ANNICKA COMING FOR INTER DOMINIONS
The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club (NZMTC) is proud to announce that its push to lure a top European trotter to contest the 2011 Inter Dominion Trotting Championship at Addington Raceway had been successful.
Connections of Annicka, a topline six-year-old trotting mare from Sweden have committed to a New Zealand campaign that will see her contest the Dream With Me Stables Inter Dominion Trotting Championship as well as the Rowe Cup.
Annicka will arrive in New Zealand with an impressive record against some of the best Trotters in Scandanavia and connections are keen to add the Inter Dominion and Rowe Cup to her already imposing resume.
From 33 lifetime starts, she has recorded 12 wins and nine placings with $2.67 million Swedish Krona (NZ $503,000) in lifetime earnings and a fastest winning mile rate of 1.55.0 recorded in May 2010.
At three Annicka won the Swedish Trotting Oaks and at four she won the Breeders Crown (Scandanavian) 4YO Final.
She has carried that outstanding form into open class ranks in Europe over the last twelve months. Three starts back she was an impressive winner over exceptional trotter Jaded who finished second in the 2009 Elitlopp. Two runs back she finished second to Jaded, while at her most recent run on Boxing Day she finished a close sixth at Solvalla behind Jaded with 2010 Elitlopp winner Iceland third.
Addington Raceway CEO Shane Gloury is thrilled his Club has lured such a highly credentialed and talented European Trotter to New Zealand to contest the upcoming feature events.
“This is fantastic for trotting in this part of the world and truly Internationalises the upcoming Inter Dominion Trotting Championship. We have been working for the past nine months to try and secure a quality European trotter to contest the Inter Dominion and Rowe Cup.
“That hard work has paid off thanks to many who have been involved in the exercise but in particular we are grateful to Klaus Koch in Sweden as well as Anthony Butt and IRT for their support. HRNZ and the Auckland TC have also been most supportive.”
Gloury confirmed that Annicka would be the only European trotter embarking on a New Zealand campaign, with five other European Trotters originally nominated for the Inter Dominion either unable to or deciding against making the long trip.
“Keep On Flying was all set to join Annicka for a New Zealand campaign but unfortunately pulled up lame after racing in Denmark over the weekend with connections deciding to pull the pin.”
Annicka is trained and driven by leading Swedish horseman Jorgen Westholm. She has entered quarantine in Newmarket, England, where she will remain for three weeks before flying to New Zealand in February where she will quarantine in Auckland for a further two weeks. She is likely to have a lead up race prior to the first round of Inter Dominion heats at Addington on 25 March 2011.
Annicka was not among the original nominations for the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship but a late nomination fee of $11,500 has been paid to make the mare eligible to contest the Championships.
The Christchurch Casino Inter Dominion Carnival will be conducted at Addington Raceway on Friday Nights March 25, April 1 and April 8, 2011. Tickets and hospitality packages are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.addington.co.nz
Courtesy of Brooke Henderson, HRNZ Marketing and Communications co-ordinator