by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Enough Talk, with Luc Ouellette in the bike, was favored to win the Finlandia Ajo at Vermo, Helsinki on Sunday afternoon, May 2, but could only manage to finish fifth.

From his outside position Ouellette eased Enough Talk from the start and was placed in the middle of the field. Around the last bend Ouellette made his move, but Enough Talk didn’t fire and was never prominent down the stretch.

The French-bred, but Swedish-owned and trained Quarcio de Chene, driven by Björn Goop, enjoyed a second over trip and made his move with 600 meters to go. Going into the stretch Quarcio de Chene took command from the long leading French trotter, Rapide Lebel with Eric Raffin.

Down the stretch Quarcio de Chene managed to hold off a late charge from the German trotter Brioni, driven by Joachim Lövgren, who might have been the winner if he had found racing room earlier. Quarcio de Chene won in 1:53.3f — a new race and track record. The purse for the winner was $145,000.

Enough Talk was timed in 1:54.1f and got a check for $6,600. He will now be shipped to Stockholm, but will have his next race in Norway on May 16 in the Oslo Grand Prix.