by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

The Italian-bred, but Dutch-owned and trained Robert Bi, driven by Robin Bakker, was an easy winner of the European Championship for 5-year-old trotters, raced Tuesday night (July 28) at Jägersro.

Kanal 75 photo

Robert Bi, driven by Robin Bakker, won the European Championship.

Robert Bi, who two months ago won the Copenhagen Cup in world record time, was in a class of his own and won the 1-5/16th mile event in 1:55f. The purse for the winner was $50,000.

Robert Bi is sired by Toss Out (he by Supergill) and out of a mare sired by Self Possessed.

It would be very interesting to see Robert Bi meeting Creatine and it could have happened in the Jubilee Prize at Solvalla in three weeks. However, Paul Hagoort, who trains Robert Bi, has decided to race his top trotter in the Prix de Wallonie at Mons in Belgium as a prep race for the UET Master Trot final at the same track in September.

Another Italian trotter sparkled on the undercard at Jägersro Tuesday night. The 3-year-old Tango Negro, driven by Peter Ingves, won the Breeders Course final, worth $65,000 to the winner. Tango Negro, who is sired by Infinitif, was parked outside leading Dragster, driven by Roger Malmqvist, but still managed to win by a half-length in 1:56.3f.

Tango Negro is trained by USA-born Jerry Riordan, who now trains in Halmstad, Sweden. Prior to that Riordan trained many years in Italy.