Oslo Grand Prix is an annual Group One

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 harness event

Harness racing

Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...

 that takes place at Bjerke Racetrack in Oslo

Oslo

Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...

, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

. The competition was inaugurated in 1966 and is regarded as Norway's biggest trotting event. It is raced over 2,100 meters and is part of the European Grand Circuit. The overall purse for the 2009 event was 2.87 million Norwegian kroner (NOK), equalling approximately US$427,000 or €308,000. The fastest winning time in the history of the race is 1:11.5, run by L'Amiral Mauzun in 2008.

Racing conditions

Oslo Grand Prix is since 1981 been decided through a race over 2,100 meter. Before that, the event had different looks. In the debut year, 1966, the event consisted of two heats over different distances (1,600 and 2,100 meters). The same eight horses competed in both heats and the winner was the horse with the best total ranking. These conditions were altered the second year, 1967. Two heats were still used, but this year they were over 1,700 and 2,100 meters, with richer horses starting 20 meters behind. 1973 the event went back to being decided over one 1,600 and one 2,100 heat. Between 1976 and 1980, 16 horses competed, divided into two elimination heats, from which a number of horses progressed to the final the same day. In 1976, both the eliminations and the final were over 1,700 meters. In 1978 autostart (a motorized gate) was introduced, and the Oslo Grand Prixs of 1978-1980 consisted of eliminations heat over 1,600 meters followed by finals over 2,100 meters. From 1981, the present conditions have been ruling. One single race over 2,100 meters, started by a motorized gate.

The starting list

1. Oyonnax - Joseph Verbeeck (Vincent Brazon)
2. Tinita Love - Geir Vegard Gundersen (Ole Björn Hoppestad)
3. Finders Keepers - Åke Svanstedt
4. Colombian Necktie - Thomas Uhrberg (Roger Walmann)
5. Offshore Dream - Pierre Levesque
6. Megaman Neo - Did not start
7. Russel November - Hugo Langeweg J:r
8. Inzaghi - Jeppe Juel
9. Igor Font - Jean-Michel Bazire
   Jean-Michel Bazire
   Jean-Michel Bazire is a noted French harness racing driver. In 1999 he won the Prix d'Amérique driving Moni Maker. In 2004 he was the driver for Kesaco Phedo who also won the Prix.- References :...
   
    (Fabrice Souloy)
10. Triton Sund - Örjan Kihlström (Stefan Hultman)

(Trainer, if other than driver, in parentheses)

The race

Finders Keepers breezed to the front instantly and set up a low pace. Parked outside was Swedish Triton Sund, second-hand favourite. Offshore Dream, the betting favourite, ran in third over and had another French stallion, third favourite Igor Font, behind him. Russel November was last until the final stretch, when he, as well as the two French top trotters in front of him, attacked on the outside. Finders Keepers gave up easily and parker Triton Sund took over. Russel November finished superbly to win by a length, in front of Triton Sund, Igor Font, Offshore Dream and Norwegian Tinita Love.

Russel November, a German-born 6-year-old stallion with Dutch trainer and owners, won in 1:59.3 (mile rate)/1:14.3 (km rate). The son of General November won US$230,000.

Horses with most wins

• 2 - Copiad
  Copiad
  Copiad is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Texas out of Bibbi Girl by Big Lama.His most prestigious victories include Elitloppet , Oslo Grand Prix , Finlandia-Ajo and Olympiatravet . At the end of his career, the stallion had earned US$2,416,093...
  
   (1994, 1995)
• 2 - Gidde Palema
  Gidde Palema
  Gidde Palema is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Alf Palema out of Rosie Palema by Ideal du Gazeau....
  
   (2003, 2004)
• 2 - Grande Frances (1976, 1978)
• 2 - Rex Rodney (1986, 1987)

Drivers with most wins

• 3 - Åke Svanstedt (1997, 2003, 2004)
• 2 - Erik Berglöf (1994, 1995)
• 2 - Kjell Håkonsen (1985, 1986)
• 2 - Stig H. Johansson
  Stig H. Johansson
  Stig Henry Johansson is a Swedish trotting trainer and former driver. He started his career as a professional trainer in 1969, and has during a large part of the career been a dominating force in Swedish trotting. He is, arguably, the greatest in Swedish trotting history. Internationally, he is...
  
   (1991, 2000)
• 2 - Gösta Nordin (1967, 1969)
• 2 - Sören Nordin
  Sören Nordin
  Ernst Sören Nordin was a Swedish harness racing driver and trainer who later started a stable in America. Nordin won 3,221 races in 10 different countries as a driver, he won the Swedish Trotting Derby 11 times – still a record. In 1950, Nordin won the Prix d'Amérique, and in 1953 the Elitloppet...
  
   (1972, 1973)
• 2 - Ulf Thoresen (1976, 1978)
• 2 - Joseph Verbeeck (1992, 1998)

Sires with most winning offsprings

• 2 - Nevele Pride
  Nevele Pride
  Nevele Pride was an American standardbred harness racehorse who set world records as fastest trotter on multiple occasions. Owned by Stanley Dancer, Nevil Pride won 57 races and was honored as Harness Horse of the Year in three consecutive years. The horse earned more than $870,000 during his...
  
   (Hickory Almahurst, Meadow Roland)
• 2 - Noble Victory (E.O. Brunn, Noble Action)
• 2 - Texas (Nordin Hanover, Copiad)

Countries, number of wins

Based on the nationalities of the winning horses' owners:

• 24 -
• 6 -
• 4 -
• 2 -
• 1 -
• 1 -
• 1 -
• 1 -
• 1 -

Middle distance (≈2,100 m)

• 1:20,6 (km rate) - Molnets Broder (1975) (won the longer of that year's two races and finished second overall)

All winners of Oslo Grand Prix

Year	Horse	Driver	Country1	Winning time
2009	Russel November	Hugo Langeweg J:r		1:14.3
2008	L'Amiral Mauzun	Tony Le Beller		1:11.5
2007	Super Light	Jörgen Westholm		1:12.2
2006	Mara Bourbon	Erik Adielsson		1:13.2
2005	Steinlager	Per Oleg Midtfjeld		1:12.5
2004	Gidde Palema Gidde Palema Gidde Palema is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Alf Palema out of Rosie Palema by Ideal du Gazeau....	Åke Svanstedt		1:11.7
2003	Gidde Palema	Åke Svanstedt		1:12.2
2002	Brads Photo	Wim Paal		1:13.9
2001	Giant Cat	Nicolas Roussel		1:12.1
2000	Victory Tilly Victory Tilly Victory Tilly is a Swedish former racing trotter by Quick Pay out of Icora Tilly by Fakir du Vivier.His most prestigious victories include the Swedish Trotting Derby , Elitloppet, Nat Ray Trot and Gran Premio della Lotteria. At the end of his career, the gelding had earned US$5,168,902...	Stig H. Johansson Stig H. Johansson Stig Henry Johansson is a Swedish trotting trainer and former driver. He started his career as a professional trainer in 1969, and has during a large part of the career been a dominating force in Swedish trotting. He is, arguably, the greatest in Swedish trotting history. Internationally, he is...		1:12.0
1999	Ganymede	Jean-Pierre Dubois		1:12.6
1998	Huxtable Hornline	Joseph Verbeeck		1:13.2
1997	Zoogin Zoogin Zoogin was a Swedish racing trotter by Zoot Suit out of Ginjette by Lornjett.His most prestigious victories include the Swedish Trotting Criterium , Oslo Grand Prix , Finlandia-Ajo and Copenhagen Cup . At the end of his career, the stallion had earned US$2,989,271...	Åke Svanstedt		1:14.6
1996	Ina Scot Ina Scot Ina Scot is a Swedish former racing trotter by Allen Hanover out of Lovina Grefgård by Mad Scot.Her most prestigious victories include the Swedish Trotting Criterium , the Swedish Trotting Derby , Grand Prix de l'U.E.T...	Helen A. Johansson		1:12.9
1995	Copiad Copiad Copiad is a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Texas out of Bibbi Girl by Big Lama.His most prestigious victories include Elitloppet , Oslo Grand Prix , Finlandia-Ajo and Olympiatravet . At the end of his career, the stallion had earned US$2,416,093...	Erik Berglöf		1:12.7
1994	Copiad	Erik Berglöf		1:12.7
1993	Nordin Hanover	Olle Goop		1:14.3
1992	Sea Cove	Joseph Verbeeck		1:14.6
1991	Peace Corps	Stig H. Johansson		1:14.1
1990	Meadow Roland	Preben Kjaersgaard		1:13.8
1989	Ourasi	Michel-M. Gougeon		1:13.5
1988	Sugarcane Hanover	Gunnar Eggen		1:12.5
1987	Rex Rodney	Kjell Håkonsen		1:13.7
1986	Rex Rodney	Kjell Håkonsen		1:14.7
1985	Ogorek	Michel Roussel		1:16.0
1984	Hickory Almahurst	Ulf Nordin		1:16.3
1983	E.O. Brunn	Bo W. Takter		1:15.6
1982	Zorrino	Tommy Hanné		1:18.9
1981	Pamir Brodde	Karl Erik Nilsson		1:16.3
1980	Express Gaxe	Gunnar Axelryd		1:17.1
1979	Hillion Brillouard	Philippe Allaire		1:19.9
1978	Grande Frances	Ulf Thoresen		1:17.0
1977	Race cancelled
1976	Grande Frances	Ulf Thoresen		1:19.7
1975	Hassan Star	Kjell P. Dahlström		1:19.1
1974	Boett	Sören Norberg		1:21.0
1973	Gaby Bulwark	Sören Nordin		1:18.6
1972	Noble Action	Sören Nordin		1:18.1
1971	Unor	Lars Axelsson		1:19.5
1970	Race cancelled
1969	Baron Gruff	Gösta Nordin		1:23.5
1968	Race cancelled
1967	Xanthe	Gösta Nordin		1:23.6
1966	Scott Protector	Karsten Buer		1:23.0

¹ Nationality of the winning horse's owner(s)