The Locomotive faces enormous challenge in Monday's Elitlopp

By Adam Hamilton 

The odds are firmly stacked against reigning Inter Dominion champion The Locomotive "doing a Pride Of Petite" in Monday morning's Elitlopp in Stockholm.

The former champion Kiwi mare Pride Of Petite is the only "Down Under" trotter to finish top four in an Elitlopp heat and qualify for the final when she ran sixth in the 1997 final.

Most recently, the great Just Believe tried but struck trouble at a crucial stage on the final bend, galloped and lost all chance. 

The Locomotive will have to overcome a horror barrier draw and some of the best trotters in his heat, slated for 1.55am Monday (NZ time).

The five-year-old will start second from the outside (gate seven) in the second of two heats of the world’s greatest trotting race.

His trainer-driver Brad Hewitt is clear on the enormity of the challenge.

“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. 

He is a $71 shot in his 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.

“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.”