Diva EK upset winner of 116,567€ Menhammar Copenhagen Cup

Charlottenlund’s Menhammar Copenhagen Cup  (Gr. I International, purse 116,567€, 2011  meters autostart) produced  a 11.27/1 odds upset winner in Diva EK (6f Trixton-Nike EK-Varenne timed in 1.10.3kr with Mats E. 

Djuse driving for trainer Alessandro Gocciadoro and  owners Antonio Nucera and Effebi. This great mare now posts 20 career wins in 38 starts for 2,504,880DKK.

She is two for two in ’25. Finishing second was 24.7/1 Dancer Brodde (6m Bold Eagle-Dancing In Time-Conway Hall) with trainer Johan Untersteiner driving. Hades de Vandel (8m Ganymede-Silene de Vandel-Love You) landed third at 7.1/1 with Robin Bakker handling the lines for trainer Paul Hagoort and Stable Why Not.

The 2.3/1 odds Hustle Rain (6m Raja Mirchi-Miss Possessed-Self Possessed) was fourth with Magnus A. Djuse up for Mattias Djuse.

Race Replay  https://www.atg.se/video/archive/2157590085443/vinnare_2025-05-11_55_11

Race Replay 2 – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?mibextid=xfxF2i&v=983506253866388&rdid=1M3le2A9VaBD2NG9

Note the dam of Diva EK is the exceptional Nike EK by Varenne. She has produced Always EK the recent Lotteria winner and now an Elitloppet ’25 invitee and Executiv EK that was  a solid second in the Lotteria finale.

In other Italy/Gocciadoro news it was announced this week that the great performer Vernissage Grif (11m Varenne-Dalia Grif-Park Avenue Joe) has been retired. He has taken 44 victories and earned 1,576,231. Spectacular on the racetrack.

At Umaker Sweden on May10 the STL Gold (200,000SEK to winner, 2140 meters autostart, nine starters) the 14.7/1 odds Bengan (6m Django Riff-Restless Legs-Credit Winner) rallied between horses to win timed in 1.12.1kr.

Orjan Kihlstrom teamed the Daniel Reden trainee to his seventh career win in 36 starts now for 3,858,263SEK earned. The 19.6/1 Mellby Joker (7g Muscle Hill-Mellby Amulett-From Above) rallied for second  with Mats E, Djuse driving for Daniel  Wajersten with third to 11.4/1 odds Gamin Jaba (9g Kesaco Phedo-Itika Vita) with Rikard N, Skoglund up for Daniel Reden/Stall Zet.;

Race Replay   https://www.atg.se/video/archive/2156796997358/vinnare_2025-05-10_27_7

Elitloppet ’25 news has Always EK added to the invitee list that is now –  Always EK,  Go On Boy, Logan Park, Borups Victory, The Locomotive, Don Fanucci Zet, Mellby Jinx, Mellby Knekt, A Fair Day, Etonnant. San Moteur is a reported out.

Gaet, Charlottenlund, Elitloppet, Umaker files/photos

by Thomas H. Hicks, for Harnesslink