The winner from 2018 and 2019 will be there and we will also see a Finnish guest for the very first time at Solvalla. Lome Brage, Tangen Haap and Välähdys are the first three to be ready for Elitkampen on May 31st. "We have been aiming to be there since last fall and I'm really looking forward to participating," says Välähdys trainer Ville Korjus.
The first three coldbloods are ready for the Elitlopp weekend and one of them is the defending champion Tangen Haap. Björn Karlsson's jumper won Elitkampen last year despite his back track and has shown good form even in this year's starts. Two victories so far and most recently a third place in Vårbjörken behind Lome Brage - who is also ready for Elitkampen 2020.
Lome Brage won the Elitkampen already in 2018 and the fast Norwegian thirteen-year-old showed that he is ready for a new edition when he won directly in his annual debut at Umåker in Vårbjörken by tracking the race from start to finish in 1.20,4 over a short distance.
The third horse to be ready for the race is Finnish Välähdys, who is making his very first start in Elitkampen. In 2019, he finished with two straight victories, including defeating the winner of Elitkampen 2017, Polara, and this year there has been one victory in the four starts that have been made. Välähdys' best achievement so far in his career is when he won the Nordic Championship for cold blood in 2017 and took home the first prize of 30,000 euros.
- Title defender Tangen Haap and Lome Brage have already shown great form this year and I'm also very happy that Finnish Välähdys is coming, as he has speed resources beyond the ordinary, says Solvalla's sports manager Anders Malmrot.
Facts about Lome Brage
Age: 13 years
Sex: Stallion
Father: H.G.Balder
Mother: Lomestjerna
Earned: SEK 4 703 545
Starts/Result: 102 (43-15-11)
Owner: Bengt Erik Persson
Coach: Anders Lundström Wolden
Breeder: Erling Hasle
Facts about Tangen Haap
Age: 11 years
Sex: Stallion
Father: Lome Elden
Mother: Tangen Mai
Earned: SEK 3 292 632
Starts/Result: 94 (39-11-14)
Owner: Stall Sedin HB
Coach: Björn Karlsson
Breeder: Signe Kvaale Nilsen & Jørn G. Nilsen
Facts about Välähdys
Age: 11 years
Sex: Stallion
Father: Viesker
Mother: Kuusysi
Earned: EUR 475 720
Start/Result: 92 (49-16-4)
Owner: Samuli & Ville Korjus & Teija Majander
Coach: Ville Korjus
Breeder: Arto Nieminen
About Elitkamp
The Elitkampen coldblood race will be held on May 31 at Solvalla. Elitkampen is part of the Elitlopp weekend which this year will be organized without an audience. The spread of the new coronavirus has resulted in laws, regulations and directives that have led to Solvalla and other Swedish racecourses completely closing down their spectator facilities since March 12. In addition to this, a number of restrictions have been introduced around the stables. The racecourses are today a strict workplace where only people who perform a job have access.
