The Niels Petersen-trained Sporty, who holds an engagement in the Bucherer Dansk Derby, came out an easy winner on Thursday evening in the well-endowed 3-year-old contest Forsommerløpet worth NOK 136,500. The son of Moohaajim won by four lengths in the hands of Carlos Lopez.
Sporty was running for the second time in his career and can still call himself unbeaten.
After beating Svadilfare (Moohaajim) by four lengths over 1600 metres on the sand on debut on 23 April, Sporty was this time tried on turf for the first time, and as most had expected that was no problem at all.
Stall NOK’s bay gelding quickly overcame a slightly awkward start and was ridden forward on the inside by Carlos Lopez, who thereafter had full control of proceedings.
Next best in the contest was the Annike Bye Hansen-trained Another Beauty (Appel Au Maitre), who was seven lengths ahead of the winner’s stable companion Bella Flamel (Economic Model).
The win in Forsommerløpet brought a first prize of NOK 68,250 to Sporty, who was given a handicap mark of 75 after his debut in April, and therefore sits just outside the current Top 15 for the Bucherer Dansk Derby.
Sporty was bred at Øien Gård and is the third winning foal out of the Special Quest daughter Sweety, who has also produced the full sisters My Birdie and I Rest My Case.
The latter earned a good NOK 1.3 million in her career, which brought six wins – including in the Drømmemilen on Norway’s Derby day – and second places in the Breeders’ Prize Classic and the Lanwades Stud Stakes (L).
In the Champion Eliteløp over 1730 metres on turf too it ended in a win for Niels Petersen and Carlos Lopez ahead of Annike Bye Hansen and Jacob Johansen.
This time Annike had the hot favourite in the seasonal debutant Admiral De Vega (Lope De Vega), but as so often before the Dubai form counted for Niels Petersen, who could watch the 4-year-old Rock Of Cashel (Wootton Bassett) win comfortably by three lengths.
Rock Of Cashel is owned by the Englishman Douglas Livingston and was bought ahead of the winter season at Meydan, where the colt was unbeaten in his three starts.
On his first start at Øvrevoll, however, Rock Of Cashel was untouchable, and he will without doubt be exciting to follow in the future.
It should of course also be noted that Admiral De Vega gave seven kilos to his rival in this handicap.
There were several classic candidates in action on the turf in the Thaugland 3-årsløp over 1980 metres, but the most fancied names were caught out by Gina Mathisen’s Super Smooth (Quarterback), who under Willa Schou led all the way and built up such a big lead in the straight that Niels Petersen’s duo Lord Greystoke (Ulysses) and Lady Irene (Study Of Man) battled in vain.
Super Smooth won comfortably by two lengths from Lord Greystoke and Lady Irene, after which Strike Ten (Alson) was fourth ahead of Siouxperb Bling (Sioux Nation).
Super Smooth won his last start as a 2-year-old last year, and he now carried on where he left off – at almost 30 times the money, it should be noted.
Super Smooth is both owned and bred by his trainer, and he is the first foal out of Gina’s excellent racemare Smooth Escape (Tertullus), who won 10 times and reached a handicap mark of 88 before she went on to stud.
Willa Schou had earlier also won for the second time in a row on Knut O. Arnesen’s 9-year-old Machine Gun (Dark Angel), and she subsequently followed up by riding Pål Nordbye’s Robbie Brown (Mutajally) to victory.
Knut O. Arnesen got another win late in the day, this time with Realise The Dream (Magna Grecia), who beat Cathrine Erichsen’s Kill That Cat (Mutajally) by three quarters of a length.
