Wide gate threatens to derail The Locomotive in Elitlopp heat in Sweden
Sydney Inter Dominion champion The Locomotive is ready for one of the biggest challenges in harness racing.
The Goulburn-based star will have to overcome a horror barrier draw and some of the best trotters in the world to create history in Sweden on Sunday.
The Locomotive will start second from the outside (gate seven) in the second of two heats of the world's best trotting race, the iconic Elitlopp at the Solvalla track in Stockholm.
His trainer-driver Brad Hewitt is clear on the enormity of the challenge.
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'We knew it was always going to be hard, but now he's drawn so wide, it's going to take something incredible from him to qualify for the final,' he said.
The Locomotive is the fifth Australian and ninth Australasian trotter to contest the Elitlopp. No Aussie has made the final and the only Kiwi to do so was former champion mare Pride Of Petite when fourth in a heat and sixth in the 1997 final.
Most recently, champion Aussie Just Believe loomed as a top four chance on the final bend before striking trouble, galloping and losing all chance in 2023. He later stamped his class with two Group 1 placings in Sweden.
The Locomotive will need a top four finish in his heat to qualify for the final run three hours later. He is a $71 shot in the heat.
It's the stronger of the two heats as well with boom trotter Borups Victory $2.80 equal favourite ahead of two former Elitlopp winners, Don Fanucci Zet ($2.80) and Hohneck ($4.50).
The statistics underline how cruel the draw is for The Locomotive, who has won 23 of 25 starts when he has led and just one of 17 when he hasn't been in front.
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'I'm going to be back last, I can't possibly push forward from right out there,' Hewitt said.
'What I will say is, he works well off a sit at home and I haven't had the chance to drive him that way yet. When he hasn't led for me, he's been outside the leader and he won't be there this time.
'I'm hoping he can show all that trademark speed of his at the finish, if we switch him off early and try to weave through them.'
Hewitt draws hope from how well The Locomotive has settled in and worked over the past week.
'I don't think I could have him better. It's all come together in time and he's primed. He had that terrific work at Solvalla last week and then I couldn't have been happier with his last serious hit out on Monday,' he said.
'I've got a lot of faith in the horse, but he's never faced a field like this and he's going to need everything to go right.
'At least there's no pressure now. If we could somehow be the first (Aussie) to make the final, it would be amazing.'
The Locomotive's heat will be shown on Sky Racing at 11.55pm Sunday.
- Adam Hamilton is a paid contributor writing on harness racing for News Corp.
Originally published as Star Australian trotter The Locomotive has a horror barrier in the toughest heat to qualify for the prestigious Elitlopp in Stockholm
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