Windsong Geant To Contest Elitlopp

Windsong Geant, trained and driven by Woodbine Entertainment Group circuit regular Rick Zeron, will head to Europe in the coming weeks to compete in a pair of signature events

, the Oslo Grand Prix and the prestigious Elitlopp.

The Oslo Grand Prix will be contested on May 13 in Norway, followed up by the Elitlopp, in Sovalla, Sweden, on May 27.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be invited,” Zeron said. “Klaus Koch, on behalf of the Elitlopp, has been on the phone with me and we’ve had a few conversations about the horse. We decided it was a terrific opportunity to participate in their event.”

Windsong Geant, owned by The Brabant Stable and Fred Brayford, has banked $361,711 and taken a mark of 1:52.3.

The son of Kadabra recently finished third to trotting titans Mister Herbie and San Pail in the $125,000 final of the Glorys Comet Trotting Series at Woodbine Racetrack on April 7.

Zeron likes his chances with the nine-time winner.

“The reason why I think he’ll be successful over there is because he’s so versatile,” Zeron said about the five-year-old. “He’s a big, strong horse with terrific gate speed. He can go the first quarter in :25, then the second quarter in :35, if I want to. He’s perfectly sound and he’s in great shape. He’s really come into his own this year.”

Zeron, the 2010 O’Brien Award winner for Horsemanship, is thrilled to showcase Windsong Geant overseas. “I really think he’ll represent Canada extremely well."

The opportunity isn't lost on Zeron.

“I am just delighted to be able to be part of their rich event and to represent Canada. It’s really an honour and it’s something that I will take great pride in. Not many people get to experience something like this and I won’t take that for granted.”

Zeron, who took over conditioning the bay gelding one year ago, recalled the first time he noticed something special in his pupil.

“When I won with him last year in 1:52 and change, I told my owners, 'We have something serious.' It was just a question of making sure we managed him properly. He was one of those horses where you had to be patient with him and just wait on him.”

This will mark Zeron’s second Elitlopp appearance.

Rapide Lebel is the only other horse thus far confirmed by Elitlopp organizers to be invited to the lucrative and internationally-recognized trotting event.

(with files from WEG)