The English page - Thore or Bauyrzhan

Last weekend we had plenty of racing in Germany but most of it was average run of the mill handicaps for lower grade horses,  the type of racing that keeps the bookmaker shops open and in business. We had racing in Cologne on Friday evening, Magdeburg took over on Saturday while Sunday saw two tracks open there doors, Dusseldorf and Leipzig. Now in my opinion, its all ok having racing but Germany is not England or France and we just dont have their number of horses in training, so we are getting ridiculously small fields of four and five runners and very uncompetitive racing. Again it's ok helping PMU and from thar the German Race Clubs costs get covered but we are killing our product. 

The coming week is further proof, it's more like Greyhound race meetings with Munich staging a seven race card on a Thursday morning with fields of 5, 7, 8, 8, 8, 5 and 6 Starters. Jockeys don't even want to travel, Germany has extreme distances from its racing centres, its not economical, travelling 500 plus kilometres one way for one or two rides and the main race has a winning prize money of 5.750 Euros. Berlin - Hoppegarten is the same on Saturday, with both Race Clubs needing help to get starters to the tracks. Munich issued added travelling expenses to the owners and trainer's of horses to build their number up. Grr

Luckily at the moment we have a good fight for the Jockey's title this year between Thore Hammer Hansen, first year based permanently here in Germany since his apprenticeship in England and Bauyrzhan Murzabayev returning after a one season stint in France, so these two will travel to meetings in search of points. Last weekend's racing provided Murzabayev with seven Winners as he claws back into the lead Hammer Hansen set up by riding through last winter on the sand track in Dortmund. At the moment the advantage is eight Hammer Hansen standing on 54 winners with Murzabayev on 48. So who will be Champion at the end of the season ? Again because of the set up of German racing and the condition it finds itself in, my money is on Thore Hammer Hansen as although I believe Bauyrzhan Murzabayev will catch him and pass him by, the incentive of richer pastures abroad he will leave Germany end of October, where as Hammer Hansen will ride through to secure a first title.

Looking forward to Sunday and this time we have the German St Leger in Dortmund and a ten race program while Hannover also has a ten race meeting which includes a listed two year old race and a better sales race. Speaking though of St Leger's !  The world has honestly got smaller and German trainers Pavel Vovcenko and Anna Schleusner-Fruhriep will sent runners to the Curragh in Ireland for the Group I Irish St Leger with a value of 342,000 Euros sponsored by the Comer Group International over 1mile 6 furlongs (2800m). They will take on the might of Aiden O Brien, who holds four of the ten entries including the great stayer Kyprios. Pavel Vovcenkos Waldadler will be ridden by Irish jockey Seamie Heffernan while Nastaria will be ridden by regular pilot Miguel Lopez. Vauban for Willie Mullins and the English pair Al Qareem and Glavellotto will make it all interesting and we wish the German Congregation the Best of Luck.

Back to home soil and the German equivalent in Dortmund. Run over the 2800m (1m 6f) it has been run since 1881 and since 2007 like in Ireland it was not opened only for the 3 year olds but the older brigade as well. On Sunday there are nine entries for the 55,000 Euro, Group III event with two English trained horses participating. George Scott sent Prydwen for owners Blue Star Racing and Keith Breen and this one four times in good Handicaps including last time when sent to Ireland for the Kellihers Toyota Kingdom Gold Cup Handicap worth 26,500 Euros to the winner. He was actually tried this year in the Group I Gold Cup at Royal Ascot where he never got involved and was beaten a distance. The second English runner is the 3 year old Go Daddy from William Muir and Chris Grassick's yard. His best run to date was a 3rd of 19 in the King George V Stakes a Heritage Handicap at Royal Ascot this year and he has since run second in a Clairefontaine Listed Race. 

Of the home team Alessio representing Peter Schiergen and Bauyrzhan Murzabayerv has good credentials on 4th placing in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil and he better that last time out with a good second over 3000 m (1m 7f) in the Prix Kergorlay in Deauville and looks the horse to beat on those runs. Niagaro has won two listed races and is a dour stayer that even 1m 6 furlongs maybe too short for him to show his best. 

Lions Head, Rose of Lips and Atlantica all met in Baden Baden a Listed race over this trip and were seperated by a short head and a short head, where Rose of Lips was probably the unlucky horse in the race. The only German 3 year old Done Deal won well in a class B race last time in Clairefontaine, could and would need to improve as would Tres Rock Woman who has similar form. For me though its the Teofilio son Alessio in the seasons last classic. 

Main race in Hannover is the Junioren Preis for the youngsters over 1600 mile at Listed class. Only six go to post but four of them have won already. The Handicapper rates Lets Attack (Counterattack) the best. He won well in Hannover on debut but could manage only a seventh place at Group III level in Baden Baden. Interesting for me is the once raced Teofilio son Zauberkonig, who runs in the colours of Liberty Racing 2023. The Schiergen two year old are in top form and this one was only beaten a head on debut in Dusseldorf. All in all Sunday's racing looks better again in Dortmund and Hannover. 

Shannon Spratter