The English page - Busy days

Last week German Racing raised its game up another gear with the first Festival Meeting and the first Sales of the season. Spring Meeting in Baden-Baden gave us three Raceday’s and the sales.  Baden-Baden kicked off on Thursday with a nine-race card which included the Group III 45. Kronimus Baden-Baden Meile (1600m). The race was run at a strong pace and was won by the 4 yo Calif (Areion) from off the pace by an easy 5 lengths. Trained by Peter Schiergen for owners Stall Hanse and ridden by Jockey Adrie de Vries. It was a first Group win for the winner having been Group placed at 2, 3 and 4 years. The winner was followed home by Parol (Pastorius) and Aemilianus (Holy Roman Emperor).

The second highlight of the day saw Kolossal (Outstrip) make all and out battle the French favorite Greym (The Grey Gatsby) to win the Preis der Baden – Badener Hotellerie, a Listed race for older fillies over 2200 meters. Kolossal from local trainer Carmen Bocskai, owned by Stall Blue Diamond and ridden by the French Jockey Mickael Forest was winning this listed race for the second year in a row. She had a couple of setbacks last year, running for the first time this year, and was a rank outsider in an ordinary competition. It was Father’s Day in Baden-Baden with over 13.000 visitors and a family atmosphere, back to the roots of what Baden- Baden used to be.

Dortmund's main race on this day was again a filly’s listed race over 1800 meters. It was won by the tough Stella (Neatico). The 5yo mare is trained by Markus Klug for Gestüt Ittlingen and was ridden by Michael Cadeddu. Second place went to the Godolphin owned and French trained Cantilena (Dubawi). Task (Mastercraftsman) finished third in the Gestüt Schlenderhan colors. 

Friday saw a break from racing with the first sale of the season 2023, the BBAG Spring Sale. A catalog of mixed horses including 2yo breeze up horses and older horses in training. The cutest part of the day was a mare with a foal at foot and with a covering. 3 for 1, sold for 8.500 Euro. Top price at the sales was Lot number 29 Meer, a good-looking 2yr old son of Sea the Stars out of the Group II winning Meergörl (Adlerflug) consigned by Gestüt Görlsdorf. He was sold for 135.000 Euro to Eckhard Sauren and will stay in the Markus Klug stable near Cologne. “He was the pick of the day”, said Sauren, who owns over 25 racehorses, “we will give him time and hope to have a Derby horse next year.” 58 lots were in the ring, 38 found a new owner. 

Back to racing on Saturday with the two trials for the German Oaks and Derby. The Japan Racing Association – Derby-Trial (Group III, 2000 m) one of the most important Qualifiers for the Derby was won in commanding style by the favorite Fantastic Moon (Sea the Moon) in the colors of Liberty Racing 2021. 4 ½ lengths was the distance back to Vintage Moon (Sea the Moon) and then Straight (Zarak). “He’ll run directly in the German Derby”, Liberty Racing Manager Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten told the press. Fantastic Moon, a 49.000-Euro-yearling from the BBAG, bred by Graf and Gräfin Stauffenberg, won last year the Group III Preis des Winterfavoriten over a mile in Cologne. He is now 6:1 with the bookmakers for the German Derby, on the 2nd of July 2023 in Hamburg.

The Oaks-Trial (Tattersalls Diana-Trial) 3yo filly’s listed race was won by rank outsider and still maiden Romina Power (Le Havre), trained by Michael Figge and ridden by young Frenchman Augustin Madamet. Interestingly both the winners of these trials are trained in Munich. It gave me great pleasure as it is my home track. 

Final Day of the meeting with a 11-race card had the Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft (Group II) as the highlight. The six-horse field was favored by Assistent (Sea the Moon), winner of the Group II Carl Jaspers Preis last start, Sammarco (Camelot), last year’s German Derby Winner and Mendocino (Adlerflug) winner of the 152.Grosser Preis von Baden. The race was run at a nice pace, set by the outsider Mansour (Tai Chi) but turning in to the straight the 5yold Northern Ruler (Ruler of the World), trained by Andreas Wöhler in colors of Gestüt Schlenderhan and ridden by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, took up the running and galloped strongly to the line to win by 1 ½ lengths from Best of Lips (The Gurkha) with the good finishing Mendocino in third. Sammarco was a disappointing fifth, Assistent on unsuitable good ground only last. Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, four times Champion jockey in Germany, now with André Fabre in France, teaming up successfully with his Ex-Boss Andreas Wöhler. It is difficult to assess what the form was worth. Northern Ruler was a Group III winner with 3y but has run only twice last year. The next race for him will be a Group II race in Hamburg in five weeks. 

Second highlight was the listed Casino Baden – Baden Silberne Peitsche (1200m) which was won very easily by the Henri-Alex Pantall trained Amellata (Pomellato) ridden by Lukas Delozier. 4 ½ lengths separated her from the Swedish trained 8 yo Good Eye (Eishin Dunkirk). He will follow the same route as last year and travel to England taking in Ascot, Goodwood and York.

In Rom on Sunday Germany was represented by Liberty Racings Winning Spirit (Soldier Hollow), trained by Peter Schiergen, ridden by Sibylle Vogt in the 140. Derby Italiano. He gave a great performance to finish second behind the local outsider Goldenas (Golden Horn). He will go straight from this to the German Derby in Hamburg-Horn and is another classic hope for the successful syndicate with 22 shareholders. 

There is Pentecost weekend in Germany with a couple of interesting races with runners from Great Britain. Highlight will be the Classic 38. Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen the German 2000 Guineas in Cologne on Monday. From the German point of view, it’s a disappointing race with only three local runners, but three colts will cross the channel, Dragon Icon (Lope de Vega) for Roger Varian and two “Johnstons”, Benacre (Australia) and Finn’s Charm (Kingman). The bookmakers favor this trio, but this race looks like a wide open affair with two runners coming from France. Last year Maljoom (Caravaggio), who was very unlucky afterwards, was a unanimous winner of this contest. We don’t think, there will be a horse of similar class this time. 

On Sunday in Berlin–Hoppegarten is the Oaks Trial (Group III) over 2000m with eight entries, one from North Yorkshire, Crackovia (Cracksman). Jack Mitchell will ride for Charlie Johnston. She is 5:1 on the market, favorite will be Gestüt Röttgens Kassada (Sea The Moon) with Andrasch Starke on board, reported the best 3yo filly in the mighty Markus Klug stable. 

Shannon Spratter

Due to the illness of our longstanding correspondent David Conolly-Smith, Shannon will replace him for a couple of weeks. She was born into racing, as her father was a former Jockey and now a trainer in Munich.