V85 jackpot hits SEK 43 million

The V85 round at Bergsåker’s racecourse offered 43 million kronor in jackpots, and Trav365 listed the experts’ picks and surprises ahead of the 15.00 betting deadline. Once under way, Briskeby Pilen crushed the opposition in V85-3, while the leader in V85-1 galloped away with the victory. At the same time, Mats Djuse scored his first-ever win at Vincennes in Paris.

Before V85: 42 million in the jackpot

V85 is a game where you predict the winner of eight harness races. The round was held at the Bergsåker racecourse in Sundsvall and featured 43 million kronor in the jackpot – money carried over from previous rounds without a full hit. Betting closed at 15.00.

Before the round, Trav365 gathered the experts’ best picks (the horse taken as the sole alternative in a division) and surprises (unexpected winners). Robert Lipovac said: “I warn you about my unplayed mega-surprise,” and Micke Quist said: “Watch out for my outsider pick at low odds.” Trav365

Briskeby Pilen crushed everything in V85-3

In the cold-blood race over 2 640 metres – a race for the heavier horse breed – the favourite Briskeby Pilen and the driver (the person who drives the horse) Örjan Kihlström were completely dominant. Kihlström attacked with just over a lap remaining, and on the home straight no one could threaten them. The official winning margin was recorded as “many lengths”, and the first prize was 125 000 kronor.

The trainer Guri Gjermundshaug missed the entire race and afterwards shed tears. “I didn't see a single metre. I can't handle this,” she said on TV12 and continued: “This horse is so incredibly good and it is so well deserved.” Trav365

Gallop in the lead opened up for victory

In V85-1, Global Dependable and Magnus A Djuse looked set for victory after taking the lead, in other words, the front. But with 150 meters to go, the horse broke into a gallop and was disqualified. “That was painful,” said Magnus A Djuse on TV12. The victory instead went to Jaguar Godiva and Rikard N Skoglund.

Sulkysport describes the victory as “a fortunate bit of luck” and writes that there was quite a bit of luck involved in the race. Trav365 Sulkysport

Sideways skidding and a restart in V85-5

In the cold-blooded race Brimsguttens Minne, V85-5, there was drama right from the start, which takes place in a volt where the horses line up in single file. When driver Henrik Kihle tried to turn his horse Kruson around, the horse became eager and Kihle’s sulky skidded sideways – the cart that the driver sits in behind the horse. The right wheel lifted off the ground, but Kihle held on.

“Oh, oh, oh, Kihle’s sulky skidded sideways. It was a close call that he didn’t fall out of the sulky,” expert Patrik Fernlund said on TV12. There was a restart after Edens Odin crossed the starting line too early. In the second attempt, Jörn Ivar Eilertsen and Edens Odin won, with 200,000 kronor as the first prize. Kruson and Kihle finished tenth. Trav365

Stars on and off the track

Skiing star William Poromaa, 25, was at Bergsåker on Saturday. “When I’m at Bergsåker, I try to get here and take a look,” he said on TV12 and explained that Örjan Kihlström is his favourite driver. The big goal this season is the home World Championships in Falun next February.

At Vincennes in Paris, Mats Djuse scored his first-ever victory at the track, winning the Prix d’Avranche with Ready Star for trainer Jörgen Westholm. The prize cheque was 26 550 euro, about 290 000 Swedish kronor. “I had a very good feeling,” he told Equidia. Trav365

In brief

• High On Pepper, Katja Melkko's Golden Division winner, underwent surgery for a fracture in her right foreleg and is forced to take a break from racing. Sulkysport
• In Italy, 1 668 trotters were born this year, and the stallion with the most offspring is Swedish-bred. Sulkysport
• The 3-year-old filly Victorianas Secret was bought for $875,000 at the Harrisburg auction and will begin training with Åke Svanstedt. Sulkysport
• Swedish-bred Antognoni recorded her seventh victory from 16 starts this year at Meadowlands, and double Kolgjini-bred horses were prominent at Yonkers Raceway. Sulkysport
• Top-bred Global Himalaya, a 3-year-old trained by Markus B Svedberg, recorded his third victory. Sulkysport
• Björn Goop raced in a pink sulky in October, and around SEK 200,000 was raised for Cancerfonden and Olle Goops Minnesfond. Trav365
• Among Saturday's news: Henrik Svensson's masters return to the final, a break for Vincennes and a criteria finalist changing trainers. Sulkysport