Trotters from six different countries will compete for the nearly $US1.2 million in stakemoney on offer for the Elitlopp, with one of the jewels of the European Grand Circuit to be held at Solvalla Raceway, Stockholm on Sunday.
The elite race will be decided through two qualifying rounds and a final on the same day - all over the metric mile - and is the highlight of a three-day carnival expected to attract 50,000 visitors to the Swedish capital.
The first four finishers from each elimination will advance to the final, with the winners of the two eliminations receiving $US25,000 each and the winner of the final a record $US500,000.
Sixteen trotters have received an invitation for the Elitlopp with the host country, Sweden, providing nine starters. Italy has three entries, while France, Denmark, Belgium and Canada will have one representative each.
The winners of the last two editions of the Elitlopp, Don Fanucci Zet (2021 and pictured) and Cokstile (2020), will attempt to lift the trophy for the second time. The Norwegian-bred, Italian-owned Cokstile is the oldest runner in the 16-horse field at nine years.
There are strong Australian and New Zealand breeding ties to many of the Elitlopp runners.
Don Fanucci Zet, the defending champion, is a son of the SJ’s Caviar horse Hard Livin, one of the Trump Bloodstock frozen semen roster, out of a mare by the former Empire Stallions and Alabar Bloodstock sire Western Terror.
Another of the Trump Bloodstock team, Up And Quick, a Prix d’Amerique-winning son of Buvetier d’Aunou (a former frozen semen sire in Australia), will be represented by the "people’s trotter" Night Brodde.
Perfetto, the Canadian champion, is a gelding by Majestic Son, the leading Australian and NZ trotting sire for the last six years.
The French entrant, Etonnant, was sired by Timoko, the 2014 and 2017 Elitlopp winner, whose frozen semen is available from Haras Des Trotteurs, Ballarat, while the German-born, Belgium-owned Mister F Daag is out of a mare by Love You.
Chocolatier, the sire of Extreme and Onas Prince, is the only stallion dually represented.
Besides Timoko, other past Elitlopp winners with representatives in this year’s race are the mighty Italian trotter Varenne (Vernissage Grif) and From Above (Brother Bill).
Final field for the Elitlopp:
Don Fanucci Zet (Sweden), Etonnant (France), Vivid Wise As (Italy), Extreme (Denmark), Perfetto (Canada), Vernissage Grif (Italy), Onas Prince (Sweden), Cokstile (Italy), Admiral As (Sweden), Snowstorm Hanover (Sweden), Who’s Who (Sweden), Hail Mary (Sweden), Brother Bill (Sweden), Mister F Daag (Belgium), Click Bait (Sweden), Night Brodde (Sweden)