Swedish harness racing sees V85 success and major upcoming races

Swedish harness racing features diverse storylines, from individual success stories to high-stakes auction races. Axel Gustavsson, a 21-year-old welder, has gained attention after his first owned horse, Merlene Boko, won a V85 race despite being purchased for only 12,000 SEK. Gustavsson trains his horses at Fredrik Persson’s facility near Fågelmara.

At the Åby racing track, the Sweden International Yearling Sales Auction Race offers a 300,000 SEK prize. The race features seven two-year-olds, including Rocksteady Artist, trained by Claes Sjöström. Additionally, the classic The Red Mile race is scheduled at Åby, with Giuseppe Lubrano’s Dats Tore noted as a contender. Meanwhile, at Solvalla, a race for four-year-olds with earnings up to 875,000 SEK will feature horses from prominent trainers such as Henrik Larsson, Thomas Bos, Daniel Redén, and Björn Goop.