Chucaro Ahijuna lone NA rep

Wally Hennessey is headed to Sweden Thursday where he will compete in the prestigious Elitlopp Sunday night behind Chucaro Ahijuna, the first time the 48-year-old driver will be at the Solvalla track since finishing second in the 1999 race with Moni Maker, which came one year after the standout mare won the internationally-acclaimed stakes event.



"I'm looking forward to it. I think (Chucaro Ahijuna) has a good shot," said Hennessey from his home in Coconut Creek, Fla. "He won here at Pompano on the five-eighths mile track in (1):53 and a piece, and I've raced against him and he's a pretty useful horse. I don't think he's had the best of luck lately and I'm hoping the fortunes go our way this Sunday."



Chucaro Ahijuna has already made a European appearance this year, finishing out of the money in the recent Oslo Grand Prix in Norway. Hennessey said trainer Paul Bernardo told him that driver Kevin Wallis could never quite get the trotter into the race although he wasn't that far behind the winner under the wire.



This won't be the first time Hennessey has sat behind the 8-year-old Chucaro Ahijuna. However, it will be his first effort behind the veteran on the trot as he sat behind the world's fastest double-gaited performer three times in 2003 while he was on the pace.



As for the Elitlopp, Chucaro Ahijuna drew the rail in the first of two eliminations, taking on the likes of standout trotters such as Gidde Palema and Digger Crown.



"Probably not the greatest place for him but a lot better than six or seven hole," Hennessey said. "This is more like an Americanized race though. It's a mile and a five-eighths mile track and this horse is used to all that. It's just whether he can handle the atmosphere that is going to be there that day. It's electrifying with about 35,000 or 40,000 screaming people."

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