Dates to keep track of before Elitloppet
Elitloppet is approaching and there is now less than three months left to this year's high point for all horse racing lovers. Solvalla Racetrack’s manager Tore Fyrand is the man to fill the 16 seats in Elitloppet and there are a number of major races in Sweden, Europe and the U.S. that Fyrand must follow in order to compose such an interesting starting field as possible.
Here are the key dates for Tore, and also for you readers, to keep track of during spring where the potential candidates for Elitloppet may show up.
Sunday, March 14th
The spring season’s major races kick off with the Grand Criterium de Vitesse at the track Cagnes Sur Mer just outside Nice. The race is run over Elitloppet distance 1 609 meters with auto start and this is usually where a bunch of interesting European, and especially French horses, appear. Last year won Meaulnes du Corta at 11.2 before Igor Font and Offshore Dream, and both of the latter started in the Elitloppet.
Friday, April 2nd
The Duke of Värmland, Prince Carl Philip's Jubilee Trophy is a classic five-year race at Färjestad where interesting expectant five-year olds tend to do exciting debuts for this year's major races. Last year was the Stig H Johansson trained Standpoint, who won the race, but also previous winners of the race through the years has been of a high class. Among others, Gidde Palema, Opal Viking, Jetstile, Egon Lavec and Rotation stood victorious in this race. This year is the first price also increased to 250,000 crowns, and as usual, it will be an interesting race.
Saturday, April 10th
Seinäjoki-Ajo is a Finnish large race since 1975 with an initial price of about SEK 100,000, but as of last year the prize money was increased substantially to 60,000 euros. Last year Camilla Highness won at 13,8 / 2100 and the race will be interesting to follow this year.
V75 is settled on Mantorp this Saturday and in addition to Gold division over 1 640 meters with auto start where the winner will be able to start in Olympiatravet. It will be interesting to follow the newly instituted five-year race, Kjell P Dahlströms Memory of 2 140 meters with auto start. There can certainly appear some intriguing five-year olds that will start their season here. The first prize is SEK 200,000.
Friday, April 16th
In France, a ton of with major races are taking place throughout the year, but a race which for some reason most often tend to attract additional interesting horses, who later also may be targeted for Elitloppet, are Prix Jamin at Vincennes with 50,000 euros in first prize. In 2007 Nimrod Borealis won, 2008 stood Otello Pierji as the winner before Oiseau de Feux, which then was second in Elitloppet, and in 2009 the race was won by this year's Prix de Amerique winner Oyonnax before Nimrod Borealis.
Saturday, April 17th
After three selection races (20 March at Färjestad, March 27 at Jägersro, April 3 at Romme) and some wild cards distributed by Åby’s racing secretary Ken Karlsson, it is time for this year's first major race on Swedish soil, in which the winner takes home 1.5 million SEK. The winner of Olympiatravet at Åby usually then appears in Elitloppet. In 2006 Thai Tanic won, which then was second in Elitloppet. In 2007 Gentleman won who unfortunately galloped in Elitloppet, Torvald Palema won 2008 and was then injured and could not start in Elitloppet that year. In 2009 Triton Sund won and was fifth in Elitloppet, which that year was won by just Torvald Palema.
Sunday, April 18th
Gran Premio Renzo Orlandi on the Modena circuit in Italy is the start-up especially for the Italian horses before Italy’s most important race Gran Premio della Lotteria. In 2007, this race was won by the bolt El Nino, who started in Elitloppet of that year, but finished unplaced in the elimination. Felix del Nord won in 2008 and in 2009 Ghibellino won who was in Elitloppet last year, but galloped away the elimination. Anyway, an interesting race to follow as it runs just over 1 609 meters.
After the trials on April 2 and April 11, on Sunday April 18th it is time for the final of Su Mac Lad Open Trot at the Meadowlands in the U.S. Potential Elitloppet horses from North America tend to show up in the three races. The last two years we have seen, among others, Enough Talk, who represented the U.S. in Elitloppet 2008 and in 2009, in just Su Mac Lad Series. This year as well, potential horses for Elitloppet may appear.
Saturday, April 24th
Prix de l'Atlantique at the track Enghien outside Paris is a classic French major race that each year tend to collide with Olympiatravet, thus it has been difficult for Åby attracting Frenchmen. But this year there is a week between the two major races, and maybe there might be someone who will try both Olympiatravet and Prix de l'Atlantique. 90.000 euro awaits the winner of this race, which last year was won by Nouba du Saptel. In 2008 won Elitloppet winner Exploit Caf, in 2007 won Meaulnes du Corta and three years in a row before that was Jag de Bellouet the winner.
The Golden Birch at Umåker with SEK 300,000 to the winner usually always attracts some interesting horses. Horses like Zoogin, Victory Tilly, and in recent years, Super Light and Acclaim have won. This year, Umeå also instituted a new race of SEK 200,000 to the winner, Berth Johansson's Memorial for five-year olds, which could be a really interesting race to follow. Both the Gold Birch and Berth Johansson's Memorial is run over 2140 meters with auto start.
Sunday, May 2nd
Gran Premio della Lotteria on the Agnano track in Naples has a first prize of about two million SEK and three elimination races and a final on the same day. The winner of the Lotteria usually gets invited to Elitloppet and was, also last year when Iceland Effe won, but the people around the horse chose to decline. The year before the race was won by Gambling Bi. The trainer Fabrice Souloy, instead for Elitloppet, chose to start the horse in Sweden Cup that year because he already had both Exploit Caf and Oiseau de Feux in Elitloppet. Exploit Caf won in 2007and also that year the winner declined to start at Solvalla. On the other hand, Malabar Circle Ås won in 2006 and he also started at Solvalla same year. The Lotteria has also been won by Victory Tilly in 2003 and Varenne three years in a row between 2000-2002.
Finlandia Ajo has in the past taken place the last Saturday in April and collided with Umeå's V75-game. Now the race is moved eight days into the future and instead collides with the Lotteria in Italy. Finlandia Ajo has a first prize of 110,000 euros, is over 1 609 meters with auto start and the track of the Finnish capital, Vermo, usually attract a strong starting field. Last year Igor Font won of 11.8 and became one of the favourites to advance to Elitloppet after the victory. The year before, Oiseau de Feux won, who then was second behind team mate Exploit Caf in Elitloppet. In 2007 Opal Viking won and 2006 the race was won by Hot Shot Knick who also was one of the favourites in Elitloppet that year.
Saturday, May 15th
This Saturday night the final in Arthur J. Cutler Memorial at The Meadowlands in the U.S. is taking place. Only two weeks left until Elitloppet, but the winner here may well be interested to start in Elitloppet. Lucky Jim won last year and an invitation to Elitloppet went out to circle around the horse, which however, chose to say no. But it is in the trials and finals of the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial, where it is usually determined which of the American horses are good enough to fly over to Europe and start in Elitloppet.
Sunday, May 16th
Oslo Grand Prix weekend is Norway's equivalent of Elitloppet weekend and on the Sunday a series of great races are settled. The actual main race Oslo Grand Prix is run over 2100 meters and has a first prize of 1.5 million NOK. Russel November won in 2009 after an unprecedented closure and after that victory emerged as one of the main favourites for Elitloppet. In 2008 L'Amiral Mauzun was named the winner, which was given his second consecutive ticket to Elitloppet, after a strong effort at the Oslo Grand Prix. In 2007 Super Light won, which also went to Elitloppet through the victory. The same went with Mara Bourbon in 2006. In 2005 Steinlager, the home favourite, won, which later also won Elitloppet. One thing is sure in all cases, after the Oslo Grand Prix has reached the finish line, many pieces of the puzzle of Elitloppet fall into place.
Wednesday, May 19th
Eleven days before Elitloppet, in the afternoon on Wednesday May 19th, Prix des Ducs de Normandie at Caen race track is settled. This usually attracts French horses who are interested in starting in Sweden to make a last attempt to snatch a place in Elitloppet. Many stars have won the race over the years, including Ourasi, Reve d'Udon, Abo Volo, Defi d’Aunou, Goetmals Wood, Giesolo de Lou och Love You. In 2008 the race was won by Nimrod Borealis who impressed immensely in the victory and outclassed Oiseau de Feux, who eleven days later was second in Elitloppet. The people around the Nimrod Borealis chose to wait to start in Elitloppet until 2009. Last year the winner was a big hit, Arnold J Mollema’s Unforgettable took the first prize of 75,000 euros in a strange run race where no one was current for Elitloppet. But this year may some interesting French horses turn up who might be interesting.
Saturday, May 22nd
Gold Division Final at Solvalla is over 1609 meters of auto-start with a first prize of 300,000 SEK. Since three years back, the winner is guaranteed an invitation to Elitloppet. Last year Stig H Johansson chose to decline Standpoint’s victory but in 2008 Åke Svanstedt said yes after Finders Keepers’ victory. Svanstedt’s horse made it through the elimination to the final. In 2007 Jocose won and the coach Stefan Hultman accepted the invitation to a start in Elitloppet.
