May 19, 2011

Kungapokalen and Drottning Silvias Pokal

There Is Only One Queen
Each year, the Royal Trophy’s are the first big races for 4-year-olds. This year, Tamla Celeber, who was dominating among the fillies last year, was the given favorite in the Queen’s Trophy. Her trainer Roger Walmann was optimistic before the race and had no need to worry. As usually, Örjan Kihlström sat in the bike, and even though Tamla Celeber was first on the outside throughout the race, he sat absolutely calm and let her speed home the $143,500. This was her 10th consecutive victory and her 13th out of 15 lifetime starts. The Cantab Hall – Amanda Celeber filly won at 1,13.0/2140 meters (1.57,2/1 3/8th miles). Truly Devoted was second and Popcorn Lavec finished third.

…But Many Knight
The Royal Trophy was wide open after the trials two weeks prior to the final. Raja Mirchi won his trial quite easily, but his uneven temper and bad habit to fall off stride was no longer his worst contestants. Other trail winners like Formula One and Wishing Strone were relied on in the final. This time, Raja Mirchi did his job in the front, but it was an American-born and French-trained horse’s name that will be engraved in the trophy. From a position as third on the inside, Jean-Michel Bazire moved Wishing Stone three wide out with 300 meters left to go. The Fabrice Souloy trained horse won at 1,57.0/1 3/8th miles, with Kadett C.D and Formula One next behind. Wishing Stone was breed at Brittany Farm & Acres Daisy in the US in 2007 and is by Conway Hall – Meadowbranch Magic.