own GinTonik (Red Cactus) into third.
Mathilde Lund Johansen thus ended the day with a win and a third, while Marika Masuhr and Mikkel Mortensen each had a win and a placing.
The 2026 thoroughbred season on Funen is over.
Fyens Væddeløbsbane · Odense
The day in numbers
Horse of the year on Funen
Royal Dane
He finished only third in the deciding race and still took the title by a single point — 67 against Lexington Avenue’s 66. The same horse made L.T. Racing champion owner and Light Valley Stud champion breeder.
67points
5starts at Odense
DKK 73,340earned
Before the final day Royal Dane led on 61 points. Third place brought five points plus the one every start earns, and that was exactly enough.
Trainerstop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Tina Mortensen | 1 win | DKK 30,400 | |
| 2 | Lærke Jensen | 1 win | DKK 16,000 | |
| 3 | Jytte Løgtved | 1 win | DKK 14,000 | |
| 4 | Karsten Johansen | 0 wins | DKK 7,000 | |
| 5 | Melissa Vesterholm | 0 wins | DKK 6,720 | |
| 6 | Sandie Kjær | 0 wins | DKK 6,400 | |
| 7 | Maria Løgtved | 0 wins | DKK 3,640 | |
| 8 | Sabina Gammelgård | 0 wins | DKK 2,240 |
Jockeystop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Mikkel Mortensen | 1 win | DKK 23,000 | |
| 2 | Mathilde Lund Johansen | 1 win | DKK 17,840 | |
| 3 | Marika Masuhr | 1 win | DKK 15,400 | |
| 4 | Sara Slot | 0 wins | DKK 15,000 | |
| 5 | Melissa Vesterholm | 0 wins | DKK 5,920 | |
| 6 | Stine Bukballe | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 | |
| 7 | Angel Alekov Yuliyanov | 0 wins | DKK 2,240 | |
| 7 | Tatiana Rif | 0 wins | DKK 2,240 |
Ownerstop 8 by prize money won
| 1 |  Lærke Jensen m.fl. | 1 win | DKK 16,000 | |
| 2 |  Jytte Løgtved | 1 win | DKK 14,000 | |
| 2 |  Miga Horses A/S | 1 win | DKK 14,000 | |
| 4 |  Elkær Stutteri | 0 wins | DKK 8,000 | |
| 5 |  Karsten & Stine Johansen | 0 wins | DKK 7,000 | |
| 5 |  Kjell Ivar Brekstad & Tina Mortensen | 0 wins | DKK 7,000 | |
| 7 |  L.T. Racing | 0 wins | DKK 6,400 | |
| 8 |  Horseracing and Breeding | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 | |
| 8 |  M. Rasmussen, T. Joensen, R. Jensen | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 |
Sirestop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Appel Au Maitre (FR) | 1 win | DKK 22,400 | |
| 2 | Make Believe (GB) | 1 win | DKK 16,000 | |
| 3 | Juniper Tree (IRE) | 1 win | DKK 14,000 | |
| 4 | Giant Sandman (IRE) | 0 wins | DKK 9,240 | |
| 5 | Jimmy Creed (USA) | 0 wins | DKK 8,000 | |
| 6 | Wilshire Boulevard (IRE) | 0 wins | DKK 6,400 | |
| 7 | Red Cactus (USA) | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 | |
| 7 | Reliable Man (GB) | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 |
Breederstop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | O’Connor International Limited | 1 win | DKK 16,000 | |
| 2 | Stutteri Hjortebo | 1 win | DKK 14,000 | |
| 2 | York Stutteri | 1 win | DKK 14,000 | |
| 4 | Spendthrift Farm | 0 wins | DKK 8,000 | |
| 5 | Havemanns ApS & Buskop | 0 wins | DKK 7,000 | |
| 5 | Karsten & Hans J. Johansen, S. Johansen | 0 wins | DKK 7,000 | |
| 7 | Light Valley Stud | 0 wins | DKK 3,840 | |
| 8 | Niels Mathiasson | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 | |
| 8 | Stald Kristensen | 0 wins | DKK 3,360 |
All three races pay five places, so every one of the 15 placings counts. Nevertheless was withdrawn from the first race.
Top 8 per category by prize money won. The four horses left with a country name in the breeder field in the Danish system were resolved in Svensk Galopp’s horse register and validated on year of birth – no aggregated entries in this table.
Owners, Breeders shows more than eight names, because the amounts share a place – nobody drops out on a tie.
GalopSport.dkSource: Dansk Galop’s sports system and Svensk Galopp’s horse register
