Oslo – Blizzard Diamant, with Robin Bakker in the sulky, impressed everyone with a dominant victory in the prestigious Axel Jensens Lopp at Bjerke Racetrack in Oslo, despite racing on the outside without cover.
Blizzard Diamant set a new stakes and all-age track record of 1:51.3f, finishing 4-3/4 lengths ahead of runner-up Blank, driven by Örjan Kihlström, with Variegated and Frode Hamre in third.
Blizzard Diamant is German-owned and German-bred but is trained in the Netherlands by Paul Hagoort, whose stable includes an even better 4-year-old: Fragolino Rosso, who easily defeated Blizzard Diamant in the German Derby and has since won the UET Grand Prix.
While Fragolino Rosso is scheduled to compete in the major French race, the Critérium Continental at Vincennes around Christmas, this was Blizzard Diamant’s final start of the year. He will return to his owner in Bavaria for a winter break.
Blizzard Diamant has made eight starts this year, recording seven wins and one second-place finish while earning $210,000.
Blizzard Diamant is by Indigious, a son of Prodigious, and out of Sugarbabe Diamant, a daughter of Chocolatier.
Back at Bjerke, Paul Hagoort also welcomed the winner of the Axel Jensens Minnelopp Filly into the winner’s circle.
That was Peggy Boko, also driven to victory by Robin Bakker.