 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 2011
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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It might turn out to be the most important Consolation win in Inter-Dominion history. Because while most of the support races at Alexandra Park last Friday night will soon fade from memory, Annicka's victory in the Trotters Consolation could hopefully be the start of a true internationalization of our open class trotting races. The brave mare became the first Swedish-trained horse to win a race in the Southern Hemisphere when she used her gate speed to secure a perfect trip and down the second tier trotters last Friday night.
It was only a $30,000 race and her winning stake probably wouldn't have paid her team's accommodation bills and flights, let alone the massive expense of getting the mare herself to New Zealand. But the scenes in the winner's circle after the race confirmed this was far bigger than just one win. This race was a genuine history-making event, the first time a horse from trotting-rich Scandinavia has campaigned with any success in this part of the world.
Annicka's win meant more to her connections than money, because after setting out with a dream they had to endure a dissappointing start to the Inter-Dominions as the mare struggled to find her best form. There are dozens of things that can go wrong with any horse, many more once you start putting her on a plane to the other side of the world. Annicka obviously picked up her share and trainer Jorgen Westholm struggled last week with the mare's shoeing, her diet and even the bedding in her stable.
But all was forgotten soon after she hit the line. Westholm, rated in the top 10 in Sweden, was swamped with Swedish wellwishers who were beaming at seeing one of their own victorious in such a foreign land. They had travelled a long way to see her in hopefully the Grand Final but winning is winning, even in a Consolation, and their joy was contagious.
Annicka will now stay on for the Trotting Champs at Addington next week and then return to Alexandra Park for the Rowe Cup on May 6. And Westholm says she can only get better. "You guys definitely haven't seen the best of her yet," he told the 'Weekly'. "She is way better than what she has shown and we have had a few problems, some of which we haven't sorted out yet. But she was good enough tonight, and this was a very special win for us."
But already the lanky Swede says he is thinking of what horse to bring down next to contest whatever series ends up replacing the Inter-Dominion Trotting Champs, or indeed if it remains but separate from the Pacing Series. "I have some other good horses we would love to bring down here. But they will need to be good because the horses here are good, the standard is good."
Those words, and the ones Westholm, Klaus Koch and his friends will spread when they return home will be critical. While we are a pacing-dominated industry in this part of the world, true internationalization of the industry is only possible with the best trotters. And there is enough goodwill among some administrators and big owners to suggest we could see more Scandinavian trotters wooed down under. If one of the best was to come and even win a major race, the ripples of interest could become waves.
On face value the money invested in getting horses like Annicka to the carnival seems a lot, especially when the industry and the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club in particular, are struggling. But an industry-wide push in the next decade could open doors which were knocked on by Annicka last Friday night. Which is why we owe Klaus Koch, Jorgen Westholm, travelling trainer Lisa Mannberg, the connections of the mare, and Annicka herself a big thank you.
Credit: Michael Guerin writing in HRWeekly 13Apr2011