Italy will have another competitor behind the starting grid on the last Sunday in May.
Cobra Killer Gar is the thirteenth horse to be invited to Solvalla and Elitloppet.
- "He's a winner who has constantly developed his speed and is now ready for Elitloppet. An unsighted card that I think can be a real exclamation point," says Solvalla's Elitlopp manager Anders Malmrot.
21 wins in 36 career starts for the Italian seven-year-old who arrives in top form for his Elitlopp debut. Cobra Killer Gar won in a new record time of 1.09,4 over 2100 meters with autostart in the last start in Prix du Rouergue - which together with the victory in Prix de la Lorraine in the start before is the biggest victories so far in his career.
After four straight victories at Vincennes in Paris, it is now time for Cobra Killer Gar to take the step over to Swedish soil to meet the top elite in Elitloppet!
However, trainer Erik Bondo is no newcomer in this context. The last time he participated was in 2022 with Cokstile and now he returns to Solvalla with a new cannon. This time he will be joined by none other than Eric Raffin - the French top rider who won the Elitloppet in 2024 with Horsy Dream.
- "I am very pleased with the invitation to Elitloppet. I think Cobra Killer Gar is a complete horse and it will be very exciting to see how far he goes," says trainer Erik Bondo.
Three places now remain for Elitloppet 2025: Two invitations and one direct place, which will be taken by the winner of Saturday's H.R.H. Prince Daniel's race - Vägen till Elitloppet - STL Gulddivisionen Final at Gävletravet.
Facts about Cobra Killer Gar
Age: 7 years
Sex: Gelding
Father: Readly Express
Mother: Lady Killer Gar
Starts/Result: 36 (21-3-2)
Earned: 393 541 euros
Record: 1.09,4 autostart (2100 meters)
Owner: Incolinx di Diego Romeo
Coach: Erik Bondo
Nurse: Anu Intonen
Breeder: Allev. Garigliano S.R.L.
Nationality: Italian
Elitloppet is the main attraction during the Elitlopp weekend, which will be held at Solvalla in Stockholm on May 23-25, 2025. Elitloppet is an invitational race where 16 horses compete in two different trials with eight horses in each. The top four in each trial will meet in a final where the winner will receive five million SEK.
Invited horses for Elitloppet 2025: Go On Boy (France), Logan Park (Canada), Borups Victory (Sweden), The Locomotive (Australia), Francesco Zet (Sweden), Etonnant (France), A Fair Day (Sweden), Mellby Knekt (Sweden), Mellby Jinx (Sweden), Don Fanucci Zet (Sweden), Always Ek (Italy), Hohneck (France), Cobra Killer Gar (Italy)
