2019 Elitloppet

May 26, 2019 - Trotting, 1,609 meters, Solvalla, Sweden

Preview from May 23, 2019

The 2019 Elitloppet will be the last performance for former Amérique winner Readly Express and it will not be his easiest. Not only his permanent rival Propulsion and Aubrion De Gers, the best gelding of the world, are serious opponents over the mile. The quick mare Double Exposure or the ambitious colts Looking Superb and Heavy Sound are also hoping for glory, as surprises are not impossible in an event with two races on one day.

Readly Express never started in the most important trotting race of his homeland, still the 2018 Prix d’Amérique winner is be the horse to beat. There were doubts about his ability over the sprint distance, until he run a new track record of 1:08,9 over the mile in the Critérium de Vitesse de la Côte d’Azur in March. He then also won the Finlandia-Ajo over a mile on May 4. Although Readly Express is still a world-class trotter, the Elitloppet will unfortunately be his last race, he will then start a breeding career. A victory would be the fourth Elitloppet triumph for driver Björn Goop.

Propulsion will have his fourth start in the Elitloppet, the last two years he finished runner-up, and he obviously wants to improve one place now. The European record holder (1:08,1) came only fifth in this year's Prix d’Amérique, but won his two starts since, most recently the Olympiatravet at Åby on April 27. Also Propulsion's driver Örjan Kihlström has won the Elitloppet three times.

Aubrion De Gers is a very interesting guest from France, he is considered to be the best gelding of the world, won his last 15 races. Admittedly, he did not really beat the very best horses there, why it is not easy to judge the nine-year-old. He defeated Bold Eagle in Prix des Ducs de Normandie on May 15 as well as in the 2017 Prix d'Eté, but as a gelding was never allowed to demonstrate his skills in the Prix d'Amérique. It is the first time for him in Scandinavia and it is hard to say how he will handle the unfamiliar tight track at Solvalla.

Looking Superb has made massive progress since he came to the stable of Jean-Michel Bazire. A victory in the Prix Ténor de Baune followed a second place in the 2019 Prix d’Amérique, just ahead of Readly Express. Most recently the six-year-old Norvegian colt proved his class with a triumph in the Prix de l'Atlantique. Åke Svanstedt was engagded as driver for the Elitloppet, he arrives from the United States.

Heavy Sound has not won on Group One level yet, still several experts think he is capable of winning the 2019 Elitloppet, and he is well positioned in the betting market too. One reason is his impressive performance at Solvalla on April 24. On his first and only start this year, he right away run a 1:09,6 when defended his title in the Onions Lopp. The Daniel Redén trained gelding had come runner-up behind Readly Express in the 2016 Svenskt Travderby. Nevertheless, he was disqualified several times in his career.

Double Exposure is one of the best mares in the trotting world, particularly over the sprint distances. Since she came from the USA to the Daniel Redén stable in 2017, she made huge progress, won nine of her last ten starts. On her last victory, at Rättvik on May 3, she clocked a time of 1:09,8. The six-year-old daughter of Donato Hanover will be navigated by Erik Adielsson for the first time in the Elitloppet.

Milligan's School achieved his breakthrough by winning the Sundsvall Open Trot and a second place behind Propulsion in the UET Trotting Masters Final last year. From starting postion 2 he should have best chances to make it to the Elitloppet final. However, he was disqualified on his last start in the Olympiatravet.

Disco Volante, like Milligan's School trained by Stéfan Melander, proved several times that he is a decent sprinter. He won almost half of his starts, but actually has not run on Group level in Sweden yet. A second place in the Gran Premio della Lotteria on May 1 should testify that he deserves a place in the Elitloppet though. The six-year-old gelding managed a time of 1:09,9 in Grävle last year.

Dijon got his Elitloppet invitation already in early March, after he had given Readly Express a great fight in the Critérium de Vitesse. The colt came fourth in the Prix de France in February and had won the Championnat Européen des 5 ans last October. Dijon is known as a fast starter, but disappointed in his last performance, when only finished sixth in the Prix de l'Atlantique.

Sorbet qualifiyed by winning the Prins Daniels Lopp one week ahead of the Elitloppet. The eight-year-old, last year runner-up in the Sundsvall Open Trot, had finished only fourth in the Finlandia-Ajo before. He is the fourth competitor from the Daniel Redén stable.

Makethemark won the Jubileumspokalen ahead of Double Exposure last year and defeated Sorbet and Milligan's School at Romme on his seasonal return in April. The son of Maharajah disappointed as sixth in the Copenhagen Cup, but the pace was not the best for him there, he might show better form in the Elitloppet again.

Milliondollarrhyme is the youngest horse this year. The Elitloppet will be the first clash with the trotting elite for the five-year-old son of Ready Cash. Most recently he clocked a 1:09,2 when won the Meadow Roads Lopp at Solvalla.

Bahia Quesnot got an Elitloppet invitation after she had won the Algot Scotts Minne at Åby on May 11. The eight-year-old mare proved again, she likes the short distances and the tight turns in Sweden. Two month before she had ended third, as 90:1 outsider, behind Readly Express and Dijon over the mile in the Critérium de Vitesse. However, even though she seems in great form, she had won just seven of her 75 races.

Day Or Night In was the last horse invited to the Elitloppet, most recently he finished third behind Bahia Quesnot in the Algot Scotts Minne. The son of Muscle Hill is able to start quickly and might fight for the front position with Milligan's School in the 2nd Heat. Three years ago Day Or Night In came third in the 2016 Svenskt Travderby behind Readly Express and Heavy Sound.

Uza Josselyn already took part last year's Elitloppet, where she failed in the qualifying heat. The daughter of Love You, trained and owned by the Swiss René Aebischer, came runner-up behind Looking Superb in the Prix de l'Atlantique and finished seventh in the Prix d'Amérique, still she will be outsider at Solvalla again.

Next Direction is Finland's horse in the 2019 Elitloppet. At present, he seems to be the best Finnish trotter, just got runner-up behind Readly Express in the Finlandia-Ajo. The fast starting gelding has never run outside Finland so far and will only be outsider in the first heat of the Elitloppet.

The Elitloppet is a contest with qualifying and final heat. The eight best placed horses of the two qualifying heats take part in the final on the same day. Thirteen of the sixteen competitors are invited by the Elitloppet committee, the winners of the Olympiatravet (April 27), Finlandia-Ajo (May 4) and the H.K.H. Prins Daniels Lopp (May 18) are automatically qualified.

Fixtures ahead of the 2019 Elitloppet:
20. Apr - Prix de l'Atlantique (Looking Superb)
27. Apr - Olympiatravet (Propulsion)
01. May - Gran Premio Della Lotteria (Bel Avis)
04. May - Finlandia Ajo (Readly Express)
05. May - Prix Kerjacques (Cleangame)
12. May - Copenhagen Cup (Handsome Brad)
18. May - Prins Daniels Lopp (Sorbet)