The English page - German form working out well

From the German point of view, this past month of July was very satisfying, with several indications that German form is working out well. Obviously the excellent second place of Torquator Tasso (Adlerflug) in the King George was the highlight as far as the older horses are concerned. The 5yo entire now goes for the Grosser Preis von Baden and then the Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe, two races he won in 2021. He is now generally quoted as third favourite for the Arc and clearly has a good chance again, especially if the ground rides soft.

However it is the classic crop that most interests us now, and there also the news is mainly positive. This was especially the case in last Sunday´s Group One Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich, Germany´s best race over the intermediate but fashionable distance of 2000 metres. The race is normally run three weeks after the German Derby at Hamburg, so 3yo´d rarely run here – although Pastorius (Soldier Hollow) brought off the double ten years ago. However this year there was a gap of four weeks, and two 3yo´s were in the field of seven, both of whom had run at Hamburg. They included the winner, Gestüt Park Wiedingen´s homebred Sammarco (Camelot), who had earlier also won the Union-Rennen and was now about to confirm his reputation as Germany´s top 3yo. The other  one was Queroyal (Churchill), who had finished ninth in the Derby, but only beaten just over two lengths.

This pair was opposed by five older horses, two of them trained in France, including the Aga Khan´s mare Ebairya (Distorted Humor) who started favourite at 13-10. She had run well all over the world but had never yer scored at Group One level. In fact Sammarco´s Derby win was the only Group one victory achieved by any ot the seven starters and he had the highest rating in the field. He was second favourite at just over 3-1, while there was also support for the 4yo´s Best of Lips (The Gurkha) and Amazing Grace (Protectionist), the only filly.

It seemed that nobodys wanted to make the running, and it was Queroyal who went on, at a very sedate pace, with Amazing Grace close up on the outside and Sammarco on the inside. The order was unchanged into the straight, where the pace quickened and Amazing Grace took the lead and for a moment looked the likely winner; however Sammarco, caught in a pocket on the rail, was switched and once he had a clear run showed excellent speed to collar her inside the final furlong and score by three parts of a length. Ebaiyra ran on well for third, while Queroyal kept on for fourth place, beaten exactly two lengths, and therefore almost exactly reproducing his Derby form.

It was a gritty rather than a spectacular performance by Sammarco, but he was clearly the best horse in the race; his rating was put up by a pound to GAG 97 (international 114). He is certainly the king of the crop so far and has won four of his five career starts. Trainer Peter Schiergen said afterwards: “We debated for a long time whether to run here, but decided in the interests of Sammarco´s later stallion career that a victory over this distance  would be an advantage. However he is likely to run from now on over 2400 metres.” His next start is likely to be the Grosser Preis von Baden over that trip, where he ix expected to meet Torquator Tasso; Germany´ best older horse against Germany´s top 3yo, that would be the race of the season.

Sammarco is a small horse and is unlikely ever to be the pick of the paddock, but he is clearly very tough and has an enormous will to win. He had a hard race in the Derby, and also in the Union-Rennen three weeks earlier, but here again he showed the utmost gameness. These qualities will continue to stand him good stead in the best company and it will take a very good one to beat him. However, with all due respect, this was not a strong Group One, and there must be fears that the race will lose its Group One status in the future, as it is apparently already on the danger list.

The Munich undercard was nothing special but we had seen an interesting race the previous day at Cologne, when the debutant See Paris (Counterattack) had run out an easy winner of the BBAG sales race for 2yo´s over 1300 metres. The BBAG, Germany´s leading – indeed only - -sales company has a series of races for graduates of their sales, and this was the first of the season for this age group. See Paris was always prominent on the inside and when a gap appeared two furlongs out quickened in very good style to win by three lengths in a good time. He was always regarded as one of the best prospects in the Henk Grewe stable, but paid a surprising 14-1 here. See Paris was bred by Gestüt Karlshof and was well bought at 32,000 euros. His own brother See Hector won the Italian 2,000 Guineas this year and it would be no huge surprise to see him reach similar heights. He is likely to run next in Baden-Baden´s Zukunfts-Rennen, the first German group race of the season for juveniles.

The action now moves to Düsseldorf where the Group One Preis der Diana (German Oaks) will be run on Sunday, and this promises to be an excellent race. Fourteen fillies have been declared, including two foreign raiders, Toy (Galileo) from Ireland and Abhayaa (Australia) from France. The latter has already won in Germany, having taken the listed Diana-Trial at Mülheim last month by a head from Narmada (Adlerflug), who reopposes here. However Toy looks a far bigger danger, having been runner-up last time in the Irish Oaks. Surprisingly Toy, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore and whose trainer Aidan O´Brien is also expected to be present, is not top-rated for the race, that dubious honour goes to Wagnis (Adlerflug), one of five fillies in the field trained by Markus Klug, and one of two Gestüt Röttgen homebreds. Wagnis ran in the German Derby, but was drawn 20, right on the outside, which gave her practically no chance right from the outset. However she has been unlucky again with the draw – much more significant at Düsseldorf -  and breaks from stall 13.

Klug´s stable jockey Andrasch Starke has chosen to ride Schlenderhan´s Mountaha (Guiliani), and she like Toy has a good draw in the middle. However we have not forgotten that Röttgen´s second runner, the beautifully-bred Well Disposed (Dubawi) defeated Mountaha fair and square in a Group Three at Hamburg on Derby day, and the mount of Billy Lee also has a good draw in 5. An interesting outsider is the above-mentioned Narmada, who is drawn 1, ideal for a front-runner. Peter Schiergen, fresh from winning at Munich (and also Goodwood!) last week, saddles Nachtrose (Australia) and she is another with a decent chance in a very open race. The bookies make Toy a narrow favourite at around 4-1 and obviously she is the one to beat, but one has to be a bit skeptical about the value of the Irish form and we would like to see a German winner here.

David Conolly-Smith