The English page - The crown for Erle

An excellent crowd turned up last weekend for Dusseldorf's main Raceday of the season featuring the Group I, 166. Henkel - Preis der Diana the German Oaks and Germany's most prestigious race for fillies. It was a class act on the day that won the fillies classic, and it came from the Reliable man filly Erle.

Sent off the 5/1 second favorite behind the English challenger Darnation (Too Darn Hot)she was kicked out of her inside post position, box one, by jockey Martin Seidl and she led almost start to finish using her long stride to her best advantage. She was accompanied, throughout by New York City (Sea the Moon) in the Ebberloh stud Colours and for a few strides on entering the straight this one got to Erle. Erle though is a very strong galloper and stretched away again halfway up the straight as New York City buckled under the pressure although she did hang on for fourth place at the line and she probably just doesn't stay more than 2000 m (1m 2f). The one that caught the eye and stayed on strongest of all from well off the pace was the Andreas Wohler trained Gestuts Karlshof Zarak filly Spanish Eyes. Under Thore Hammer Hansen she cut the winning margin to one length at the wire and this one could definitely go up in trip. Lady Mary (Lawman) claimed third under top Hong Kong jockey Vincent Ho for Andreas Suborics three and half lengths behind the first two and half a length in front Of New York City. The Foreign horses never really got involved with the favorite Darnation fairing best in fifth place but she's another filly that probably found the trip too far.

For the winner the likeable and pretty Gestut Rottgen homebred Erle has given trainer Maxim Pecheur his first classic and Group I win in only his first season holding a trainers license. He retired as a jockey at the end of 2023 to take up the position as trainer for the stud which was left vacant by Markus Klug. For jockey Martin Seidl it was his biggest day in the saddle and first success at top level too and he has developed and matured this year since going back to Gestut Rottgen under Maxim Pecheur. He is riding with the utmost confidence this year.

On the undercard we had the Group III, Fritz-Henkel-Preis over 1600m (1m) where we saw another cracking display from the front as the 3 year old Geography (Holy Roman Emperor) running for the first time in blinkers made all under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev to beat the Karl Burke English trained 3 year old filly Molten Rock (Fascinating Rock) by one and a quarter  lengths while Maigret (Counterattack) held Best Lightning for third showing the 3 year old form in good light over the mile. Molten Rocks had Sean Byrne in saddle while Thore Hammer Hansen steered Maigret. Interestingly Maigret has since left trainer Bohumil Nedorostek and will be trained by Henk Grewe in future.

Looking forward to this coming weekend and we will not be lacking for top class racing. Hannover and Munich supply the racing enthusiast with handicap cards on Friday and Saturday while Sunday's Berlin - Hoppegarten programme features the Westminster 134. Grosser Preis von Berlin, a Group I over 2400m and has attracted some interesting oversees runners. Seven will go to post in the feature where all eyes will be on the Joseph O Brien Irish trained runner Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett), this one having run Champion, City of Troy, to 1 length in the Group I Coral - Eclipse at Sandown Park last time out albeit over 2000 m (1m 2f). This will be the colts first attempt at 2400m (1m 4f), but he was staying on well up Sandown's hill in the Eclipse. He is a well travelled horse having race in Deauville, Longchamp and in Saratoga USA. He was a Group I winner at two when taking the National Stakes at the Curragh and will be partnered in Berlin by Dylan Browne Mc Monagle.

The Godolphin runner from the English stables Of Charlie Appleby, King of Conquest (Lope de Vega), will be partnered by Adrie de Vries and has won his last two starts when dropped back to Listed class of late including the JCB Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket last time over today's trip of 2400m. The Peter Schiergen for Gestut Ittlingen trained Adlerflug son Narrativo is the only 3-year-old in field and sets out to revive his career after a 14th placing in the Derby. He went into the Derby as one of the favorites having won the Union impressively beating the later Derby winner Palladium and the Derby fourth Alleno.

If any rain should fall in Berlin, it will certainly help the cause of both Tunnes and Mr Hollywood who finished a nose and a head second and third behind Best of Lips on good ground here on this track in the Group III Fürstenberg Rennen. Best of Lips and trainer Andreas Suborics will be hoping for Sunshine. Lips Prince makes up the seven starters and will go off the outsider in this field.

Berlins card also features a Listed sprint race 1200m (6f) , a Listed stayers race 2800m (1m 6f) and a fillies listed race over 1800m (1m1f). In the fillies race Henri-Alex- Pantall sends the Godolphin owned Sea the Stars four year old Mountain Song and she was listed placed last time out in Vichy having won on her only other start this year in Longchamp. Fabrice Veron rides. Highest rated is Peace of Rose who finished 2 of 9 in the Group III Premio Del Giubileo in Milan before finishing well down the field in heavy ground in Hamburg. Empore represents last weeks Oak's winning team and has Blinkers on for the first time so what’s not to be forgotten is this ones best form when 4th last year herself in the Preis der Diana the Oaks.

The stayers race sees another Pantall/Godolphin runner Natural Gift take her chance. The 3-year-old two time winning Frankel daughter will be looking to enhance her stud value with some black type here. The consistent Nastaria has a chance to get her head in front as she has been unlucky this year. In the sprint Dream Whisper is the next for Pantall/Godolphin and Fabrice Veron. The ex Englander has won in France but is a handicapper over there and I’d go with Blueridge Silver or Zerostress to keep this prize in Germany.

Shannon Spratter