by Thomas Hedlund

Richard Westerink-trained Etonnant (Timoko), winner of Elitloppet 2022, will be back in Solvalla’s premier event this year. Etonnant was invited on Saturday (April 12) night and that means six horses have received a pink ticket inviting them to Elitloppet 2025.

Etonnant will be seen at Enghien in Paris when the $200,000 Prix de l’Atlantique is contested on Saturday (April 19). Among the opponents, another horse from France may be fit for Solvalla’s big mile race in May; Hussard du Landret, whose trainer Benoit Robin has announced interest in traveling to Sweden, will try to show that he deserves an invitation to Elitloppet.

The Prix de l’Atlantique includes many strong trotters this year and neither Etonnant nor Hussard du Landret will be one of the favorites in the race. Go On Boy, Emeraude de Bais and Hohneck all have merit and speed that will make them heavily regarded by the racing fans.

PRIX DE L’ATLANTIQUE 2025

2,150 meters

Horse — Driver

1. Elvis du Vallon — Yoann Lebourgeois

2. Emeraude de Bais — Frank Nivard

3. Hussard du Landret — Benoit Robin

4. Etonnant — Anthony Barrier

5. Hooker Berry — Eric Raffin

6. Ampia Mede Sm — Vincenzo d’Alessandro, Jr.

7. Go On Boy — Romain Derieux

8. Hohneck — Gabriele Gelormini

9. Joumba de Guez — Jean-Michel Bazire

10. Iguski Sautonne — Matthieu Abrivard

11. Fakir de Mahey — Matthieu Mottier

12. East Asia — Andrea Guzzinati

ELITLOPPET 2025

Invited horses

Go On Boy — France

Etonnant — France

Borups Victory — Sweden

Francesco Zet — Sweden

Logan Park — Canada

The Locomotive — Australia

Australia’s contribution, The Locomotive, has arrived in Sweden already and will be stabled at champion trainer Stig H. Johansson’s farm Stora Alby outside of Stockholm. Top driver Magnus A. Djuse and his partner Susanne Frang will take care of The Locomotive until trainer Brad Hewitt arrives in Sweden.

BORUPS VICTORY BEST IN FINLAND AGAIN?

Daniel Wäjersten’s Borups Victory, runner up in Elitloppet 2024 and named Horse of the Year in Sweden, will travel east, over the Baltic Sea to Finland to contest the $130,000 Seinäjoki Race Saturday (April 19) where he will try to defend his title from last year’s edition.

Post 7 behind the gate was hardly what Wäjersten wished for, but on the other hand, Borups Victory possesses all the ingredients required by a horse racing against elite trotters and he has shown great ability to finish strongly with cover trips. The biggest obstacle for him Saturday may be Johan Untersteiner’s Stens Rubin, who is regarded as the favorite to take command in the Seinäjoki Race 2025.

SEINÄJOKI RACE 2025

2,100 meters

Horse — Driver

1. Stens Rubin — Johan Untersteiner

2. Dozen Of Oysters — Ari Moilanen

3. Bitcoin d’Arc — Veli-Pekka Toivanen

4. Goeland d’Haufor — Santtu Raitala

5. Massimo Hoist — Hannu Torvinen

6. Crepe Match — Olli Koivunen

7. Borups Victory — Daniel Wäjersten

8. EL Indeed — Jukka Torvinen

9. Jason’s Camden — Tommi Kylliäinen

10. Catullo Jet — Alessandro Gocciadoro

SAN MOTEUR IS BACK

Björn Goop trained San Moteur will face eight opponents when the third qualification race ahead of the Paralympiatravet is scheduled at Romme racetrack Sunday (April 20). San Moteur has not entered the track since he raced in the Prix d’Amérique in Paris in January this year and Goop is aiming for the final of the Paralympiatravet on May 3 at Åby racetrack.

Easter time in northern Europe means that several top horses wake up after the long winter and interesting trotters will be seen at different locations today (April 18), as Don Fanucci Zet, Devilish Hill and Eclipse As all start.