INTER Dominion champion The Locomotive takes the next and biggest step in his global racing adventure tomorrow.
The Brad Hewitt-trained star is back in Melbourne after finishing third to fellow Aussie trotter Arcee Phoenix in last Friday night’s $NZ600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge.
Now the five-year-old is headed to Sweden to tackle the world’s best trotting race, the iconic Elitlopp at Solvalla in Stockholm on May 25.
The first leg of The Locomotive’s trip will see him on a plane out of Melbourne at 7.40pm tomorrow night.
Mark Day, an uncle of Hewitt, will be the travelling groom with The Locomotive, who is scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam at 1.30pm on Friday (local time).
From there, The Locomotive is due there to arrive in Stockholm at 5.30pm on Sunday.
Like Just Believe did two years ago, The Locomotive will stay at the famed stables of former champion trainer-driver Stig H Johannsen.
Day will stay and help The Locomotive settle in before handing the caretaker training to Susanne Frang, the partner of champion Swedish driver Magnus Djuse.
Hewitt said he would head to Sweden “about three weeks out from the Elitlopp” to take over training.
“I’m really pleased Mark is going with him, he’s been doing that stuff for 20 years and it gives me comfort that the horse will get every chance to travel and settle in well. Mark jumped at the opportunity,” Hewitt said.
“At this stage, I’ll head over in early May to do those last few weeks preparing him.
“It’s a mix of huge excitement, but also nerves at such a big challenge.”
Hewitt was pleased with the way The Locomotive fought out the closing stages of the TAB Trot last Friday.
“There’s no doubt he’s much better in front, like most horses, but he really dug-in down the home straight and showed plenty of fight,” he said.
“I know he’s been beaten in his last couple of big races, but he’s gone really well both times. I certainly wasn’t disappointed with him at Cambridge.”
