Oslo Grand Prix is an annual

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

harness event that takes place at Bjerke Racetrack in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. 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 European Grand Circuit (french: Grand Circuit européen) was a harness racing series arranged by European Trotting Union. It was held from 1956 to 2011. The competition was replaced by UET Masters Series in 2012. The circuit consisted of the ma ...

. The overall purse for the 2009 event was 2.87 million Norwegian ''kroner'' (NOK), equalling approximately US$427,000 or €308,000.In the conversion from NOK to USD, the rates of 2009-04-29 have been used. 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 2012 Oslo Grand Prix

May 13 2012 # Roxane Grif - Eric Raffin # Yarrah Boko - Kai Johansen # Quarcio du Chene - Björn Goop # Timoko - Richard Westerink # Arch Madness - Trond Smedshammer # Commander Crowe - Christophe Martens # Viking Frecel - Vidar Hop # Windsong Geant - Rick Zeron # Beanie M.M. - Johnny Takter # Joke Face - Lutfi Kolgjini

Past winners

Horses with most wins

* 2 -

Copiad Copiad (2 July 1989 — 19 October 2012) was a Swedish breeding stallion and former racing trotter by Texas out of Bibbi Girl by Big Lama. His most prestigious victories include Elitloppet (1994, 1995), Oslo Grand Prix (1994, 1995), Finland ...

(1994, 1995) * 2 -

Gidde Palema Gidde Palema (born 9 April 1995) is a Swedish Standardbred breeding stallion and former racing Trot, trotter by Alf Palema out of Rosie Palema by Ideal du Gazeau. His most prestigious victories include Oslo Grand Prix (2003, 2004), Copenhagen Cu ...

(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 Henry Johansson (born 26 July 1945 in Forsa, Hälsingland, Forsa, Hälsingland, Sweden) 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 ...

(1991, 2000) * 2 - Gösta Nordin (1967, 1969) * 2 -

Sören Nordin Ernst Sören Nordin (5 September 1917, in Forsa, Hälsingland – 6 September 2008) 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 Sw ...

(1972, 1973) * 2 -

Ulf Thoresen Ulf Thoresen (12 February 1946 – 11 July 1992) was a Norwegian harness racer. He was born in Larvik. He won more than 4,000 races in Norway and about 300 races abroad. He was World Champion in 1973, 1977, 1979 and 1981. He won the Hamblet ...

(1976, 1978) * 2 - Joseph Verbeeck (1992, 1998)

Sires with most winning offsprings

* 2 -

Nevele Pride Nevele Pride (1965 - February 19, 1993) was an American standardbred harness racehorse who set world records as fastest trotter on multiple occasions. Owned by Stanley Dancer, Nevele Pride won 57 races and was honored as Harness Horse of the Y ...

(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 - * 3 - * 2 - * 1 - * 1 - * 1 - * 1 -

Fastest winner

Auto start (1978-)

=Short distance (1,600 m)

= * 1:15,8 (km rate) - Madison Avenue (1978) and Gadames (1980)

=Middle distance (2,100 m)

= * 1:11.5 (km rate) - L'Amiral Mauzun (2008)

Volt start (1966-1976)

=Short distance (1,600 - 1,700 m)

= * 1:18.1 (km rate) - Noble Action (1972)

=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

References

{{Horse racing in Norway Harness races in Norway