Tornado Valley may trot off to Sweden
INTER Dominion Trotting Championship-winning owner Norman Jenkin is considering sending Tornado Valley to Sweden to compete in one of the sport’s most prestigious races.
Jenkin has received an invitation for Tornado Valley to race in the Elitloppet, to be held in Stockholm on May 26.
Tornado Valley has won 18 of 23 races for Jenkin, including the Inter Dominion in Victoria last month and the Bendigo Cup on January 5.
The horse will compete in the Great Southern Star – billed as the greatest trotting race in the southern hemisphere – in Victoria on January 26 as Jenkin weighs up chasing international glory.
Gold Coast-based Jenkin said he wanted to know if Tornado Valley was the best horse in the world but had to consider the costs involved with the travel and how it would impact on trainer Andy Gath.
“I believe it’s the biggest race in the world,” Jenkin said.
“I’d love to know if (Tornado Valley) is the best in the world.
“I just hope we could compete. I’d hate to go that far and not compete.
“There are lots to consider. The horse has to be fit at that stage, we have to get the trainer and driver and family to leave the rest of their horses and other owners for at least a month.
“It would probably cost $75,000 each way just for the horse.
“I’d never thought about racing in it before. I never thought I’d have a horse good enough to race.”
The 58-year-old Main Beach commercial property developer bought the sevenyear-old gelding at the start of the year for $54,000.
He has won the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship twice, the first time with Flashing Red in 2006.