The English page - The German "Winterfavorit"

An interesting weekends racing was kickstarted with a seven race programme in Munich with the Isfahan Munchner Herbst Preis the feature event. The 25,000 € Listed race over 1300m (61/2f) attracted a good field of thirtheen runners with Shootout from the Henk Grewe stable sent off a worthy 6/4 favorite on latest form. Unfortunately this one did not read the script, ran very poorly, eventually trailed in last, eighteen lenghts behind the field. Too bad to be true. Of the foreign horses, the two French contenders Concluding Call and Qualixia were a never dangerous eight and eleventh at the post.

The Middleham Park Racing Club owned English filly, Lexington Belle (Belardo), faired much better. The Alice Haynes trained 3 year old filly, showed plenty of early speed when kicked out of the boxes by Leon Wolff to sit up with the leaders. She hit the front two furlongs down and it looked like the race was her's but Tarkhan (Soldier Hollow) from Roland Dzubasz Berlin stable was making ground rapidly through the field under David Liska and collared her in the last hundred yards to win by 1 1/4 lenghts, the pair pulling 3½ lenghts away from the third Danello (Exceed and Excel). Local filly Heshima (Guiliani) ran a blinder to finish fourth. This was a good training's performance from the winner, as Rennstall Labinsky's 5 year old Tarkhan has been nursed throughout the season in smaller contests and was taking his fourth win of 2024 here. 

The Preis des Winterfavoriten sponsored by Wettstar.de run in Cologne on Sunday is Germanys top 2 year old colts race and saw Lifetimes (Gleneagles) keep a white vest. Having won his maiden impressively on debut in Dortmund by ten lenghts the Stall Hansé owned, Peter Schiergen trained, proved too good on the day for the French trained Think Giant (Lope de Vega). Both the winner and second were patiently ridden and although at the furlong pole all five runners were there with a chance, Lifetimes under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev galloped to the line the strongest to hold Thore Hammer Hansen's mount by 3/4 lenght. Serienadler (Gleneagles) stayed on 2½ lenghts away in third with Kölsch (Millowitsch) holding the front runner Name Lord for fourth. The winner of this Group 3 will now head into the winter as next years number one Derby canditate. 

The 1600m (1m) Listed race on the day - the Heinz und Ilse Ramm Memorial was won by the 3 year old filly Words of Peace (Palace Prince) for a team in good form of late, trainer Sascha Smrczek and his jockey Bayarsaikhan Ganbat. The winner proved a neck to good for hot favoriteAguirre (Camelot) who started at odds of 1/2 for the contest with Montanas following them home. The Amaron gelding a good 2½ lenghts behind the pair. In Italy, Straight (Zarak), took the Premio Del Jockey Club a Group 2 over 2400m (1m 4f) and with a nice, pot of 247,500 Euro. It was a well earned compensation for the Gestut Karlshof homebred who is trained by Marian Weissmeier,  having run Rebels Romance so close on his previous outing in the Group 1 Preis vom Europa. 

This weekend sees Baden Baden take centre stage with racing on Friday and Sunday, with the BBAG Autumn mixed sales on  the Saturday. Friday's feature is the Ferdinand Leisten - Memorial-BBAG Sales Race, where nine two year olds will battle it out over 1400m (7f) For a first prize of 100,000 Euro. With prize money going all the way down to Seventh spot and 10,000 Euro for the fifth,sixth and seventh in this 200,000€ added event. 

On Sunday its the Carla Kellner Zukunftrennen- Preis der Winterkonigen Germany's most prestigious two year old fillies race. Run over 1600m (1m) it has attracted ten fillies with Ginger Ale (Shaman) and La Guapisima (City Light) making the trip from Christopher Heads French stables. Quebec (Martin Seidl) and Bella Sinfonia (Eduardo Pedroza) won their maidens well last start but Goldaue (Best Solution) is two from two and took out the trial for this race last time in Cologne. The Marcel Weiss trained filly changed owner after her maiden win and she could keep a clean vest for Gary Barber and Team Valor now under Rene Piechulek. It is a competitive race though as one would expect in a Group 2. 

The Group 3 Baden Galopp Herbst Trophy over 2400m (1m 4f) sees some old favorites tackle each other again like Assistent , Atoso and Lions Head but this could go to a three year old in Alleno who finished a good fourth in the Derby. The Gestut Ittlingen's Nathaniel colt again represents Marcel Weis and Rene Piechulek. Of course also on Saturday we have Champions Day in Ascot. Sponsored by Qipco if features four Group 1's and we should look forward to Quantanamera in the Fillies and Mares event over 2400m. Coming from Andreas Suborics stables, the Jurgen Sartori owned Lope de Vega Filly won the Grand Prix Deauville end of August and it will be interesting to see how she shows up in what will be a top class field.

Shannon Spratter