Premio Loco: broke new ground by scoring in Sweden for his 13th success
PICTURE: Getty ImagesGroup 3 success in Sweden for Premio Loco
Report: Sweden, Tuesday
Jagersro: Pramms Memorial (Group 3) 1m143yds, dirt, 4yo+
THE estimable Premio Loco (Chris Wall/George Baker) landed the seventh Group-race victory of his career on Tuesday when he justified favouritism in the Pramms Memorial.
The eight-year-old gelding, who has won 13 races altogether, beat Silver Ocean and Empire Storm to claim the major share of the 1.2 million SEK (£104,000) prize fund for the first Group race in Scandinavia this year.
"It looked like you had to be up with the speed and George managed that perfectly," said trainer Chris Wall. "If George had been 7lb lighter he would have been champion jockey!"
Wall added: "Premio Loco deserves a rest now and we will look to Ascot in July where we are looking for fast ground."
Baker said: "Fredrik Johanssonwas very helpful to me and explained the track and how it rides. We were friends back in England and I really appreciate his help. Premio Loco has got good tactical speed and was able to put it to good use."
Norwegian-trained Silver Ocean, the only runner seriously backed against the favourite, made the running with George Baker making sure Premio Loco was tracking him on his outside.
Baker was happy to stay there, with Empire Storm in his slipstream, until they turned for home.
It was then that Baker asked his mount to challenge the leader and Premio Loco responded generously to lead about a half-furlong from home, running on to the line to secure a three-quarter-length verdict over Silver Ocean.
Last year's runner-up Empire Storm kept on to finish a length further back in third, with the first three pulling five lengths clear of the fourth, French-trained Nova Valorem.
Luca Brasi, who hadwon the race for the last two years, could finish only sixth.
Also on Tuesday
Jagersro: Lanwades Stud Jagersro Sprint (Listed) 6f, dirt, 3yo+
British challenger Fratellino, trained by Alan McCabe and the mount of Martin Harley finished a well-beaten fourth to hot favourite Alcohuaz (Lennart Reuterskiold Jr/Fredrik Johansson), having got behind early and staying on only when the race was over.
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