The E3 finals at Romme on Saturday, August 22, produced two distinct winners in the two Group 1 events over 1,640 meters autostart, each worth one million kronor to the winner. In the colts and geldings division, Steady Spender triumphed under Magnus A Djuse, while Thai Medina with Björn Goop secured the fillies' final.
Steady Spender, trained by Eric Martinsson, delivered the biggest victory of his trainer's career. The three-year-old gelding dominated the field of ten, crossing the line in 1:10.5a with a one-length margin. City Slicker, driven by Claes Sjöström for trainer Joakim Elfving, finished second in 1:10.7a. The Italian-trained In The Wind Gar, with Robin Bakker in the sulky for stable Hagoort, finished third in the same time. Fourth place went to Toto Tooma under Mats E Djuse in 1:11.0a, followed by Reagan Boko with Björn Goop for Paul Hagoort in 1:11.1a.
The fillies' final saw an equally convincing winner. Thai Medina, driven and trained by Björn Goop, left the competition behind in 1:12.7a, a time that equaled the Swedish record for three-year-old fillies over this distance. Morning Rain with Daniel Wäjersten was second, followed by Global Halo under Joakim Lövgren. This was the third E3 win of the year for Goop, reaffirming his reputation as a developer of young talent. The Färjestad-based horseman could hardly hide his satisfaction afterwards.
The E3 series, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is one of the most important races for three-year-old trotters in Sweden. Six tracks jointly organize the qualifying series, from which the best horses advance to the finals at Romme. Winners take home not only a significant purse but also a trophy and the traditional laurel wreath. For Eric Martinsson, the victory with Steady Spender was the culmination of years of work with the gelding, who has shown remarkable development in recent months.
It was a strong edition of the short E3, with a field featuring several internationally trained participants. Robin Bakker and Paul Hagoort managed to place two horses in the top five of the colts' final with In The Wind Gar and Reagan Boko, highlighting the international appeal of the event. With times dipping under the 1:11 mark over 1,640 meters, this year's crop of three-year-olds proved they meet high expectations.
