Oslo Grand Prix
| Group One International race | |
| Location | Bjerke Racetrack Oslo, Norway |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1966 |
| Race type | Harness race for standardbred trotters |
| Website | www.bjerke.no/Oslo-Grand-Prix |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,100 meters (1.31 mile) |
| Track | Left-handed 1,000 meter track (0.62 mile) |
| Qualification | Invitational |
| Purse | ≈US$427,000 (NOK 2.87 million, ≈€308,000) |
Oslo Grand Prix is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Bjerke Racetrack in Oslo, Norway.[1] The competition was inaugurated in 1966 and is regarded as Norway's biggest trotting event.[2][3] It is raced over 2,100 meters and is part of the European Grand Circuit. The overall purse for the 2009 event was 2.87 million Norwegian kroner (NOK), equalling approximately US$427,000 or €308,000.[2][4] The fastest winning time in the history of the race is 1:11.5, run by L'Amiral Mauzun in 2008.[5]
Racing conditions
Oslo Grand Prix is since 1981 been decided through a race over 2,100 meter. Before that, the event had different looks. In the debut year, 1966, the event consisted of two heats over different distances (1,600 and 2,100 meters). The same eight horses competed in both heats and the winner was the horse with the best total ranking. These conditions were altered the second year, 1967. Two heats were still used, but this year they were over 1,700 and 2,100 meters, with richer horses starting 20 meters behind. 1973 the event went back to being decided over one 1,600 and one 2,100 heat. Between 1976 and 1980, 16 horses competed, divided into two elimination heats, from which a number of horses progressed to the final the same day. In 1976, both the eliminations and the final were over 1,700 meters. In 1978 autostart (a motorized gate) was introduced, and the Oslo Grand Prixs of 1978-1980 consisted of eliminations heat over 1,600 meters followed by finals over 2,100 meters. From 1981, the present conditions have been ruling. One single race over 2,100 meters, started by a motorized gate.[6]
The 2012 Oslo Grand Prix
May 13 2012
Roxane Grif - Eric Raffin
Yarrah Boko - Kai Johansen- Quarcio du Chene - Björn Goop
- Timoko - Richard Westerink
Arch Madness - Trond Smedshammer- Commander Crowe - Christophe Martens
Viking Frecel - Vidar Hop
Windsong Geant - Rick Zeron- Beanie M.M. - Johnny Takter
- Joke Face - Lutfi Kolgjini
Past winners
Horses with most wins
- 2 - Copiad (1994, 1995)
- 2 - Gidde Palema (2003, 2004)
- 2 - Grande Frances (1976, 1978)
- 2 - Rex Rodney (1986, 1987)[5]
Drivers with most wins
- 3 - Åke Svanstedt (1997, 2003, 2004)
- 2 - Erik Berglöf (1994, 1995)
- 2 - Kjell Håkonsen (1985, 1986)
- 2 - Stig H. Johansson (1991, 2000)
- 2 - Gösta Nordin (1967, 1969)
- 2 - Sören Nordin (1972, 1973)
- 2 - Ulf Thoresen (1976, 1978)
- 2 - Joseph Verbeeck (1992, 1998)[5]
Sires with most winning offsprings
- 2 - Nevele Pride (Hickory Almahurst, Meadow Roland)
- 2 - Noble Victory (E.O. Brunn, Noble Action)
- 2 - Texas (Nordin Hanover, Copiad)[5]
Countries, number of wins
Based on the nationalities of the winning horses' owners:
- 24 - Sweden
- 6 - France
- 4 - Norway
- 3 -
United States - 2 -
Denmark - 1 -
Germany - 1 -
Italy - 1 -
Netherlands - 1 -
Switzerland
Fastest winner
Auto start (1978-)
Short distance (1,600 m)
- 1:15,8 (km rate) - Madison Avenue (1978) and Gadames (1980)[6]
Middle distance (2,100 m)
- 1:11.5 (km rate) - L'Amiral Mauzun (2008)[6]
Volt start (1966-1976)
Short distance (1,600 - 1,700 m)
- 1:18.1 (km rate) - Noble Action (1972)[6]
Middle distance (≈2,100 m)
- 1:20,6 (km rate) - Molnets Broder (1975) (won the longer of that year's two races and finished second overall)[6]
All winners of Oslo Grand Prix
| Year | Winner | Driver | Trainer | Owner | Km. Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Scott Protector | Karsten Buer | Karsten Buer | Asbjørn Jensen 
|
1:23.0 |
| 1967 | Xanthe | Gösta Nordin | Robert Westergren | Robert Westergren 
|
1:23.6 |
| 1968 | Race cancelled | ||||
| 1969 | Baron Gruff | Gösta Nordin | Gösta Nordin | Stall Gruff
|
1:23.5 |
| 1970 | Race cancelled | ||||
| 1971 | Unor | Lars Axelsson | Lars Axelsson | Stall Montigny
|
1:19.5 |
| 1972 | Noble Action | Sören Nordin | Sören Nordin | Stall Hak / Stall Idre
|
1:18.1 |
| 1973 | Gaby Bulwark | Sören Nordin | Sören Nordin | Stall Rol Christ / Fello / Opal
|
1:18.6 |
| 1974 | Boett | Sören Norberg | Sören Norberg | Karl Adolfsson
|
1:21.0 |
| 1975 | Hassan Star | Kjell P. Dahlström | Kjell P. Dahlström | Ulla Dahlström
|
1:19.1 |
| 1976 | Grande Frances | Ulf Thoresen | Bengt Arvidsson | Stall Oskar
|
1:19.7 |
| 1977 | Race cancelled | ||||
| 1978 | Grande Frances | Ulf Thoresen | Bengt Arvidsson | Stall Oskar
|
1:17.0 |
| 1979 | Hillion Brillouard | Philippe Allaire | Christian Riviere | Ch. Riviere 
|
1:19.9 |
| 1980 | Express Gaxe | Gunnar Axelryd | Gunnar Axelryd | Stall Bafata
|
1:17.1 |
| 1981 | Pamir Brodde | Karl Erik Nilsson | Karl Erik Nilsson | Stall Point
|
1:16.3 |
| 1982 | Zorrino | Tommy Hanné | Tommy Hanné | Ingvar Andersson
|
1:18.9 |
| 1983 | E.O. Brunn | Bo William Takter | Bo William Takter | Stall Tranen
|
1:15.6 |
| 1984 | Hickory Almahurst | Ulf Nordin | Ulf Nordin | M. C. Andersen 
|
1:16.3 |
| 1985 | Ogorek | Michel Roussel | Michel Roussel | Jean Pachoud 
|
1:16.0 |
| 1986 | Rex Rodney | Kjell Håkonsen | Kjell Håkonsen | Torleif Thu
|
1:14.7 |
| 1987 | Rex Rodney | Kjell Håkonsen | Kjell Håkonsen | Torleif Thu
|
1:13.7 |
| 1988 | Sugarcane Hanover | Gunnar Eggen | Gunnar Eggen | Stall Cheval 
|
1:12.5 |
| 1989 | Ourasi | Michel Marcel Gougeon | Jean Rene Gougeon | R. Ostheimer
|
1:13.5 |
| 1990 | Meadow Roland | Preben Kjærsgaard | Preben Kjærsgaard | M. Duckert / Stald E.H. / Stut. Focus
|
1:13.8 |
| 1991 | Peace Corps | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | AB Gnägget
|
1:14.1 |
| 1992 | Sea Cove | Joseph Verbeeck | Harald Grendel | Gestut Cicero 
|
1:14.6 |
| 1993 | Nordin Hanover | Olle Goop | Olle Goop | Håkan Andersson
|
1:14.3 |
| 1994 | Copiad | Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | Stall Succé
|
1:12.7 |
| 1995 | Copiad | Erik Berglöf | Erik Berglöf | Stall Succé
|
1:12.7 |
| 1996 | Ina Scot | Helen A. Johansson | Kjell P. Dahlström | Ina Q AB / Kjell Dahlström AB
|
1:12.9 |
| 1997 | Zoogin | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | Håkan Anderssons Åkeri
|
1:14.6 |
| 1998 | Huxtable Hornline | Joseph Verbeeck | Anders Lindqvist | Leverre International S.A. 
|
1:13.2 |
| 1999 | Ganymede | Jean Pierre Dubois | Jean Pierre Dubois | Daniel Wildenstein
|
1:12.6 |
| 2000 | Victory Tilly | Stig H. Johansson | Stig H. Johansson | Stall Kalas
|
1:12.0 |
| 2001 | Giant Cat | Nicolas Roussel | Nicolas Roussel | Mme. Bernard Bessiere
|
1:12.1 |
| 2002 | Brads Photo | Wilhelm Pal | Holger Ehlert | Scuderia Vilenzo 
|
1:13.9 |
| 2003 | Gidde Palema | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | Stall Palema
|
1:12.2 |
| 2004 | Gidde Palema | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | Stall Palema
|
1:11.7 |
| 2005 | Steinlager | Per Oleg Midtfjeld | Per Oleg Midtfjeld | Knut Olausson
|
1:12.5 |
| 2006 | Mara Bourbon | Erik Adielsson | Jean Pierre Dubois | Jean Pierre Dubois
|
1:13.2 |
| 2007 | Super Light | Jörgen Westerholm | Jörgen Westerholm | Stall Velvet Trav AB
|
1:12.2 |
| 2008 | L’Amiral Mauzun | Tony Le Beller | Jean-Philippe Ducher | Comte Paul de Senneville
|
1:11.5 |
| 2009 | Russel November | Hugo Langeweg, Jr | Hugo Langeweg, Jr | Stal Amsterdam 
|
1:14.3 |
| 2010 | Lisa America | Jorma Kontio | Jerry Riordan | Guida Italia Sc
|
1:11.7 |
| 2011 | Arch Madness | Björn Goop | Trond Smedshammer | Marc D. Goldberg / Willow Pond LLC
|
1:11.5 |
| 2012 | Commander Crowe | Christophe Martens | Fabrice Souloy | Snogarps Gård AB
|
1:11.5 |
| 2013 | Sebastian K. | Åke Svanstedt | Åke Svanstedt | Knutsson Trotting AB
|
1:12.8 |
| 2014 | Univers de Pan | Philippe Daugeard | Philippe Daugeard | M. Olivier Horvath
|
1:11.9 |
| 2015 | B.B.S. Sugarlight | Peter Untersteiner | Fredrik Solberg | Stall Sugarlight & Gunnar Karlsen
|
1:11.3 |
| 2016 | Your Highness | Bjørn Goop | Fabrice Souloy | P.V.Racing Stable HB & Ullo AB
|
1:10.5 |
See also
References
- ^ "2009 Group I races calendar" (PDF). uet-trot.net. European Trotting Union (UET). Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ a b "OGP_innbydelse" (PDF). bjerke.no. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ Bonsdorf, Karsten (2005-05-17). "Steinlager: Norwegian national hero". harnesslink.com. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ In the conversion from NOK to USD, the rates of 2009-04-29 have been used.
- ^ a b c d "Oslo Grand Prix". qhurth.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 2009-04-29.
- ^ a b c d e "Samtlige premielister OGP". bjerke.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2009-04-29.