The English page - No luck for Germany

The big weekend of racing just gone definitely provided a real treat of top-class racing for every racing enthusiast. Starting in the neighboring country and the Arc weekend at Longchamp, Paris, the first of the German runners lined up in the Prix Dollar Group II on the Saturday. Sammarco (Camelot) representing Gestüt Park Wiedingen and Peter Schiergen had his regular pilot of 2023, Adrie de Vries in the plate as he contested this Group II. A regular in all German Group I´s and II´s over 2400 meters (1 ½ m) since his Derby win in 2022 he dropped back to this 1950 meters (1m 1 ½ f), the shortest he has been since his debut as a 2-year-old in Halle over 1500 meters (7 ½ f). And this was really run at a proper pace as Jack Darcy made the running. Ridden from midfield Sammarco could never get involved and finished 6th of the nine runners roughly seven lengths behind the winning favorite Horizon Dore (Dabirsim).

Also on the Saturday Grey Fighter (Iffraaj) took her place in the big Auction 2-year-old race €320.000 over 1600 meters (1mile) running in the colors of Eckhard Sauren, the Henk Grewe trained filly, having raced prominently ,could not quicken in the straight and finished last of the 13 runners behind a very likeable winner Islandsinthestream (Wootton Bassett) from the Irish trainer Joseph O´Brien. This promising colt took this valuable prize by 1 ¼ lengths having previously been second in a Group I at the Curragh. The German team did fare better in the handicap on the Day as Glacial Peak (Myboycharlie) finished second for Marian Weissmeier and Utamaro (Reliable Man) third for Carmen Bocskai in the 2500 meters (1m 4 ½ f) €70.000 event.

On Sunday, the Andreas Suborics trained West Man (Areion) in the colors of MSN-Racing tried his luck in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Legardere Group I for 2-year-olds over 1400 meters (7f) but this was just a number too big and the German representative trailed in last behind the English trained Blue Point son Rosallion. In the fillies event, the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac we were treated to an outstanding performance from the Aidan O´Brien trained Opera Singer (Justify) who trounced a top-class field, running out a 5-length winner.

Then came the race we were waiting for, the 5 million Euro, Group I Qatar Prix de l´Arc the Triomphe. Though we had three German players here in the 15 strong runners field including our Derby winner Fantastic Moon (Sea the Moon), based at my home track Munich, the Großer Preis vom Baden winner Mr. Hollywood (Iquitos) and the 2021 German Derby winner Sisfahan (Isfahan). None of the trio could get in a blow, Sisfahan running best with a seventh place.

Still, it was a tremendous Arc. Run this year on a good surface we saw another outstanding 3-year-old win the Arc. Ace Impact (Cracksman) unbeaten now in 6 runs added Europe´s major race to his Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) victory. Prepared to perfection by Jean Claude Rouget who had previously won with Sottsass (Siyouni) in 2020, he was ridden with extreme confidence by Italian born Jockey Cristian Demuro and provided him with his second success in the race, as he was also the partner of Rouget´s winner in 2020.

Dropped out near last in the early stages he then followed Fantastic Moon for most of the race, he was delivered down the center of the track and quickened convincingly to win by an easy 1 ¾ lengths from Westover (Frankel) and the outsider Onesto (Frankel) with the Japanese horse`Through Seven Seas (Dream Journey) running fourth. It just did not happen on the day for the German raiders. On ground possibly too fast for Mr. Hollywood, he jumped well and was left in front from the start and although Bauyrzhan Murzabayev could set his own fractions from the front as no one wanted to make the running, he just could not quicken on entering the straight and dropped out to finish last. Fantastic Moon looked to have a good position throughout, though a bit keen early on, he probably, like many others could have benefited from a better early pace on the ground. He finished 11th and connections will now lay him off for the winter and he will stay in training next year for Liberty Racing 2021.

Back at home, Saturday in Mulheim we saw the 80th running of Germanys longest flat race, the Silbernes Band der Ruhr over 4000 meters (2 m 4f). For Drawn to Dream (Iquitos) running in the colors of Gestüt Ammerland, the long distance proved no problem, and she came home 2 ½ lengths in front of the gallant and tough seasoned stayer Aff un Zo (Kallisto) and his stable companion the 3-year-old Plümo (Millowitsch). The winner trained by Peter Schiergen was actually giving rider Sibylle Vogt her third win in this long-distance event.

Sunday´s Dusseldorf programme included the 103. Grosser Preis der Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf, Group III over 1700 meters (1m 1f). This one went the way of the favorite Brave Emperor (Sioux Nation) in the Middleham Park Racing colors and the Archie Watson trained English challenger proved too strong for the front running Parol (Pastorius) and last year's winner Aemilianus (Holy Roman Emperor). Under a strong ride from Luke Morris the winner had ¾ of a length to spare at the post.

Glorious weather and a holiday on the Tag der Deutschen Einheit (Day of German Unification) saw almost 15.000 people attend the Berlin-Hoppegarten track which included the Wettstar.de sponsored 33. Preis der Deutschen Einheit. The Group III over 2000 meters (1m 2f) went the way of the supplemented Lord Charming (Charm Spirit) and it added another big weekend success for jockey Rene Piechulek. Peter Schiergens stable jockey wearing the brown and maroon colors of owner Gestüt Hachtsee steered the winner to an easy 2 ½ lengths victory over the outsiders Atoso (Guilliani) and Mythico (Adlerflug).

After all the fantastic racing this weekend is a little quieter, but we still have the Preis des Winterfavoriten, a Group III event for 2-year-olds over 1600 meters (1 mile) in Cologne. At the moment there are 8 entries, 4 come from trainer Markus Klug. Borna (Saxon Warrior,) the preferred mount of stable jockey Andrasch Starke, won first time up over 1400 meters (7f) in Baden-Baden as did the Adlerflug son Narrativo who was an easy winner of his maiden in Dusseldorf over 1600 meters (1 mile). The other two Backes (Millowitsch) has ran in two valuable Auction races finishing second last time in Dusseldorf and has Alexander Pietsch in saddle and Larios (Brametot) came 4th of seven in Dortmund on his first look at a racecourse. Lukas Delozier takes the spin.

Geography (Holy Roman Emperor) for Peter Schiergen and Rene Piechulek won in Dusseldorf on debut and the Stall Hanse owned colt then contested the Group III Zukunftsrennen in Baden-Baden finishing 5th beaten approximately 3 lengths by the English raider Carolina Reaper. Inside Matters from Henk Grewe stables has had two runs in France finishing 4th of 10 in Deauville on debut and bettering it with a 2nd place in Saint Cloud last time. The Lope de Vega colt will be ridden by Thore Hammer Hansen, the new stable jockey for owner Eckhart Sauren. Gestut Karlshof flies in English jockey Jack Mitchell to partner their runner Maigret (Counterattack) and this lad looks the one to beat. The highest rated runner off a mark of 88, he is unbeaten in two starts having won his maiden over 1400 meters (7f) in Hannover and followed up in a convincing manner at listed class over 1600 meters (1 mile) in Dusseldorf last month. Completing the field is the Munich trained Mister Fernando (Saxon Warrior). The Michael Figge trained runner is the most experienced in the field having placed second twice in Munich and Clairefontaine, France, from his four starts to date though he will need to improve on his last start in a Lyon-Parilly maiden won by Grey Fighter (Iffraaj) from the Henk Grewe stables.

Shannon Spratter