Finlandia-Ajo ("Finlandia Race") is an annual Group One harness event that takes place at Vermo Racetrack in Espoo, Finland. The competition, which was inaugurated in 1980, is regarded as Finland's biggest trotting event. It is raced over the mile, 1,609 meters. Finlandia-Ajo is part of the European Grand Circuit and the overall purse for the 2009 event was €190,000, equalling approximately US$247,000.In the conversion from Euro to USD, the rates of 2009-04-21 have been used.
Racing conditions Finlandia-Ajo is decided through a one-mile race. The first eight years (1980–1987), the race was over a slightly shorter distance (1,600 meters, 0.99 mile), but since 1988, the distance has been one mile. The race has always been started by the use of auto start.
Past winners
Horses with most wins 2 - Giesolo de Lou (1999, 2000) 2 - Napoletano (1988, 1989)
Drivers with most wins 4 - Jean-Michel Bazire (2005, 2008, 2009, 2011) 3 - Stig H. Johansson (1988, 1989, 2004) 3 - Jorma Kontio (1985, 1986, 2007) 2 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987) 2 - Joseph Verbeeck (1998, 2003) 2 - Björn Goop (2010, 2012)
Trainers with most wins 4 - Fabrice Souloy (2003, 2008, 2009, 2011) 3 - Olle Goop (1983, 1987, 2010) 2 - Jean-Etienne Dubois (1999, 2000) 2 - Stig Engberg (1988, 1989)
Sires with most winning offsprings 2 - Biesolo (Giesolo de Lou, Oiseau de Feux) 2 - Quick Pay (Atas Fighter L., Born Quick) 2 - Texas (Grades Singing, Copiad) 2 - Super Bowl (Davidia Hanover, Napoletano)
Countries, number of wins 11 - 10 - 9 - 4 - 1 -
All winners of Finlandia-Ajo Year Horse Driver Trainer Winning horse's native country Winning time 2019 Readly Express Björn Goop Timo Nurmos 1:10:5 2018 Pastore Bob Johan Untersteiner Johan Untersteiner 1:11:0 2017 D.D.'s Hitman Ulf Ohlsson Petri Puro 1:09:8 2016 Propulsion Örjan Kihlströn Daniel Reden 1:10:2 2015 Bret Boko Ari Moilanen Markku Nieminen 1:12.2 2014 Univers de Pan Philippe Daugeard Philippe Daugeard 1:10.7 2013 Nesta Effe Roberto Vecchione Holger Ehlert 1:10.9 2012 Sebastian K Björn Goop Lutfi Kolgjini 1:11.1 2011 Commander Crowe Jean-Michel Bazire Fabrice Souloy 1:13.7 2010 Quarcio du Chene Björn Goop Olle Goop 1:10.6 2009 Igor Font Jean-Michel Bazire Fabrice Souloy 1:11.8 2008 Oiseau de Feux Jean-Michel Bazire Fabrice Souloy 1:11.3 2007 Opal Viking Jorma Kontio Nils Enqvist 1:10.8 2006 Hot Shot Knick Thomas Uhrberg Kari Lähdekorpi 1:11.5 2005 Kart de Baudrairie Jean-Michel Bazire Franck Leblanc 1:12.2 2004 Rotation Stig H. Johansson Stig H. Johansson 1:12.5 2003 Kiwi Joseph Verbeeck Fabrice Souloy 1:12.0 2002 H.P. Paque Trond Smedshammer Trond Smedshammer 1:11.7 2001 B.W.T. Magic Ahti Antti-Roiko Matti Salmi 1:11.2 2000 Giesolo de Lou Jean-Etienne Dubois Jean-Etienne Dubois 1:11.2 1999 Giesolo de Lou Pierre Vercruysse Jean-Etienne Dubois 1:11.6 1998 Dryade des Bois Joseph Verbeeck Jean-Baptiste Bossuet 1:12.5 1997 Zoogin Åke Svanstedt Åke Svanstedt 1:12.1 1996 Isla J. Brave Aki Antti-Roiko Petri Klemola 1:12.5 1995 SJ's Photo David Wade David Wade 1:13.3 1994 Copiad Erik Berglöf Erik Berglöf 1:12.5 1993 Born Quick Tommy Hanné Tommy Hanné 1:12.1 1992 Otto-Mani Antti Teivainen Esa Aronen 1:13.7 1991 Atas Fighter L. Torbjörn Jansson Torbjörn Jansson 1:13.5 1990 Florida Jewel William Fahy John Holloway 1:13.3 1989 Napoletano Stig H. Johansson Stig Engberg 1:12.9 1988 Napoletano Stig H. Johansson Stig Engberg 1:14.1 1987 Grades Singing Olle Goop Olle Goop 1:14.1 1986 Davidia Hanover Jorma Kontio Per Eriksson 1:14.7 1985 Keystone Patton Jorma Kontio Antti Savolainen 1:14.1 1984 Shane T. Hanover Per Henriksen Per Henriksen 1:14.9 1983 Speedy Magnus Olle Goop Olle Goop 1:13.2 1982 Dartster F. Olle Hedin Olle Hedin 1:13.9 1981 Ideal du Gazeau Eugene Lefevre Eugene Lefevre 1:14.3 1980 Ejakval Jean-Claude David Jean-Claude David 1:15.6
See also List of Scandinavian harness horse races
References