There was a surprise in Sunday's Finlandia Ajo - which means that it is clear with Norwegian horse in Elitloppet 2021.
Hickothepooh is the sixth horse to come to Solvalla.
- He has developed enormously in the last six months and the finish he offered was absolutely fantastic," says Solvalla's sports director Anders Malmrot.
We have previously seen Norwegian Hickothepooh on Swedish soil and Solvalla. On Boxing Day, the nine-year-old showed his sharp jumping ability when he won the Silver Division Final and the first prize of 250,000 SEK. At the time, it was the biggest victory of his career - but on Sunday at Vermo trotting track, Hickothepooh would take his biggest triumph to date and surprise the trotting world.
In the big race Finlandia Ajo, where a direct place to Elitloppet 2021 was at stake, the Norwegian gelding made a big splash. The race was run at a sky-high pace, which suited Hickothepooh who, together with driving Vidar Hop, offered a razor-sharp finish and sprinted past the trusted horses shortly before the finish where the victory was finally secured. This on the new record 1.09,9 for Hickothepooh who in the 90th start of his career took home the prize check of 110,000 euros.
Hickothepooh thus got the pink ticket and the circle around him accepted immediately - on the last Sunday in May he will thus appear for the first time in Elitloppet at Solvalla.
- It feels great to have an all-Norwegian team and he will be a real joker in this year's edition, says Solvalla's sports manager Anders Malmrot.
Facts about Hickothepooh
Age: 9 years
Sex: Gelding
Father: Triton Sound
Mother: Hilarious Face
Starts/Result: 90 (23-13-10)
Earned: SEK 3 071 273
Record: 1.09,9 autostart (1620m)
Owner: Stall Sörlie Kiosk
Coach: Trond Anderssen
Attendant: Ernestas Tijunelis
Breeder: Torbjørn Selvåg
Nationality: Norwegian
About Elitloppet
Elitloppet is the main attraction during the Elitlopp weekend, which will be held at Solvalla in Stockholm on May 28-30, 2021. Elitloppet is an invitation race where 16 horses compete in two different trials with eight horses in each. The top four in each trial meet in a final where the winner receives three million SEK.
Invited horses for Elitloppet 2021: Ecurie D. (Sweden), Don Fanucci Zet (Sweden), Vivid Wise As (Italy), Aetos Kronos (USA), Dorgos De Guez (France), Hickothepooh (Norway),
