by Thomas Hedlund

Australian trotter The Locomotive became horse number four receiving a pink ticket which means an invitation to Elitloppet, which will be contested on May 25. That was last week. This Saturday (March 29), Elitloppet manager Anders Malmrot announced the fifth invitation and not surprisingly, Daniel Redén’s Francesco Zet (Father Patrick) got his pink ticket.

Francesco Zet entered last year’s Elitloppet with 18 consecutive wins and he will be one of the main characters in Elitloppet 2025. So far, the field looks exotic, exciting and Solvalla will be back announcing the next invitation, probably next Saturday.

ELITLOPPET 2025 INVITEES

Go On Boy (France)

Logan Park (Canada)

Borups Victory (Sweden)

The Locomotive (Australia)

Francesco Zet (Sweden)

DANIEL WÄJERSTEN’S SCORES A HAT TRICK AT SOLVALLA

The spring season in Swedish harness racing took off for real at Solvalla on Saturday (March 29), with four divisions of the $60,000 Margaretas Tidiga Unghästserie, where 3- and 4-year-olds battle for early 2025 money.

Driver Örjan Kihlström opened the series by steering Eric Martinsson’s 3-year-old filly Selmina Venit (Donato Hanover) to a safe wire-to-wire win, before he changed horse and trainer for the 4-year-old mares’ event. Roger Walmann trained S.G.Empress (Readly Express) was one of the best fillies in the crop last season and in her first start since November, when she finished third in the $320,000 Breeders Crown final, she showed that her sophomore year on the track will also be great. Wire-to-wire, again, was the recipe for the win.

Sweden’s Trainer of the Year 2024, Daniel Wäjersten had a strong day at Solvalla as he claimed one division of the Margaretas Tidiga Unghästserie. His Lando Mearas (Walner) held opponents behind him in a splendid style and Lando Mearas will be one of many 4-year-olds from Wäjersten’s barn that probably will enter the biggest races for 4-year-olds in 2025.

Don Fanucci Zet son Olle Sting showed a strong effort in the 3-year-old colts and geldings division. Claes Sjöström sat far back in the field, got cover on the back stretch and Olle Sting easily disarmed inside horses in the stretch. Don Fanucci Zet’s first crop as a sire are 3-year-olds and Saturday’s win by Olle Sting is his biggest success so far.

Wäjersten continued to win and claimed the $100,000 final of the Gold division, included in the V75. From post 1 behind the gate, his Mellby Jinx (Ready Cash) opened quickly and in front, Mellby Jinx is tough to beat. The 7-year-old Ready Cash son was superior to his opponents this day and Mellby Jinx got an invitation to the Finlandia-ajo in Helsinki in May after the great victory.