Finlandia-Ajo

Finlandia-Ajo ("Finlandia Race") is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Vermo Racetrack in Helsinki, Finland.[1][2] The competition, which was inaugurated in 1980, is regarded as Finland's biggest trotting event.[2] It is raced over the mile, 1,609 meters.[3] Finlandia-Ajo is part of the European Grand Circuit and the overall purse for the 2009 event was €190,000, equalling approximately US$247,000.[1][4] The fastest winning time in the history of the race is 1:10.8, run by Opal Viking in 2007.[3]

Finlandia-Ajo
Group One International race
LocationVermo Racetrack, Helsinki,
 Finland
Inaugurated1980
Race typeHarness race for standardbred trotters
Websitehttp://www.vermo.fi/finlandia/fi/finlandiayleista/index.php (in Finnish)
Race information
Distance1,609 meters (1 mile)
TrackLeft-handed 1,000 meter track (0.62 mile)
QualificationAge 4-14. Invitational
Purse≈US$247,000 (€190,000)

Racing conditions

Finlandia-Ajo is decided through a one-mile race. The first eight years (1980-1987), the race was over a slightly shorter distance (1,600 meters, 0.99 mile), but since 1988, the distance has been one mile. The race has always been started by the use of auto start.[3]

The 2009 Finlandia-Ajo

The starting list
  1. Turnaround - Lutfi Kolgjini
  2. Copper Beech - Conrad Lugauer
  3. Igor Font - Jean-Michel Bazire (Fabrice Souloy)
  4. Photocopy - Antti Teivainen (Lars-Erik Stenberg)
  5. Lönshults Danne - Johanna Lindqvist (Anders Lindqvist)
  6. Le Retour - Vincent Viel (Jean-Pierre Viel)
  7. Simb Chaplin - Markku Nieminen
  8. Shorthanded Goal - Mauri Jaara
  9. Camilla Highness - Peter Ingves (Petri Puro)[5]

French stallion Igor Font, trained by Fabrice Souloy and driven by Jean-Michel Bazire, was considered to be the favourite.[5]

The race

Turnaround took the lead initially, but handed it over to Copper Beech at an early stage. Favourite Igor Font followed in third and made his move down the back stretch when he followed Turnaround forward when Kolgjini moved out his Swedish stallion and attacked. Down the home stretch, Igor Font sprinted away and won the race easily. Lönshults Danne provided an inspired finish to end as runner-up and Camilla Highness came in third.[6][7]

The winning time for the French 5-year-old after Andover Hall, was 1:55.3 (mile rate)/1:11.8 (km rate). The winner's share of the purse was €110,000 (US$145,000).[8][6]

Past winners

Horses with most wins
  • 2 - Giesolo de Lou (1999, 2000)
  • 2 - Napoletano (1988, 1989)[3]

Drivers with most wins

Trainers with most wins
  • 4 - Fabrice Souloy (2003, 2008, 2009, 2011)
  • 3 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987, 2010)
  • 2 - Jean-Etienne Dubois (1999, 2000)
  • 2 - Stig Engberg (1988, 1989)

Sires with most winning offsprings
  • 2 - Biesolo (Giesolo de Lou, Oiseau de Feux)
  • 2 - Quick Pay (Atas Fighter L., Born Quick)
  • 2 - Texas (Grades Singing, Copiad)
  • 2 - Super Bowl (Davidia Hanover, Napoletano)[3]

Countries, number of wins

Fastest winners
  • 1:09.8 (km rate) - D.D.'s Hitman (2017)[3]

All winners of Finlandia-Ajo
Year Horse Driver Trainer Winning horse's native country Winning time
2019Readly ExpressBjörn GoopTimo Nurmos Sweden1:10:5
2018Pastore BobJohan UntersteinerJohan Untersteiner Sweden1:11:0
2017D.D.'s HitmanUlf OhlssonPetri Puro Finland1:09:8
2016PropulsionÖrjan KihlströnDaniel Reden Sweden1:10:2
2015Bret BokoAri MoilanenMarkku Nieminen Finland1:12.2
2014Univers de PanPhilippe DaugeardPhilippe Daugeard France1:10.7
2013Nesta EffeRoberto VecchioneHolger Ehlert Italy1:10.9
2012Sebastian KBjörn GoopLutfi Kolgjini Sweden1:11.1
2011Commander CroweJean-Michel BazireFabrice Souloy Sweden1:13.7
2010Quarcio du CheneBjörn GoopOlle Goop France1:10.6
2009Igor FontJean-Michel BazireFabrice Souloy France1:11.8
2008Oiseau de FeuxJean-Michel BazireFabrice Souloy France1:11.3
2007Opal VikingJorma KontioNils Enqvist Sweden1:10.8
2006Hot Shot KnickThomas UhrbergKari Lähdekorpi Sweden1:11.5
2005Kart de BaudrairieJean-Michel BazireFranck Leblanc France1:12.2
2004RotationStig H. JohanssonStig H. Johansson United States1:12.5
2003KiwiJoseph VerbeeckFabrice Souloy France1:12.0
2002H.P. PaqueTrond SmedshammerTrond Smedshammer United States1:11.7
2001B.W.T. MagicAhti Antti-RoikoMatti Salmi Finland1:11.2
2000Giesolo de LouJean-Etienne DuboisJean-Etienne Dubois France1:11.2
1999Giesolo de LouPierre VercruysseJean-Etienne Dubois France1:11.6
1998Dryade des BoisJoseph VerbeeckJean-Baptiste Bossuet France1:12.5
1997ZooginÅke SvanstedtÅke Svanstedt Sweden1:12.1
1996Isla J. BraveAki Antti-RoikoPetri Klemola Finland1:12.5
1995SJ's PhotoDavid WadeDavid Wade United States1:13.3
1994CopiadErik BerglöfErik Berglöf Sweden1:12.5
1993Born QuickTommy HannéTommy Hanné Finland1:12.1
1992Otto-ManiAntti TeivainenEsa Aronen Finland1:13.7
1991Atas Fighter L.Torbjörn JanssonTorbjörn Jansson Sweden1:13.5
1990Florida JewelWilliam FahyJohn Holloway United States1:13.3
1989NapoletanoStig H. JohanssonStig Engberg United States1:12.9
1988NapoletanoStig H. JohanssonStig Engberg United States1:14.1
1987Grades SingingOlle GoopOlle Goop United States1:14.1
1986Davidia HanoverJorma KontioPer Eriksson United States1:14.7
1985Keystone PattonJorma KontioAntti Savolainen United States1:14.1
1984Shane T. HanoverPer HenriksenPer Henriksen United States1:14.9
1983Speedy MagnusOlle GoopOlle Goop Sweden1:13.2
1982Dartster F.Olle HedinOlle Hedin Sweden1:13.9
1981Ideal du GazeauEugene LefevreEugene Lefevre France1:14.3
1980EjakvalJean-Claude DavidJean-Claude David France1:15.6

[3][6][9][9][10]

See also

References
  1. "2009 Group I races calendar" (PDF). uet-trot.net. European Trotting Union (UET). Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  2. "Shorthanded Goal mot Guldbjörken". v75.umaker.se (in Swedish). 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  3. "Finlandia-Ajo". qhurth.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  4. In the conversion from Euro to USD, the rates of 2009-04-21 have been used.
  5. Mahlamäki, Timo (2009-04-19). "De gör upp i Finlandia-Ajo". travronden.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  6. Hedlund, Thomas (2009-04-25). "Lätt för Igor Font". travronden.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  7. "Igor Font Wins Finlandia-Ajo". standardbredcanada.ca. 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  8. Bonsdorf, Karsten (2009-04-26). "Guida-owned mare sets world mark in Italy". ustrotting.com. United States Trotting Association. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
  9. "Finlandia-Ajo 1980 - 2007". vermo.fi (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
  10. "Travsport.se - Igor Font - Härstamning". Travsport.se (in Swedish). STC. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
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