2022 Elitloppet

May 29, 2021 - Trotting, 1,609 meters, Solvalla, Sweden

Preview from May 25, 2022

This year the price money of the Elitloppet has been raised to 1.1 million Euros, why the 'Sprint World Championship of Trotting' is now the most valuable harness race in Europe. As several favourites were drawn on inconvenient starting positions, surprises cannot be ruled out.

1st Heat :

1 - Önas Prince is the youngest horse in the 2022 Elitloppet. The five-year-old impressed last season by winning the Kungapokalen, the Ina Scots Ära, the Breeders' Crown and the SprinterMästaren, a race current Elitloppet winner Don Fanucci Zet had won before him. Due to his strong starting ability Önas Prince should have good chances to take the front in the first heat. Until now, he ran only once against older horses, won the Håkan Lillis Olssons Lopp ahead of Brother Bill on April 30.

2 - Brother Bill finished runner-up behind Önas Prince in the Håkan Lillis Olssons Lopp, but did not have a clear run though. So far, he never competed against such strong international rivals, why the six-year-old gelding will rather be an outsider.

3 - Cokstile became the winner of the 2020 Elitloppet after Propulsion was disqualified retrospectively. With nine years he is now the oldest horse in the field, but just showed his class, when von the Finlandia Ajo on May 1. Last year he went to the Elitloppet from a longer injury break, still made it to the final heat. This time the conditions seem better.

4 - Perfetto arrived from Canada. The quick starting seven-year-old gelding managed 25 victories in his homeland and was elected 'best older horse' 2020 and 2021. In Canada's most prestigious race, the Maple Leaf Trot, he got only third last year, why he will range amongst the outsiders in the Elitloppet.

5 - Click Bait is another fast starting horse, so the first heat will be very exciting right from the beginning. He gained his ticket with a victory in the Prins Daniels Lopp on May 21. The six-year-old gelding, who began his career in the United States, clocked times under 1:10 several times, but has not really been in form the last months.

6 - Vernissage Grif is the second starter from the Italian stable of Alessandro Gocciadoro besides Vivid Wise As. The eight-year-old son of Varenne got an invitation after his victory in the Premio Costa Azzurra at Turin. He is not unknown in Sweden, won the Jämtlands Stora Pris and the Årjängs Stora Sprinterlopp last year, where he stayed under 1:10 not for the first time.

7 - Etonnant showed that he is capable to win on short distances too, when von the Critérium de Vitesse at Cagnes in March. The Richard Westerink trained French colt had beaten Face Time Bourbon in the Prix du Bourbonnais at the end of last year, therefore entered the 2022 Prix d'Amérique as favourite, but disappointed on the eighth place. Etonnant is probably the horse with the highest quality in the 2022 Elitloppet. But he never started outside France, why it is unknown, how he will manage the tight turns in Sweden. His starting position is not the very best as well.

8 - Don Fanucci Zet is obviously one of the top favourites, as he had won the 2021 Elitloppet. But he had lost his form after the big success. And as he ran only two meaningless races this year so far, he is difficult to judge, even though he won both races. The six-year-old, who is bred and trained by Daniel Redén, has definitely no problems with short distances and two starts on one day. One year before the Elitloppet he had already won the SprinterMästaren. His position on the outside is bad, but he had to start from the '8' in last year's first heat too, finally won the event.


2nd Heat :

1 - Snowstorm Hanover gained his place in the Elitloppet by winning the Meadow Roads Lopp ahead of Vernissage Grif and Click Bait. The eight-year-old is in strong form at present, had already won the Onions Lopp in April. Besides Don Fanucci Zet and Hail Mary he is the third horse from the Daniel Redén stable, but despite his good form, the one with the smallest chances.

2 - Admiral As is held in high esteem in Sweden, even though he has never managed a victory in one of the bigger races. The six-year-old son of Ready Cash won eight of his last eleven starts and should have a chance to reach the final from the '2'.

3 - Who's Who arrives as easy winner of the Paralympiatravet at Solvalla, which makes him one of the favourites in this even. The Svenskt Travderby winner from 2018 ran only once over the sprinting distance though, why one could ask, if the Elitloppet is the right place for this son of Maharajah.

4 - Hail Mary is one of the great favourites of the 2022 Elitloppet, although he run only a single race in the last nine month. The six-year-old won the Svenskt Travderby and the Breeders' Crown two years ago, so became one of the big Swedish trotting hopes. He then was out of action for a long time due to an injury, intermediate changed from Robert Bergh to Daniel Redén. Hail Mary directly won his comeback against the former Elitloppet participants Seismic Wave and Disco Volante on May 6, it was the first time he ran over the short distance. However, we will not know how strong he really is, until the Elitloppet is run.

5 - Night Brodde was elected by a survey, accomplished for the first time in Elitloppet history, still he will be only huge outsider. Thanks to his enormous starting speed, it would not be a surprise, if he would get the lead in the second heat.

6 - Mister F Daag has just won the Copenhagen Cup, but has not beaten the best horses there, why he is not amongst the favourites too. The seven-year-old runs for Belgium owners, is trained by Paul Hagoort in the Netherlands and won the 2018 German Traber-Derby.

7 - Vivid Wise As came runner-up in last year's Elitloppet final. It was not the first time the eight-year-old Italian proved his great sprinting ability. He won several Group 1 races over short distances, like the Gran Premio Lotteria, the Premio Gran Nazionale, the Prix de France or the Prix de Vitesse, where he was clocked in 1:08,6 two years ago. Most recently, he defended his title in the Prix de l'Atlantique.

8 - Extreme - (Nichtstarter) represents Denmark after a four-year absence. The 2020 Dansk Trav Derby winner gave some strong performances in Sweden last year, won the European Championship 5Yo at Åby ahead of Aetos Kronos and Don Fanucci Zet, then gained the CL Müllers Memorial in Jägersro. From his three starts this year, he could win only one, was only beaten by Who's Who in the Paralympiatravet. His outside position is obviously not good, but with Björn Goop he may have the best driver on board.

» More information about Swedish trotting races.