by Thomas Hedlund

Finland’s top older trotter Massimo Hoist (by Muscle Hill) wrote his name into the history books on Saturday (Oct. 18) in Pori, setting a new world record in the Finnish St. Leger. Starting from double handicaps (40 meters), driver Hannu Torvinen launched the 6-year-old in a bold three-wide move with less than a mile to go. After tracking cover briefly, he tipped four-wide on the backstretch, reeled in Main Stage (Prodigious), and swept past through the lane to win easily.

The final time — a mile rate of 1:56.4 for 2,640 meters off a standing start — shattered the previous world record for the distance, held since 2015 by Sweden’s Spring Erom.

The $79,200 event (approximately $86,000 USD) added to an already stellar résumé for the Finnish star, who has made 45 career starts (21-10-4) and earned $520,000 USD. He also holds a personal best of 1:50.9 (mile rate), taken in this year’s Elitloppet final, where he finished sixth.

Massimo Hoist, trained by Jukka Hakkarainen, also captured Finland’s biggest race, the Suur-Hollola-Ajo, this summer and was sixth in the Elitloppet final — confirming his place as Finland’s No. 1 trotter.

SWEDEN’S V75 ERA ENDS AS REDÉN’S STAR SHINES

Saturday (Oct. 18) marked the end of an era in Sweden as the legendary V75 betting format — the country’s flagship wagering product for decades — ran its final program.

Starting next weekend (Oct. 25), ATG will launch V85, featuring eight races instead of seven for the jackpot payout. The change has raised eyebrows across the industry; V75 has long been the economic engine driving Swedish harness racing, and many insiders view the shift as a gamble.

Fittingly, the farewell card wasn’t even held in Sweden, but across the border in Oslo, Norway, featuring the Axel Jensen Memorial for 4-year-olds.

Keep Asking (Chapter Seven), trained by Daniel Redén and driven by Örjan Kihlström, justified heavy favoritism with an effortless front-end score, taking command after 400 meters and cruising to a 1:53.4 mile win worth $27,000 USD ($300,000 NOK). The American-bred trotter looks poised to join the top horses in Europe’s older division next season.

In the 4-year-old mare division of the same event, Skylight (Readly Express) controlled every step under Magnus Teien Gundersen, turning back favorite Undinia to win in a mile rate of 1:56.1 for the 1-5/16 miles, earning $11,200 USD ($125,000 NOK).

Next weekend’s inaugural V85 card is already generating buzz. Early reports indicate that Francesco Zet (Father Patrick) — fresh off victories in the $200,000 Sundsvall Open Trot and $110,000 Swedish Championship — will headline the new era.

Meanwhile, Redén’s seasoned star Mister Hercules (by Trixton), a 22-time winner with more than $720,000 USD in career earnings, is expected to head to the United States to join Marcus Melander’s training operation. His fifth-place finish in Oslo’s Gold Division on Saturday was likely his European farewell.

From records in Finland to farewells in Sweden, the European harness scene once again delivered drama, milestones, and new storylines — proof that the sport’s heartbeat remains as strong as ever across the continent.