Weekend Recap: Records, upsets and big performances

Q: Fragolino Rosso: The best 4-year-old in Europe?

Fragolino Rosso secured his 12th win in a row in magnificent style. The Dutch-trained horse has once again confirmed his status as one of Europe's best 4-year-olds. The horse ran a tough race, going wide in the first 1000m and ending up in the death seat. Fragolino Rosso didn't seem to mind; his driver, Robin Bakker, barely moved throughout the race, and even in the last 200m, the horse seemed to find another gear.Fans across Europe hope to see him in the Critérium Continental on December 27. His trainer, Paul Hagoort, has already said they'll take it race by race but is looking towards a French campaign. We'll have to wait a little longer to see if the fantastic 4-year-old will appear in the Prix d'Amérique qualifier, as there hasn't been an official confirmation yet.Favorites Mellby Narrow and Maestro Vrie couldn't deliver when it mattered, and Guglielmo Jet cracked under pressure. Huge outsider Ginger Gio took second place, with 20/1 horses Recycle Cash and Peggy Boko finishing third and fourth.Fragolino Rosso set a time of 1'11''2 over 2100m.

Q: Mats Djuse: A Historical Double

Mats Djuse delivered an incredible double, winning both the Trav-Oaks and the Trav-Kriterium at Solvalla. First, after a fantastic trip, he steered Zeebreeze, trained by Daniel Wäjersten, to a somewhat surprising victory. Two races later, he took the lead with Nanda Devi Cut and never looked back. The incredible achievement visibly moved trainer Mattias Djuse. Djuse became only the third driver to win both races in the same year, following Örjan Kihlström in 2001 with Pine Dust and From Above, and Daniel Wäjersten in 2024 with Vivillion and Bullet the Bluesky. Zeebreeze won in 1'11''8 over 2140m, while Nanda Devi Cut recorded 1'12''3 over 2640m.

Q: Outsiders take the Italian Derby and Oaks

Both the Italian Derby and Oaks were more open editions than in previous years. Both races were won by outsiders, confirming the depth of the Italian generation. Iceberg LP won the Italian Derby at 14/1 with Andrea Guzzinati in the bike. The Face Time Bourbon son finished fastest of everyone and beat one of the favorites, Il Trio Jet, on the line. The winning time was 1'12''9 over 2100m. In the Oaks, Ischia Joy and Francesco Facci surprised all the favorites at 28/1 with a death-seat performance. She was too strong for Ingrid Am and Ifigenia of Brown. Ischia Joy recorded 1'12''2 over 1600m. Team Gocciadoro had six runners in the Oaks and finished finished 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th, respectively

Q: Frank Gio beats the 10-year-old favorites

Frank Gio, the 5-year-old trained by Sébastien Guarato, beat the two favorites and 10-year-olds Go On Boy and Don Fanucci Zet. He raced hard, pushing Don Fanucci Zet the entire way. He almost looked beaten, but driver Matthieu Abrivard encouraged him, and he found another gear in the last 200m. Go On Boy used his speed to come close, but not close enough, to finish second ahead of Don Fanucci Zet. Stablemate Kentucky River followed to finish fourth.This was the first time Frank Gio had beaten older horses. He set a time of 1'11''8 over 2100m.

Q: Saint-Léger des Trotteurs: A New Record at Caen

A new race record was set in the group 1 Saint-Léger des Trotteurs at Caen. Nuevo Cash, who appeared in the discipline for the first time, won in 1'12''2 over 2450m. He beat the two favorites, Nikita des Charmes and Ninja de l'Envol, in a dominant performance. It is the first group 1 victory for Nuevo Cash and rider Victor Saussaye.

Oct 12

3 min read

Updated: Oct 14

It was a weekend to remember, with races in Sweden, France, Italy and the Netherlands. From group 1 races to the annual 4.5 km at Alkmaar, there was plenty to follow across Europe.

Let's take a look back at the weekend, with replays available for the races.

Fragolino Rosso: The best 4-year-old in Europe?

Fragolino Rosso secured his 12th win in a row in magnificent style. The Dutch-trained horse has once again confirmed his status as one of Europe's best 4-year-olds. The horse ran a tough race, going wide in the first 1000m and ending up in the death seat. Fragolino Rosso didn't seem to mind; his driver, Robin Bakker, barely moved throughout the race, and even in the last 200m, the horse seemed to find another gear.

Fans across Europe hope to see him in the Critérium Continental on December 27. His trainer, Paul Hagoort, has already said they'll take it race by race but is looking towards a French campaign. We'll have to wait a little longer to see if the fantastic 4-year-old will appear in the Prix d'Amérique qualifier, as there hasn't been an official confirmation yet.

Favorites Mellby Narrow and Maestro Vrie couldn't deliver when it mattered, and Guglielmo Jet cracked under pressure. Huge outsider Ginger Gio took second place, with 20/1 horses Recycle Cash and Peggy Boko finishing third and fourth.

Fragolino Rosso set a time of 1'11''2 over 2100m.

Replay Grand Prix de l'U.E.T.

Mats Djuse: A Historical Double

Mats Djuse delivered an incredible double, winning both the Trav-Oaks and the Trav-Kriterium at Solvalla. First, after a fantastic trip, he steered Zeebreeze, trained by Daniel Wäjersten, to a somewhat surprising victory. Two races later, he took the lead with Nanda Devi Cut and never looked back. The incredible achievement visibly moved trainer Mattias Djuse.

Djuse became only the third driver to win both races in the same year, following Örjan Kihlström in 2001 with Pine Dust and From Above, and Daniel Wäjersten in 2024 with Vivillion and Bullet the Bluesky.

Zeebreeze won in 1'11''8 over 2140m, while Nanda Devi Cut recorded 1'12''3 over 2640m.

Replay Trav Oaks

Replay Trav Kriterium

Outsiders take the Italian Derby and Oaks

Both the Italian Derby and Oaks were more open editions than in previous years. Both races were won by outsiders, confirming the depth of the Italian generation.

Iceberg LP won the Italian Derby at 14/1 with Andrea Guzzinati in the bike. The Face Time Bourbon son finished fastest of everyone and beat one of the favorites, Il Trio Jet, on the line. The winning time was 1'12''9 over 2100m.

In the Oaks, Ischia Joy and Francesco Facci surprised all the favorites at 28/1 with a death-seat performance. She was too strong for Ingrid Am and Ifigenia of Brown.

Ischia Joy recorded 1'12''2 over 1600m.

Team Gocciadoro had six runners in the Oaks and finished finished 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th, respectively

Replay Italian Derby

Replay Italian Oaks

Frank Gio beats the 10-year-old favorites

Frank Gio, the 5-year-old trained by Sébastien Guarato, beat the two favorites and 10-year-olds Go On Boy and Don Fanucci Zet. He raced hard, pushing Don Fanucci Zet the entire way.

He almost looked beaten, but driver Matthieu Abrivard encouraged him, and he found another gear in the last 200m. Go On Boy used his speed to come close, but not close enough, to finish second ahead of Don Fanucci Zet. Stablemate Kentucky River followed to finish fourth.

This was the first time Frank Gio had beaten older horses. He set a time of 1'11''8 over 2100m.

Replay U.E.T. Elite Final

Saint-Léger des Trotteurs: A New Record at Caen

A new race record was set in the group 1 Saint-Léger des Trotteurs at Caen. Nuevo Cash, who appeared in the discipline for the first time, won in 1'12''2 over 2450m. He beat the two favorites, Nikita des Charmes and Ninja de l'Envol, in a dominant performance. It is the first group 1 victory for Nuevo Cash and rider Victor Saussaye.

Replay Saint-Léger des Trotteurs

Longest race in Europe

The annual 4.5 km race was held at Alkmaar. The longest race in Europe attracts horses from multiple countries, but Liberty Pat, driven by Charley Mottier, seemed the one to beat. However, in the last lap, Dutch horses Moses Boko and Jaguar van Assum passed him. Moses Boko came out on top with Jaap van Rijn in the bike, setting a new race record of 1'17''1 over 4570m.

Replay 4,5km at Alkmaar