by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Newsroom Senior Correspondent

A full field of 16 trotting contestants for the upcoming Elitloppet at Solvalla Racetrack on Sunday (May 29) has been finalized and the post position draw for the two heats, each with eight horses, occurred Sunday morning (May 22).

The current favorite for this international event is Nuncio, who will race from post position two in the second heat. He is favored to win his heat and is the heavy favorite to capture the final.

Owner/trainer Stefan Melander has decided not to drive him in the race so Ôrjan Kihlström will take the lines behind the son of Andover Hall.

Melander, however, will still drive in Elitloppet, as he qualified Volstead for the race winning at Gavle on Friday (May 21).

Now that Kihlström has agreed to guide Nuncio, he has resigned the drive on Magic Tonight, the defending Elitloppet champion. Therefore, Erik Adielsson will assume the driving duties.

Propulsion will also be in rein to Kihlström in the first Elitloppet heat.

Resolve and his trainer/driver, Ake Svanstedt, will race from post position two in the first elimination heat. He will meet French Trotter Timoko, who won the Elitlopp in 2014 and the two ex-patriots, Propulsion and Volstead. Resolve will be one of the favorites in his heat and for the final.

The four top finishers in each heat will advance to the final.

The fields and their drivers are as follows:

Heat One:

1. Oasis Bi – Johnny Takter
2. Resolve – Åke Svanstedt
3. Propulsion – Ôrjan Kihlström
4. Timoko – Bjørn Goop
5. Mosaique Face – Lutfi Kolgjini
6. Volstead – Stefan Melander
7. Your Highness – Frank Nivard
8. Voltigeur de Myrt – Gabriel Gelormini

Heat Two:

1. Royal Fighter – Jennifer Tillman
2. Nuncio – Ôrjan Kihlström
3. On Track Piraten – Johnny Takter
4. Un Mec d’Heiripre – Jos Verbeeck
5. Call Me Keeper – Frank Nivard
6. BBS Sugarlight – Peter Untersteiner
7. Magic Tonight – Erik Adielsson
8. Billie de Montfort – David Thomain