by Karsten Bønsdorf

The 8-year-old Danish gelding Local Conch, with trainer/driver Flemming Jensen in the bike, was a very impressive winner in the “mini-Elitlopp” – the Sweden Cup at Solvalla Saturday afternoon.

Local Conch was in command most of the trip and won in 1:52.2f – the fastest time so far in Europe in 2011.

Flemming Jensen said: Local Conch could have gone faster if I had drawn the earplugs – he wasn’t tired.

Local Conch won the Norwegian pendant to the Sweden Cup a week ago at Bjerke, and the connections looked forward to an invitation to race in the Elitlopp but didn’t get it and instead Local Conch was entered in the Sweden Cup.

The Sweden Cup is raced just like the Elitlopp, with two eliminations over the mile and the four best finishers advancing to the final. Local Conch was followed by Austrian-bred Striking Actions, driven by Dominik Locqueneux, and Melton Kronos, driven by Torbjörn Jansson.

The other elimination was won by Yield Boko, driven by Ulf Ohlsson in 1:55.

With today’s performance Local Conch is now the fastest progeny of King Conch. He has raced 55 times and won 29 races and approximately $525,000.