The connections of Horsy Dream lived out their Elitloppet dream, winning the 2024 edition of Sweden's premier trotting race on Sunday, May 26 at Solvalla Racecourse.
After having to withdraw from last year's Elitloppet barely two weeks before that race due to a paddock injury, the seven-year-old French trotting stallion swept his elimination heat and the final in his first Elitloppet appearance on the last Sunday of May with Eric Raffin driving for trainer Pierre Belloche and owner Ecurie Du Closet.
Horsy Dream blew by his rivals with a sweeping three-wide move heading to the final turn and drew off in front of a packed grandstand for an emphatic finish, winning in a race record 1:08 km rate (1:49.2 mile rate). He bested the 1,609-metre race record of 1:08.9 km rate (1:50.4 mile rate) set in 2021 by Don Fanucci Zet and equalled in 2023 by Hohneck.
Swedish favourite Francesco Zet (Örjan Kihlström) took the lead from early leaver Denver Gio (Björn Goop) off the first turn with outsider Önas Prince (Per Nordström) landing third in front of Horsy Dream. Racing for a purse of nearly $630,000, Horsy Dream tracked the cover of Önas Prince heading into the backstretch before taking aim on the leader with his winning three-wide move. Borups Victory (Daniel Wäjersten) found clearance off a ground-saving trip midway down the stretch and rallied on for second outside of Denver Gio and Francesco Zet. Defending Elitloppet champion Hohneck (Gabriele Gelormini) rounded out the top five finish order.
Earlier in the day, Horsy Dream had secured his spot in the final with a victory in his elimination heat, holding off Hohneck and Francesco Zet.
Bred by Jean Marie Deschamps and Ecurie Du Closet, the son of Scipion du Goutier out of Bonanza du Closet has won 20 of his 43 starts lifetime.
Posts Drawn For 2024 Elitloppet Final
The field is now set for the 2024 Elitloppet after the two trials were contested for Sweden's premier trotting event on Sunday morning, May 26 at Solvalla Race Course in Stockholm.
In the first elimination heat, last year's Elitloppet runner-up Go On Boy and trainer/driver Roman Derieux rallied three-wide from third-over turning for home and swept by down the stretch for the victory with Capital Mail (Antonio Di Nardo) chasing in second. Denver Gio (Björn Goop) held on for third after leading most of the way. Önas Prince (Per Nordström) shook loose late off a ground-saving trip to finish fourth and secure a spot in the final, edging out the late-closing former North American stakes star, Joviality S (Erik Adielsson). The winning time was a 1:08.7 km rate (1:50.3 mile rate).
Horsy Dream prevailed off an overland journey in a four-across finish in the second elimination heat for driver Eric Raffin and trainer Pierre Belloche. Three-wide through the first turn, Horsey Dream advanced into the first-over position, pressing the front-striding Decision Maker (Carl Johan Jepson) the rest of the way with rivals stacking up to his outside turning for home. He prevailed in a 1:09 km rate (1:51 mile rate), holding off defending Elitloppet champion Hohneck (Gabriele Gelormini), favourite Francesco Zet (Örjan Kihlström) and Borups Victory (Daniel Wäjersten), all advancing to the final.
The top four finishers from the elimination heats will advance to the final competing for a purse of approximately $630,000 later in the day. The field is listed below for the final of the Elitloppet, which is scheduled as Race 11 with an approximate post time of 11:45 a.m. (EDT). The connections of the elimination winners had first pick of their posts.
Elitloppet
Post – Horse (Country) – Driver
1. Hohneck (France) – Gabriele Gelormini
2. Go On Boy (France) – Roman Derieux
3. Horsy Dream (France) – Eric Raffin
4. Capital Mail (Italy) – Antonio Di Nardo
5. Denver Gio (Italy) – Björn Goop
6. Francesco Zet (Sweden) – Örjan Kihlström
7. Borups Victory (Sweden) – Daniel Wäjersten
8. Önas Prince (Sweden) – Per Nordström
(Standardbred Canada)