Elitloppet 2016

May 29, 2016 - Trotting, 1.609 meters, Solvalla, Sweden

Preview from May 23, 2016

The world’s most important sprint race for trotters will see a high class field this year again. Clear favourite is the only five year old Nuncio. He finished worse than runner-up in just one of his 44 starts, that was when he came third in last year's Elitloppet.
His biggest rivals might come from France. 'War horse’ Timoko won the Elitloppet two years ago and has displayed great form all year, Un Mec D'Héripé is a dangerous French contender too. Former US-trotter Propulsion just managed a new track record at the Finlandia-Ajo, also Royal Fighter found to form ahead of the big race and with Resolve a red-hot candidate arrived from the USA.

Nuncio already attracted attention in the USA in the age of three. A second place in the Hambletonian Stakes followed victories in the other two parts of the US-Triple Crown, the Kentucky Futurity and the Yonkers Trot. Trainer Stefan Melander brought Nuncio to Sweden in 2015, where he won 13 of his 16 starts, including the Sprintermästaren, the Breeders Crown and the Solvalla Grand Prix. Still he gave his most impressive performance against the older horses in the Elitloppet 2015, when ended third despite a difficult run on the outside. After a four month winter break Nuncio has already won four times this year, including a new European season record of 1:09,9.

Propulsion is another horse that has moved from the USA to Sweden last year. The son of the Hambletonian Stakes winner Muscle Hill and the Hambletonian Oaks winner Danae is now trained by Daniel Redén. He did not lose one of his six starts in Europe, most recently won the Prins Carl Philips Jubileumspokal and the Finlandia-Ajo in Vermo with a new track record of 1:10,2.
Call Me Keeper will be Daniel Redén's second horse in the Elitloppet. The six-year-old run only in the Silverdivisionen in Sweden, but recently managed six sequential victories in France. He has never run over a mile yet, but will be navigated by star driver Franck Nivard.

Timoko is still in impressive form despite his age of nine years. He became runner-up to Bold Eagle in the 2016 Prix d’Amérique and the Prix de France, won the Prix Kerjacque in May, a race he had also achieved ahead of his 2014 Elitloppet triumph. Meanwhile the French has earned more than four million euros on prize money, several times in his career he has proven successful over the short distances.

Un Mec D'Héripé is another promising starter from France. The eight-year-old, who had missed big parts of last year due to an injury, clocked a 1:10,0 when winning the sprint race Critérium de Vitesse at the end of April. His trainer Fabrice Souloy will even have a second horse in the Elitloppet.
Your Highness had moved from Sweden to France last October, where she displayed outstanding form. Back in Scandinavia she just won the Olympiatravet and the Copenhagen Cup.

For the first time an Elitloppet qualifying race took place in the USA on May 8. The strong field was dominated by Resolve, who won the race in an impressive time of 1:09,2. The son of Muscle Hill, trained by the Swede Åke Svanstedt, was then disqualified because he had left the track. He still got an Elitloppet invitation for this tremendous performance. He runs for the first time in Europe.

Apart of Nuncio Sweden could have other strong horses in the Eliteloppet.
Mosaique Face has not had a good time in Paris earlier this year, also finished only sixth in the Olympiatravet, but is expected to do much better in the Eliteloppet, where he became runner-up 2015. The 2013 Svenskt Travderby-winner is well known for his quick starts.
Royal Fighter had entered last year's Elitloppet as clear outsider, but then the son of Varenne surprised with a fourth place. At the end of a long winter break he just won a race in Norway and should arrive in perfect condition at Solvalla.
On Track Piraten just qualified for the Elitloppet by winning the Algot Scotts Minne in Åby, ahead of Yonkers International Trot-winner Papagayo E and 2013 Elitloppet-winner Nahar.
Volstead made it to the Elitloppet by winning the H.K.H. Prins Daniels Lopp on May 21, where he left several Elitloppet participants behind, despite an unfavourable run. Like Nuncio the five-year-old is trained by Stefan Melander, still he will only be an outsider.

B.B.S.Sugarlight is Norway's hope for the Elitloppet. The gelding has not found to form this year yet, might kept it for the big race. He won the Olympiatravet last year and got fifth in the Elitloppet despite an awkward race.

Oasis B has seen many racetracks worldwide. He became fourth in the Yonkers International Trot last year, surprised with a third place in the Prix d’Amérique and won the prestigious Gran Premio della Lotteria on May 1. The Italian-born son of Toss Out loves to comes off the pace at the end of the race.

Voltigeur de Myrt had finished runner-up in the Gran Premio della Lotteria, the French had already managed a new Naples track record in the 1st heat.
Billie de Montfort is another competitor from France. The filly won the Elitloppet for four year olds (Fyraåringseliten För Ston) last year, but will only be outsider this time.

Magic Tonight, owned by the Swede Lennart Ågren, won the 2015 Elitloppet. He returned to the United States afterwards, where stayed unplaced in four runs. After a seven month break he returned in Örebro on May 7, became only seventh in a Gulddivisionen race and ended sixth in the above mentioned Prins Daniels Lopp afterwards. However, the seven-year-old will start in Solvalla to defend his title.

Sixteen horses will participate in the Elitloppet on May 29, eight a time in the first two heats. The final heat will take place on the same day.
Twelve participants will get invited, the others will be the winners of the four qualifying races. This four races are the Finlandia Ajo and the Mack Lobell Playoff (Meadowlands/USA), the Algot Scotts Minne in Åby and the H.K.H. Prins Daniels Lopp in Gävle.