Voix Du Maitre won the Mr Ascot Vinterfavoriternas Pris by three and a half lengths and now has four wins from four starts. It was the second of three wins on the afternoon for Jan-Erik Neuroth and Oliver Wilson. The day’s four Swedish championships went to Golden Grace, Four Socks, Hello Darling and Strike Ten.
His sire won the same race 20 years ago
The Mr Ascot Vinterfavoriternas Pris over 1600 metres was the best paid race of the day with 450.000 Swedish kronor on offer and eight two-year-olds going to post.
From the outermost stall eight Oliver Wilson sent Voix Du Maitre (Appel Au Maitre) forward early, and on the way into the home turn the pair took over the lead from his stablemate Alonzo (Alson).
In the straight Wilson eased the reins, and Voix Du Maitre said thank you and goodbye. There were three and a half lengths to Inzain Bling (Hello Youmzain), two and a half more to Mr Handsome (Bayside Boy) and a nose to Great Lou (Calyx).
“Today Voix Du Maitre showed that he is a real top horse who can handle different scenarios. There was not much pace in the race, so today he had to do most of the work himself. There was plenty to go on all the way”, said Oliver Wilson.
The win was worth 225.000 Swedish kronor – plus a breeders’ bonus of 50.000, and Voix Du Maitre has now earned 1.197.090 Swedish kronor from four starts. He is Stall Perlen’s own breeding, and his sire Appel Au Maitre won the Vinterfavoriternas Pris himself at Täby Galopp in 2006.
“This horse has inherited plenty of stamina from his sire and some speed from his dam. So far he has not put a foot wrong, and it was good to see him over 1600 metres today. Whether he is a Derby horse next year remains to be seen”, added Jan-Erik Neuroth, who saddled three of the eight runners.
Alonzo finished fifth, Bourbon Blaze (Victor Ludorum) seventh. Fourth place went to the new amateur trainer Kajsa Svensson Holmsten with Great Lou, and second to Niels Petersen’s Inzain Bling.
Crystal Love with top weight
The Ellicat Sprint over 1200 metres was a handicap for fillies and mares with 124.000 Swedish kronor on offer and a weight range from 64 to 52 kilos. Crystal Love (Oasis Dream) carried the top weight of 64 kilos.
Oliver Wilson initially placed her fifth, while LS Eloise (Evasive) took the lead ahead of Isabella Expert (Expert Eye) and Fly Liberty Fly (Ribchester).
With 300 metres to run the mare was given her orders, and from there it was over: four lengths to Nova Kalejs (Space Blues), three quarters of a length more to Isabella Expert and a head to Irish Lioness (Invincible Army), who carried 62 kilos.
“Crystal Love has been close in several tough sprints earlier this year, so she deserved this win. She is a horse with a lot of ability, and it was good that she got to show it today”, said Oliver Wilson.
It was the first win of the year for the four-year-old mare, who has now won four of fourteen starts and earned 707.090 Swedish kronor. Her three previous wins all came as a two-year-old. She was bred in Ireland by Mylestown Farms and runs for Stall Perlen.
“Crystal Love has actually done well all year. In my opinion she is worth more than 90, and I expect her to improve another notch as a five-year-old”, said Jan-Erik Neuroth.
Strike Ten completed the treble
The SM – Classic over 2100 metres had 300.000 Swedish kronor on offer and five runners, four of them trained by Patrick Wahl.
Approval (Wentworth) took the lead early ahead of his stablemates Falkor (Barocci) and Disraeli (Barocci), and with 800 metres to run Strike Ten (Alson) joined the leading trio.
Coming out of the turn he was given his orders, took command at the beginning of the straight and won by nearly two lengths. Disraeli tried, but never got any closer. Then it was six lengths back to Falkor.
“It has been a case of near misses for Strike Ten earlier this year, but he has really always delivered fine performances. Today the ground was soft, and that suited him perfectly. The pace was quite fast from the start, and I know this horse has a good finish. When I saw that Disraeli was stuck behind the leader, I felt it was time to go”, said Oliver Wilson.
The win was the second of his career for the three-year-old colt — and his second SM title. His first win came in the SM för 2-åriga hästar a year ago. He is owned by Stall Strike, was bred by Eva C S Pettersson and has now earned 1.391.221 Swedish kronor.
“Strike Ten has produced somewhat mixed efforts earlier this year. This is a horse who stays, but he needs soft turf, and he got that today”, said Jan-Erik Neuroth.
Home-track trainer Patrick Wahl started eleven of the day’s 66 horses without a win. He had second, third and fourth in the SM – Classic and second in the SM för 2-åriga hästar.
Golden Grace ruled the SM – Sprinters
The SM – Sprinters over 1400 metres had 300.000 Swedish kronor on offer. The 2000 Guineas winner Albarella (Toronado) was withdrawn, which left six.
Golden Grace (Jimmy Mack) took the lead without trouble ahead of King Cooper (Lucky Vega) and Bang A Boomerang (Zaahid).
In the straight she had something left and won by two and a half lengths from the well finishing Johnny B (Mustajeeb), with a length and a half back to King Cooper.
“It was the first time I rode Golden Grace. We got a fine trip and could dictate the pace in front. Then I tried to save a little speed for the finish”, said Nicolaj Stott.
The three-year-old filly is trained by Annika Sjökvist, owned by Stall Klaring and was bred by Stuteri Saccracing in Skåne. It was her third win of the year, the fourth of her career from ten starts, and she has earned 494.850 Swedish kronor.
“Since we began running Golden Grace over shorter distances and put blinkers on her, she has really improved. Before today’s start I was a little afraid that she would struggle with the soft turf. But Nicolaj handled it well and supported her through the turn”, said Annika Sjökvist.
Nathalie’s first championship
The SM för Amatörryttare over 1600 metres had 100.000 Swedish kronor on offer, and twelve horses finished. Four Socks (Starspangledbanner) carried the highest weight in the field with 69 kilos and was both trained and ridden by Nathalie Johnsson.
Crack Up Gadelius (Cracksman) won the battle for the lead against Yarina (Gale Force Ten) and Noble Question (Juniper Tree) and kept up a strong pace, so the field was strung out through the turn.
Four Socks got a quieter start in eighth, and coming out of the final turn Johnsson began to urge her horse along. Crack Up Gadelius had to give way to Yarina with barely 200 metres left, and from there Four Socks was on the move: half a length to Yarina, a short head more to Green Zabeel (Oasis Dream).
Nathalie Johnsson has won most of the bigger amateur races in Scandinavia, but this was her first SM win — and it came with a horse she trains herself for the family at Stall Morgenstjerne.
Hello Darling turned the tables
The SM för 2-åriga hästar over 1200 metres was the second biggest race of the day with 400.000 Swedish kronor on offer. Tohightobeonline (Armor) was taken out at the start, and fourteen horses finished.
In the Jockeyklubbens Magic Million barely a month earlier Hello Darling (Alson) had to settle for third behind Flamboyant (Mustajeeb). This time she turned the tables with plenty to spare.
From the outermost stall 14 she quickly took the lead with Nicolaj Stott, and despite the ambitious opening she still had something in reserve over the last 200 metres. She won by two and a half lengths from Flamboyant, three more to Notorius (Swipe).
“The plan was to be up with the leaders. Now we got the front, and then it was just a matter of packing the field together and saving a little speed for the straight. It worked out well”, said Nicolaj Stott.
It was the first win of her career for the filly, who is trained by Annike Bye Hansen, owned by Väsby Häst and was bred by Tor Harry Sigfridsson. The first prize of 200.000 Swedish kronor plus 50.000 in breeders’ bonus takes her to 453.510 Swedish kronor from four starts.
“She is a real class horse who in her earlier starts has not quite lived up to what she has shown in training. Before today’s start I was most worried about the outermost stall. But we changed her equipment a little, and that worked out well”, said Annike Bye Hansen.
Two of the day’s four championships went to progeny of the German stallion Alson: Hello Darling in the SM för 2-åriga hästar and Strike Ten in the SM – Classic.
Oliver Wilson rode six horses on the day and was in the first two in five of them.
Bro Park · Sweden’s big-race Sunday
The day in numbers
The story of the day
Three wins for Neuroth and Wilson
Jan-Erik Neuroth and Oliver Wilson won three of the nine races on the card: the Ellicat Sprint with Crystal Love (Oasis Dream), the Mr Ascot Vinterfavoriternas Pris with Voix Du Maitre (Appel Au Maitre) and the SM – Classic with Strike Ten (Alson). Four Swedish championships were decided, going to Golden Grace (Jimmy Mack), Four Socks (Starspangledbanner), Hello Darling (Alson) and Strike Ten. The biggest payout of the day was Voix Du Maitre’s SEK 225,000 plus a breeders’ bonus of SEK 50,000 in the Mr Ascot Vinterfavoriternas Pris, the best paid race on the card. Home-track trainer Patrick Wahl started eleven horses without winning a race.
SEK 275,000Voix Du Maitre’s win with the breeders’ bonus — the biggest payout of the day
14finishers in the SM för 2-åriga hästar, the biggest field of the day
A neckthe winning margin in two of the day’s races
The card nine prize races from 1200 to 3450 metres · seven on turf, one on the dirt track and one over hurdles · plus a qualifier with no prize money · four of the races were Swedish championships.
Trainerstop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Jan-Erik Neuroth | 3 wins | SEK 461,000 | |
| 2 | Patrick Wahl | 0 wins | SEK 368,500 | |
| 3 | Annike Bye Hansen | 1 win | SEK 316,500 | |
| 4 | Niels Petersen | 1 win | SEK 225,000 | |
| 5 | Annika Sjökvist | 1 win | SEK 151,500 | |
| 6 | Lennart Reuterskiöld Jr | 1 win | SEK 125,000 | |
| 7 | Julian McLaren | 0 wins | SEK 108,200 | |
| 8 | Kajsa Svensson Holmsten | 0 wins | SEK 67,000 |
Jockeystop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Oliver Wilson | 3 wins | SEK 613,250 | |
| 2 | Nicolaj Stott | 2 wins | SEK 414,000 | |
| 3 | Carlos Lopez | 1 win | SEK 363,000 | |
| 4 | Per-Anders Gråberg | 1 win | SEK 263,500 | |
| 5 | Jacob Johansen | 0 wins | SEK 132,920 | |
| 6 | Alina Öhgren | 0 wins | SEK 95,380 | |
| 7 | Maikel Narvaez Bravo | 0 wins | SEK 68,500 | |
| 8 | Nathalie Johnsson | 1 win | SEK 50,000 |
Ownerstop 8 by prize money won
| 1 |  Väsby Häst AB | 1 win | SEK 316,500 | |
| 2 |  Stall Perlen | 2 wins | SEK 287,000 | |
| 3 |  Bling Enterprise | 1 win | SEK 225,000 | |
| 4 |  Stall Klaring | 1 win | SEK 170,000 | |
| 5 |  Stall Strike | 1 win | SEK 150,000 | |
| 6 |  Stall Gransäter | 1 win | SEK 125,000 | |
| 7 |  Flamboyant HB | 0 wins | SEK 100,000 | |
| 8 |  Olof Brodin (Chartering) AB | 0 wins | SEK 76,500 |
Sirestop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Alson | 2 wins | SEK 372,500 | |
| 2 | Appel Au Maitre | 1 win | SEK 247,061 | |
| 3 | Mustajeeb | 0 wins | SEK 232,500 | |
| 4 | Jimmy Mack | 1 win | SEK 171,500 | |
| 5 | Mehmas | 1 win | SEK 125,000 | |
| 6 | Barocci | 0 wins | SEK 114,000 | |
| 7 | Violence | 1 win | SEK 112,500 | |
| 8 | Hello Youmzain | 0 wins | SEK 112,500 |
Breederstop 8 by prize money won
| 1 | Rävdansens Stuteri AB | 0 wins | SEK 372,000 | |
| 2 | Stall Perlen | 1 win | SEK 225,000 | |
| 3 | Tor Harry Sigfridsson | 1 win | SEK 201,500 | |
| 4 | Eva C S Pettersson | 1 win | SEK 172,500 | |
| 5 | Stuteri Saccracing AB | 1 win | SEK 151,500 | |
| 6 | Tally-Ho Stud | 1 win | SEK 125,000 | |
| 7 | Ringfort Stud Ltd | 1 win | SEK 112,500 | |
| 8 | Langlais Bdk-SelecViande-Marancourt | 0 wins | SEK 112,500 |
Trained in
| 1 | Sweden51 horses | 4 wins | SEK 1,172,018 | |
| 2 | Norway14 horses | 5 wins | SEK 1,016,920 | |
| 3 | Denmark1 horses | 0 wins | SEK 20,000 |
Born in
| 1 | Sweden33 horses | 4 wins | SEK 1,320,761 | |
| 2 | Ireland14 horses | 4 wins | SEK 504,420 | |
| 3 | Great Britain10 horses | 0 wins | SEK 220,380 | |
| 4 | USA2 horses | 0 wins | SEK 83,250 | |
| 5 | France3 horses | 1 win | SEK 46,585 | |
| 6 | Denmark4 horses | 0 wins | SEK 33,542 |
Every finisher counts (Swedish appearance money of SEK 1,500 included) — bonuses are not included.
Top 8 per category by prize money won. Country of birth from each horse’s own country code (no code = Sweden).
GalopSport.dkSource: Svensk Galopp’s sports system and the racecard
