The English page - No crisis yet

The situation of the German racing industry is not yet critical, but it is still slightly worrying. Following the clean sweep for the British and Irish raiders in the German 2,000 Guineas (Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen) at Cologne last week, there was another British victory in the German 1,000 Guineas at Düsseldorf on Sunday, when Main Edition (Zoffany), trained by Mark Johnston in Yorkshire, and ridden by Joe Fanning, just got the better of the favourite Axana and the supplemented Shalona. Both these last two are daughters of Soldier Hollow, whose position as the leading German-based stallion remains unchallenged.

When the ground is riding fast at Düsseldorf, as was the case, then front-runners are very difficult to catch and very little comes from off the pace. The first three to finish were in fact the first three throughout. Axana made the running, at a sensible pace, with Main Edition close up on his outside and Shalona close up on the inside. The order did not change at all until well inside the final furlong, and it was clear from a long way that only this trio would be involved in the finish. 100 yards from the post they were almost dead level, but in the final stages Main Edition just gained the upper hand, scoring by a neck and the same. It would be unfair to say that the best jockey won the race, but it was certainly a great ride from Joe Fanning. He and his trainer were winning the race for the second year in succession, while it was also the fourth successive victory for a filly trained in England. This is in additional to the previous Irish one-two in Hoppegarten and the French Carl-Jaspers-Preis winner at Cologne, means that all the top races run so far this year in Germany have gone abroad. These lines are written from Baden-Baden, where the races have no yet begun, but where it also looks highly likely that there will be more foreign successes. This is a normal development and this writer is sure that German horses will soon triumph again at the higher levels.

Main Edition was well bought by Mark Johnston for only 62,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October Sale, Book One, and on pedigree she looks to be a miler pure and simple. “Everything that happens now is a bonus,” declared the trainer, who will aim her at the top filiies´ races over that distance. She had previously run badly in the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket´s Craven Meeting, but Johnston explained that she had not wintered well, but is now really coming to herself. The second British runner Iconic Choice actually started favourite but was very disappointing, never going well after a slow start, but trainer Tom Dascombe felt that she was coming into season.

What German racing currently lacks is an equine superstar, another Danedream, Novellist or Protectionist, and it is possible that we saw a couple of very smart colts running last Sunday. At Düsseldorf0, Gestüt Ittlingen´s homebred Laccario (Scalo) won the listed Aengevelt Derby-Trial in most impressive fashion. He led at the distance and quickly went clear of some useful opponents. That looked a really good performance and trainer Andreas Wöhler immediately confirmed that Laccario, from the family of Derby winner Lando,is a serious candidate for Hamburg, but immediately added: “that was only his third race, and he needs more experience, so he will run again before the Derby, in the Union-Rennen at Cologne (Whit Monday.)”

Only a few minutes before Laccario´s victory, the local racegoers were glued to their smartphones  to watch the Prix du Lys at Longchamp, and that Group Three was won in extremely promising style by Stall Salzburg´s Quest the Moon (Sea the Moon). This performance immediately catapulted Quest the Moon, who was bred by Gestüt Görlsdorf and trained in Munich by Sarah Steinberg, into favouritism for this year´s German Derby. He is now quoted at 11-4, while Laccario is at 4-1.

The Union-Rennen is shaping up into the key trial for the German Derby, as Laccario will then face Django Freeman (Campanologist), who defeated Quest the Moon in the Bavarian Classic in early May, and Winterfuchs, winner of the Dr. Busch-Memorial. Winterfuchs, also by Campanologist, from the Ravensberg family that has already produced numerous Derby and other classic winners, is trained at Iffezheim by Carmen Bocskai, and Sybille Vogt, who rode him at Krefeld, has been confirmed as his jockey in both the Union-Rennen and Derby. The German Derby has never been won in its 150 year history by a lady trainer nor has the winner even been ridden by a lady jockey, so Steinberg, Bocskai and Vogt will be making history should they be successful at Hamburg on July 7^th.

There are other Derby trials to come of course, and this Sunday´s race at Baden-Baden is of interest, as it sees the seasonal debut of Peppone (Pastorius), another highly rated 3yo from the Andreas Wöhler stable, and this one even more lightly raced than Laccario, as he has so far only run once – when easily winning a maiden race at Hanover last October, from several subsequent winners. We are also waiting to see Donjah reappear; the Teofilo filly was a most impressive winner of both her starts last year and has not been seen since. However she is still on course for the Derby, and a month later the Preis der Diana (Oaks) and could make her seasonal debut on the Sunday of next week in Hoppegarten´s Diana-Trial.

Returning to Baden-Baden, this week´s main feature is the Group Two Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft-over eleven furlongs on Sunday. The interesting one here is Jaber Abdullah´s Royal Youmzain (Youmzain). The 4yo has not run since finishing fifth in last November´s Grosser Preis von Bayern. That was a rare poor effort, but on the balance of his form he is probably the best older horse in Germany. He could complete a group race double on Sunday for his trainer Andreas Wöhler. Whether Royal Youmzain wins or not, one thing is certain: this race will stay at home, as there are no foreign-trained entries.

David Conolly-Smith