by Karsten Bønsdorf

Kentucky Futurity winner Wishing Stone, with the French top driver Jean Michel Bazire in the bike, finished strongly to win the prestigious Kings Trophy at Aby in Gothenburg, Sweden Thursday night.

Wishing Stone (Conway Hall-Meadowbranch Magic) won by a length in 1:57f – equaling the race record held by Giant Neo, who won the race 2002.

Photo by Kanal 75

Wishing Stone equaled the race record in winning the Kings Trophy in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Wishing Stone, trained in the United States by Dewayne Minor, is owned by the Danish Cowboyland Stable together with Deo Volente Farm, TLP Stables and Jerry Silva, and now trained by one of the leading trainers in France, Fabrice Soulopy.

This was the best performance thus far in Europe by Wishing Stone, who had the necessary racing luck around the last bend, where Bazire found racing room from his position third by the rail.

He won by a length followed by Kadett CD and a game Formula One held on to third. This was the third win in a row for Wishing Stone in Europe and the purse for the winner was $145,000.

“He left quickly but we had to let Kadett CD go by round the first bend,” Bazire said afterwards. Then Kolgjini came with Raja Mirchi and we were third at the rail. Luckily we got racing room round the last bend and he finished strongly – he’s a very nice little trotter.”

“If we get an invitation for the Elitlopp at Solvalla, I think we’ll accept it,” Fabrice Souloy, who trains Wishing Stone, said in the winner’s circle after the race.

On the same card the Queens Trophy for 4-year-old mares was raced, and though she was parked outside the leader most of the trip the favorite, Tamla Celeber driven by Ôrjan Kihlström, was a game winner in 1:57.2f (mile rate), her 13th win in 15 starts.