The English page - Baden-Baden Spring Meeting

The international nature of thoroughbred racing was very evident last weekend, when many of the top races were won by raiders from another country. In Germany, the  German 2,000 Guineas at Cologne was won in good style by Maktoum-owned Maljoom (Caravaggio), trained in Newmarket by William Haggas and ridden by Irish jockey Steve Donohoe. Local trainer Markus Klug had the favourite here, Gestüt Karlshof´s homebred filly Mylady (The Grey Gatsby), but she ran well below form in eighth place. However there was recompense for Klug later in the afternoon, when Darius Racing´s Ardakan (Reliable Man) outstayed the local favourite Tempesti (Albert Dock) under French jockey Clement Lecoeuvre to win the Italian Derby by a neck. The easiest classic winner on Sunday was the filly Homeless Songs (Frankel), who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas at The Curragh in spectacular style by 5 ½ lengths; trained by Dermot Weld, she runs in the colours of Swiss-owned Moyglare Stud. We remember her dam Joailliere (Dubawi), who won a listed race at Dortmund in a photo-finish in November 2016, with both Weld and owner Eva-Maria Haefner present. The main supporting feature on Sunday at The Curragh was the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup, won in the best finish of the weekend by German-bred but French-foaled Alenquer, a son of the late German sire Adlerflug, who features frequently in this column.

Alenquer is also trained by Haggas, who is enjoying a great run, and his main jockey Tom Marquand was in Ireland, while Steve Donohoe was in the saddle at Cologne. It was difficult before the race to assess Maljoom, who was taking a big leap in class here, having won both his previous starts, both relatively minor affairs, but stable confidence was high and in the end proved totally justified. Maljoom was slowly away, which has apparently been the case before, but Donohoe did not panic, and the pair were nearer last than first coming into the straight, where front-runner Rocchigiani (Time Test) had gone into a clear lead. The other local runners were all in trouble and Rocchigiani, the selected of three Peter Schiergen runners, looked to have poached the race when four lengths in front just before the distance. However by this time Maljoom had come through on the inside to go second and was gaining on the leader with every stride. It was soon clear that he was going to win and he cut down Rocchigiani with the minimum of fuss in the final furlong to score by 1 1/2 lengths in a good time. Schiergen´s second runner Georgios (Poet´s Voice) ran on late to take third place, five lengths further back, just ahead of another British raider Mr. McCann (Kodiac).

This was the tenth British success this century (and the third for Haggas) in the German 2,000 Guineas, but there is no reason why the Germans should feel despondent, as experience over many years has shown that British (and usually French and Irish as well) milers are ahead of the locals at this early stage of the season. Although there has been no explanation for the poor performance of the Klug runners, it must be said that the runner-up ran a great race, and more to the point, that the winner is probably top class over this trip. The German handicapper has given him a rating of GAG 96 ½ (=international 113) and he may well turn out to be even better than that. He is likely to run next in Royal Ascot´s St. James´s Palace Stakes, usually the hottest mile race of the summer for this age group,  and we would certainly expect to see him run well against the Guineas winners from England, and possibly France and Ireland as well.

As far as prize-money is concerned, the Italian Derby is a much more valuable race than the German 2,000 Guineas – even though connections must wait quite a while before they actually see the money. However the victory of Ardakan was the highpoint of the weekend from the German point of view. Bred by Gestüt Röttgen and originally named Alaskasturm, he was a 40,000 euros BBAG yearling and now looks very well bought. His dam Alaskakönigin (Sternkönig) won four races, including a listed, and is a member of the famous Anna Paola family, which has produced so many top class performers over the years. Reliable Man spends the European breeding season at Röttgen, but shuttles from New Zealand and has also had numerous good winners down under. Ardakan is now favourite for the German Derby, to be run at Hamburg on July 3^rd, and probably now goes straight there. Trainer Markus Klug appears to hold  a strong hand for that race, and another of his leading prospects Lavello (Zarak), winner of the Bavarian Classic a month ago, runs this evening in Longchamp (but after these lines are written).

The Baden-Baden Spring Meeting starts today (Thursday) and continues until Sunday. Today´s main feature is the Group Two Badener Meile, one of Germany´s top mile races, in which last year´s very easy German 1,000 Guineas winner, Gestüt Brümmerhof´s homebred Novemba (Gleneagles) takes on Mythico (Adlerflug) and Best Lightning (Sidestep), winner and runner-up, divided by a  short head, in the 2021 German 2,000 Guineas; the filly also ran well in top company at Royal Ascot and Deauville and we expect her to win. The result can be found elsewhere in this issue.

There is no racing tomorrow Friday, when the BBAG Breeze-up and Spring Sales takes place, but there is more good sport on Saturday, including two classic trials, and Sunday, when last year´s Arc winner Torquator Tasso (Adlerflug) is the headline act. He runs in the Group Two Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft and will face six opponents. As the only Group One winner in the field, he also won last year´s Grosser Preis von Baden over this CD, he has to give weight away all round, but he still has a stone in hand on official ratings, and ought to win. This will be his first race since the Arc, almost eight months ago, but trainer Marcel Weiss reports him “in good form, but not yet at 100%,” understandably so, since his main targets come later in the year. With two front-runners in the field, Dato (Mount Nelson) and the much-improved Mansour (Tai Chi), the pace should be strong, which will suit him. On the best of their form, Alter Adler (Adlerflug), runner-up in the 2021 German Derby, and Best of Lips (The Gurkha), winner that year of the Union-Rennen, could provide the main opposition, but we also like Sea of Sands (Sea The Stars), despite his Derby flop.

Main supporting feature on Sunday is the Silberne Peitsche, now relegated to listed status, but still one of Germany´s best sprint races. There is an international field here, with three French runners and one each from Sweden and Switzerland, but we expect a home victory here, with trainer Andreas Wöhler holding a strong hand with two fancied runners; our preference is for 4yo Waldersee (Olympic Glory), the choice of stable jockey Eduardo Pedroza.

David Conolly-Smith