2021 Elitloppet

May 30, 2021 - Trotting, 1,609 meters, Solvalla, Sweden

Preview from May 25, 2021

The 'Sprint World Championship of Trotting' will be a tricky case this year again, almost every participating horse seems able to win the Elitloppet. A new generation of five-year-old colts will attract attention.

1st Heat :

1 - Vivid Wise As demonstrated his great ability by winning the Prix de l'Atlantique against strong opposition on April 24, had already gained the Prix de Vitesse at Cagnes-sur-Mer over a mile in March. On the same racetrack he was even clocked in 1:08,6 two years ago. In last year's Elitloppet the seven-year-old Italian got disqualified right after the start in the first heat, also fell into gallop at the start in the Gran Premio Costa Azzurra on Easter Sunday.

2 - Moni Viking showed that he has international class in Paris this winter, when got third in the Prix de Belgique and Prix de Paris. However, he was not successful over the sprinting distance, the eight-year-old son of Maharajah is considered as Scandinavians' best stayer. The Norwegian won the Harper Hanovers Loop and the Åby Stora Pris last year, most recently the Orebro Int'l Stayerlopp, all over 3.140 meters.

3 - Milliondollarrhyme started to the new season in outstanding form, got only beaten by Ecurie D on his debut, afterwards impressively won the Onions Lopp wire-to-wire over the sprint distance against the favourite Missle Hill on April 21. Quite disappointing then his fourth place in the Finlandia-Ajo, which he had entered as favourite. The son of Ready Cash, who hasn't had a good season last year, already run twice in the Elitloppet, ended fifth in the final the last two years.

4 - Aetos Kronos gained an early Elitloppet invitation after he had well impressed in the Paralympiatravet trial at Halmstad on April 24, where he won despite number 12 and a two-month lay-off. He then confirmed his good form with a third place in the Paralympiatravet. The American owned five-year-old colt, who was third in last year's Svenskt Travderby, did not run over the sprinting distance the last two years. That's probably because he is not a quick starter, he has his strength in the finish.

5 - Hickothepooh is the biggest outsider in the 2021 Elitloppet. The Norwegian surprised by winning the Finlandia-Ajo (1,620 m) at odds of 23.90 on May 9, did benefit from the very high tempo of the race, outpaced all opponents on the stretch. It was only the second start in a group race for the nine-year-old gelding.

6 - Bahia Quesnot represents the high international class of trotting. She run in countless group races, just won the Prix de Cornulier in January and ended fifth in the 2021 Prix d'Amérique one week later. The ten-year-old French mare took part in the Elitloppet two years ago, when failed in the first heat. She actually could win just eight of her 119 races, came only third in the Copenhagen Cup most recently.

7 - Cyber Lane arrives as fresh Copenhagen Cup winner at Solvalla, the opposition he met in Denmark was not the strongest though. His other results this year were rather disappointing, as clear favourite he came only fifth in the Paralympiatravet trial in Halmstad. However, the 2017 Swedish Derby winner, who never galloped, should not be underestimated, he defeated several of the Elitloppet participants in the past.

8 - Don Fanucci Zet has shown that he likes the short distances and that he has no problem with two races on one day, when won the SprinterMästaren last year. Over the middle distance he finished only runner-up in the Konung Gustaf Pokal and Svenskt Travderby, but should be suited by the mile in the Elitloppet. The five-year-old, who is bred and trained by Daniel Redén, won his last test against Derby winner Hail Mary at Umåker on May 15, but must now overcome a bad draw on the outside position.


2nd Heat :

1 - Cokstile won the first heat of the 2020 Elitloppet and came runner-up in the final. Because winner Propulsion was disqualified subsequently, he returns to Solvalla as titleholder. It is hard to say which form the eight-year-old gelding has, who is trained by Mattia Orlando in Italy. He could not run for a long time due to an injury, made his first start after an eight-month break in the Charlottenlund Open on May 15.

2 - Heavy Sound is unbeaten in three starts this year, qualified by winning the Meadow Roads Lopp at Solvalla, but still is only outsider in the betting market. The nine-year-old gelding had been injured many times during his career and will now be the second horse from the Daniel Redén stable in the Elitloppet. He started there already back in 2019, got injured and disqualified in the first heat.

3 - Seismic Wave narrowly missed the direct qualification in the Meadow Roads Lopp, but gave such an impressive performance - for a long time in the third lane, still clocked in 1:10,4 - that he was invited to the Elitloppet afterwards, where he surely will not be amongst the outsiders. Trained by the Finn Timo Nurmos, the US-born gelding won twelve of his last 16 races.

4 - Gelati Cut does not count to the absolute top class in France yet, but became runner-up behind Aetos Kronos in the Prix Bold Eagle in February. The five-year-old son of Coktail Jet made a good impression in the Paralympiatravet as well, where he opened the first half round in 1:06.7, then lost the lead and finished on the fourth place.

5 - Gareth Boko gained his ticket in the Prins Daniels Lopp last Saturday, where he gave a formidable performance from the second row. The time of 1:09,6 was the fastest clocked in Sweden this year, so the Dutch-owned colt should not be totally without a chance, despite the short relaxation time.

6 - Ecurie D has been the red-hot Elitloppet favourite for a long time, in spite of his young age of only five years. His last season's performances were really impressive, some even believe he could follow Face Time Bourbon. He stayed unbeaten in 15 of his 19 races, got clocked in 1:09,5 when won the Elitloppshingstars Lopp last year. He also beat several battle-tested older horses on his first start of the season, why he was the first horse to get invited to the 2021 Elitloppet. However, the colt, who is registered in Denmark and trained by Frode Hamre in Norway, disappointed in the Paralympiatravet on May 8, where he had a very unfavourable run though.

7 - Click Bait won the Prins Carl Philips Jubileumspokal on April 2 ahead of Don Fanucci in 1:09,8 (1,640 m), he stayed under 1:10 several times as a four-year-old already. The now five-year-old gelding is a very quick starter, but drew a very bet starting position and must now try it possibly from the back.

8 - Very Kronos is amongst the favourites at least since his second place in the Paralympiatravet, he already run from success to success in Sweden last year. The Svante Båth trained seven-year-old son of Ready Cash is also known as a quick starter, but will not be able to show that from the outside position. His only two career starts over the sprinting distance ended with disqualifications.

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