The English page: "Grosse Woche" at Baden-Baden

We are now halfway through the „Grosse Woche“ at Baden-Baden, Germany´s most important meeting, and the week began with the success of Stall Salzburg´s Wai Key Star (Soldier Hollow)., who just got up in a desperate finish to defeat the favourite Va Bank (Archipenko) by a short head in the ex-Spreti-Rennen, a result which must have been bitter for the latter´s trainer Andreas Wöhler, who had Wai Key Star in his care last year. Stall Salzburg, the nom de course of big owner Hans-Gerd Wernicke, now has all their horses trained by 30-year-old Sarah Steinberg in Munich and she is having a tremendous season with an excellent strike rate. Both her runners at the meeting so far have won and she has two more interesting prospects in the group races here on Sunday.

Last Sunday´s Group Two Goldene Peitsche also ended in a photo-finish, with the English-trained Raven´s Lady (Raven´s Pass) scoring by a short head from Austrian raider Pretorian (Sakhee´s Secret) and French hope Bakoel Koffie (Naqoos) two lengths back in third. This was certainly a depressing result for the host country as they were the only three foreign-trained runners in the field. However it must be said that the strengths of German breeding lie in the middle distance and staying races, and not in sprints; this was the fifteenth foreign success in the Goldene Peitsche in the last twenty years. However neither Pretorian nor Bakoel Koffie had previously shown group race form of sufficient quality for them to be seriously considered in a race of such prestige.

Raven´s Lady however does have this ability and had shown it by winning York´s Summer Stakes on her previous start. She is trained by Marco Botti and was given a cool ride by veteran Gerald Mossé, who showed that he has lost none of his skill at the age of 51. Raven´s Lady runs in the colours of the  Heart of the South Racing partnership, and almost all the owners were present to see their filly win. She is the best horse they had in over twenty years of ownership; as a Group Three and Group Two winner, she will probably be aimed at a Group One placing before being sold at the end of the year. She is out of a Pivotal mare from a good family and is obviously of interest herself as a broodmare. Pretorian ran his best ever race, but is likely to go for a listed race in France now, said trainer Ziva Prunk; although the winning margin was minimal, Raven´s Lady probably won with a bit in hand and Mossé said afterwards that he was always confident of landing the spoils.

Looking ahead to this weekend, we have three major races to come: the Group Two  T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis over twelve furlongs for fillies and mares on Saturday, and on Sunday both the Group One Longines Grosser Preis von Baden and the Wackenhut Mercedes-Benz Preis Zukunftsrennen over seven furlongs for two-year-old, roughly the local equivalent to the Dewhurst Stakes. In all these races there are two British-trained runners taking on the locals and in view of the results so far this year, more British triumph(s) would come as no surprise.

There is also a Swiss runner on the T. von Zastrow race, Sweet Soul Music (Jukebox Jury); she is a champion back home, but was third in a listed race here at the Spring Meeting and this is a far stronger field. The main German hopes lie with Night of England (Lord of England), Wonder of Lips (Champs Elysees), Sword Peinture (Peintre Celebre) and Barista (Rock of Gibraltar), respectively second, third , fourth and fifth behind Well Timed(Holy Roman Emperor – runs in the Prix Vermeille) in the Preis der Diana (German Oaks). Of the four older German fillies, Alicante (Lando) looks the best; she has won listed races at the Spring Meeting here and at the Hamburg Derby meeting, showing a good attitude both times and excellent finishing speed, but this a better class race.

The two British raiders, both four-year-olds,-must be respected. Mark Johnston´s Titi Makfi has been running well in top handicaps, but Hughie Morrison´s Star Rock (Fastnet Rock) is preferred. Her third place last time out in Goodwood´s Group Two Lillie Langtry Stakes is arguably the best form in the field. She goes over a furlong further now, but she won twice over this distance last year that that should be no problem.

The Grosser Preis von Baden is the most prestigious race in the German calendar and eight runners have been declared. Unfortunately there were some last minute changes when it was reported on Wednesday that this year´s German Derby winner Weltstar (Soldier Hollow) had pulled up lame on his final workout and will miss the race. He was the only three-year-old in the line-up, so the fact he is missing is a double blow. His trainer Markus Klug still has 2017 German Derby winner Windstoss (Shirocco) in the race and has now supplemented Dschingis Secret (Soldier Hollow), Germany´s Horse of the Year in 2017, but who however has never really sparkled at Baden-Baden; his original target was the Prix Foy, and this race will decide whether he goes again for the Prix de l`Arc de Triomphe, in which he finished sixth last year.

Dschingis Secret´s predecessor as Horse of the Year, Iquitos (Adlerflug) also runs and this popular six-year-old is a real Baden-Baden specialist. He won the Grosser Preis in 2016, was runner-up last year and has also twice won the big race at the Spring Meeting. He finished just behind Dschingis Secret in the Arc, but on his favourite track he can never be left out of calculations. The other local with a chance would appear to be the five-year-old mare Night Music (Sea The Stars), trained for Stall Salzburg by Sarah Steinberg. She appears to be rapidly improving, having won her last five starts, last time out the Group Two Gran Premio di Milano. This is another step up, but with her pedigree (she is a half-sister to the 2010 winner Night Magic) and the excellent stable form she cannot be ignored.

The two British runners, both four-year-olds trained in Newmarket, add real spice to the race. Godolphin´s Best Solution (Kodiac) won the Grosser Preis von Berlin last time with an impressive burst of speed, with Dschingis Secret and Windstoss unplaced; he is much improved this year – but needs to be as he was only fifth in this race last year. Roger Varian sends Defoe (Dalakhani), also a potential Arc candidate; he was not run since May, when he was third in the Tattersalls Gold Cup, but at his best would be a serious threat.

Both British runners in the Zukunftsrennen are trained by Mark Johnston, who has a good record at this meeting. Kilbarchen (Jukebox Jury) has already won three races – from five starts- and I´ll Have Another (Dragon Pulse) has won his last two. British two-year-olds usually have a fitness advantage over their German rivals and they are clearly to be respected, but Markus Klug who is currently carrying all  before him in German juvenile races, has a strong hand with three runners. Man On the Moon (Sea The Moon) has won both his starts and is top-rated, but stable jockey Adrie de Vries has chosen Peace of Paris (Helmet) and he usually gets it right. Sarah Steinberg´s Quest the Moon (Sea The Moon) was incredibly unlucky on his debut; this is a much tougher race, but he also has to have a chance in what looks an open race.

David Conolly-Smith