The English page - Baden-Baden ante portas

Last Sunday we had two meetings, Dusseldorf with an early 11o`clock start and Hannover kicking off at a more conventional 13.40 with its 10 race card going through till 18.45 in the evening. At both meeting the main races were listed events. Up in Hannover where the ground was officially good to soft but looked on the softer side there was a little upset in the feature race the Preis von Volkswagen Automobile Listed Stutenrennen over 2400 meters (1m 4f). Carmen Bocskai went into the race two fold with her Techno Beat the 7/2 favorite and Kammuri Diamond starting 13/1.

And it was the outsider of the two the Nathaniel daughter that stayed on resolutely up the home straight to come home, in the hands of French Jockey Corentin Berge, 1 3/4 lengths too good for Lydia (Adlerflug), the second favourite from Waldemar Hickst stables. The Munich challenger Gambia Sun (Dariyan) revelled in condition to get third. Surprisingly the three 3-year-olds in the field of ten starters, two very strong contesters on form, finished seventh, ninth and tenth, the seventh Namouria over 20 lengths behind the winner and favourite Techno Beat almost 35 lengths. On the same programme the 52.000 Euro Auctions Race went to the Best Solution daughter Tanami Starlet and she put up an impressive performance on the back of some nice form in France and could find black type before the season is out.

In Dusseldorf the Grosser Sparkassen- Familien - Cup over 1600meters (1m) went to all the way winner Montanus (Amaron) for the Yasmin Almenrader stables with Anna van den Troost in the saddle. Owned by Susanne Ottofülling the 4-year-old gelding galloped relentlessly to score by 1 3/4 lengths from Lightning Jack (Lawman) and favourite Ayada (Areion).

Looking forward now to next week and again its exciting times with (“Die Grosse Woche”) The Big week in Baden-Baden. Germanys highlight and International meeting with five days of racing starting this weekend with the 69. Preis der Sparkassen Finanzgruppe (ex Spreti – Rennen) a Group III over 2000 meters (1m 2f) which has attracted a field of ten runners including the improving French raider Mont de Soleil from the Francis Henry Graffard stables. He is a two time winner, one at listed class, this season. If Westminster Moon can reproduce his last effort here, the Andreas Wöhler/Eduardo Pedroza hopeful should be good enough to keep this prize at home. He was beaten roughly five lengths by Calif and Fantastic Moon in the Group I Grosser Dallmayr Preis in Munich just over three weeks ago with Downtown a further 1 1/2 lengths back in fifth. The old man, Quest the Moon now 8 years old a stable companion of Fantastic Moon, has found a new lease of life and on his homework in Munich could put it up to some of his more fancied rivals. It will also be interesting to see how the second Woehler starter, Hope and Believe, fares here, as her best performance to date was on this track in the Tattersalls Diane Trial (Oaks Trial).

Sunday then sees the Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche Group III for the sprinters take centre stage. The most prestigious Sprint race in the German Calendar has attracted an international field. The six furlong contest will be contested by Noisy Night from Guillermo Elosegui Spanish stables and won the Premio San Isidro over 6 furlongs in Madrid and was only beaten by a stable companion in the 40.000 Euro Gran Premio Urquijo again in Madrid. Interestingly in form French Jockey Hugo Boutin is booked for the ride.

Al Shabab Storm (Andrew Balding) and Aramis Grey (Rae Guest) represent England whereby Purest Time (Mauricio Delcher Sanchez), Knock On (Philippe Decouz) and Whispering Dream (Henri Alex Pantall) will make the journey from France. Last years winner Zerostress (Sascha Smrczek) or the top class three-year-old filly Three Havanas (Henk Grewe) look the best chances of the home team. Worth Choice (Stepanka Myskova) joins the Internationals from the Czech Republic.

Wednesdays highlight will be the Group III Renate and Albrecht Woeste - Zukunfts Rennen for the two-year-olds over 1400 meters (7 f). Of the nine entries at this stage five are from England while the home team rely on recent winners Name Lord (Andreas Suborics), Turf Sunny (Marcel Weiss) and the Peter Schiergen pair Santagada and Dhitjari.

Of course, this is all leading up to the International Yearling Sales on Friday 30 August and the big weekend of racing Saturdays T. v. Zastrow Stutenpreis a Group II over 2400meters (1m 4f) and then the big one on Sunday Week the Wettstar.de 154. Grosser Preis von Baden Group I over again 2400meters (1m 4f). The entries for the race were tremendous and included Goliath, Al Riffa, Rebels Romance, Calandangan, Erle, Fantastic Moon among a host of top class horses and you could only hope for Baden-Baden and German Racing we could attempt one or the other to come and participate.

The premiere Sales kick off on Friday and with the high amount of Group winners this sale produces you will see a formidable international set of buyers in Iffezheim. Alone in 2024 winners include Palladium, Calif, Penalty and Fantastic Moon. This years sales, sees yearlings from all of Germany's top studs like Etzean, Fährhof, Karlshof and Witteskindshof as well leading Agent Ronald Rauscher with a large draft.

Sires like the dependable Sea the Moon and Soldier Hollow hold strong. Products from Gleneagles, Zarak, Kingsman, Too Darn Hot, Wootton Bassett or Teofilio will keep people interested as will the newbie’s Japan and Alson. It's good to see the international stallions and consigners coming to Baden-Baden.

Shannon Spratter