by Karsten Bønsdorf

The Swedish trotter Torvald Palema, driven by train/driver Ake Svanstedt, won the Aby Stora Pris Saturday afternoon and though there is still one race left in the European Grand Circuit Series, Torvald Palema is already the overall winner.

The 8-year-old Torvald Palema has never been better than this year.

Saturday afternoon he won the Aby Stora Pris in Gothenburg in straight heats. In the first heat Torvald Palema came from behind to win easily in 1.54.4f, while he was in command in the second heat, which he won in 1.531f.

It was his 7th victory this year from only 10 starts. Earlier this year Torvald Palema won the Elitlopp and the Abergs Memorial, and with Saturday’s victory in Aby, made a clean sweep in the three most important mile races in Scandinavia this year.

In 2009 alone Torvald Palema has earned $1,088,000 and has lifetime earnings of $2.3 million.

Before the final leg of the European Grand Circuit Series, the Gran Premio delle Nazioni in Milan in November, Torvald Palema leads the standings with 20 points, followed by Igor Font of Italy with 13 points and Meaulnes du Corta of France with 10 points.