Dear everyone,
The past season was the 50th for me as a trainer at Øvrevoll. It’s time to reflect on another year that we’ve been very proud of, and it’s time to look forward to 2023 and – hopefully – a new successful season.
We had 159 starts throughout Scandinavia, with 34 winners and 21,38% winners to runners. We saddled 72 horses in Norway and 84 in Sweden, while Danish Oaks winner Sea Lodge was one of only three horses to race in Denmark. We ended as 3rd in the Swedish Trainers’ Championship.
We had a team of precocious 2yo’s, led early on by Thunder Sea and Starlight Song, who took big prizes at home and in Sweden. Unfortunately Thunder Sea had a slight setback after two easy wins in a row, and we decided to give her time to rest. From this point Starlight Song took over and won three consecutive races, culminating with the ITM Amacitalöpning at Bro Park in late August.
Coming into Autumn, a pair of new, prolific juveniles showed the way for our yard, as Ami De Vega won the Norwegian Criterium, and Master Zone took the Swedish equivalent at Jägersro.
Master Zone might very well be a horse to consider for the Danish Derby, but I’m also thrilled that he handled Jägersro as well as he did.
We might have expected even more from our classic crop than what they delivered, but we got a classic Danish Oaks success with Sea Lodge, who was also 2nd in the Norwegian Derby with stable companion Pas De Faux as 3rd.
Furthermore, Downtown Leo was 3rd in the Swedish Derby, and a lot of credit must go to Mystery Night, who took four straight wins at Jägersro’s dirt track including the Voterlöpning, Malmö Stads Pris and Altamiralöpning. As Mystery Night has yet to lose a race at Jägersro, she will have plenty of big race options at this track come 2023.
One of the most exciting names coming into this classic season was Indy Humor, but sadly we never got to see him race as a 3yo, as he was hit by an exercise injury during early spring in Germany. We decided to give him the entire year off, and hopefully we will see him again competing at a high level next year.
Our older horses once again had a decent year with Like A King developing into a very promising miler. Having won the Norwegian 2000 Guineas at 3, he kept improving throughout his 4yo campaign and finished his season with an elegant Listed win in Arnfinn Lunds Minneløp. He was also 3rd in Stockholms Stora Pris (Gr.3) and Swedish Open Mile (L) and should go close again in next year’s editions.
Every Saturday we enjoy the great environment and atmosphere surrounding the yard, and I am greatly thankful for the enormous amount of trust shown by our loyal owners through thick and thin over the years.
Also, a warm thank you to all grooms, vets, farriers, jockeys and exercise riders, who are all focused on bringing the best forward in every horse.
I wish all our clients and all our supporters a happy and prosperous New Year.
Wido