The English page - Weekend highlights

Baden Baden's International week of racing kicked off last Saturday with beautiful clear skies, beach weather nearly to warm for horse racing. The beautiful weather brought a good crowd to Iffezhem to enjoy their eight race card with the feature being the ex Spreti-Rennen the now named 69. Preis der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, a Group III race over the 2000meters (1m 2f) distance.

The French trained Mont de Soleil from Francis-Henri Graffards stable was sent of favorite at 11/4 but could not get in a blow in the latter stages to finish sixth beaten roughly four lengths. It was Downtown (Areion) for owner Eckhard Sauren and trainer Henk Grewe who ran out a convincing winner coming home 1 ¾ lengths in front of the Napolitano (Australia) in the hands of this years leading jockey and the owners contracted rider Thore Hammer Hansen. Used last time out as a pacemaker for his younger stable star Penalty in the Grosser Dallmayr Preis in Munich, this time tucked in third he followed Atoso (Guiliani) and Napolitano hitting the front a furlong and a half down he skipped clear of his rivals. Napolitano was a gallant second and Atoso held the rest for the third spot. On the faster ground nothing really got into the race coming from behind and the old man Quest The Moon done best to finish fourth. For the 4-year-old winner Downtown it was an eight success but the first at Group level as all his other wins came in handicaps.

Francis-Henri Graffard had better luck in the listed race over 2800meters (1m 6f) the Stall Siepenblick 28 sponsored event when his 4-year-old Dubawi filly Amneris, carrying the famous Juddmonte Farms colors stuck on doggedly over the trip to outstay Lion's Head (Protectionist) coming home 1 ¼ lengths the good in the hands of Rene Piechulek. Rose of Lips (Mastercraftsman) was the unlucky horse in the race, the filly finding no passage through at a vital stage even though there were only the six runners. She got within a short head of Lions Head at the line with Atlantica another short head away fourth.

Sunday saw cooler weather set in and with overnight rain the going was officially declared soft, for the 154. Casino Baden-Baden Goldene Peitsche, Germany's number one sprint race. Run over 1200meters (6f). It attracted runners from England, France, Spain and the Czech Republic to take on the locals and the prize would go to the English trained 7/4 favorite Al Shabab Storm. From Andrew Baldings stable the advertise 3-year-old gelding outbattled the Godolphin 4-year-old French filly Whispering Dreams (Invincible Spirit) with Knock On (Zelzal) staying on for third.

The winner was quickest from the gates and made all under Jason Watson while Whispering Dreams came into the race well from off the pace. A furlong down nothing was travelling better than Knock On but when push came to shove the filly just didn't quicken like the first two. Purest Time (Time Test) also from France held fourth just ahead of the best of the home team, the 3-year-Old filly Three Havanas.

It was a day to remember for Trainer Andreas Suborics as in Baden-Baden apart from having a double which included the 102.500 Euro Sale race for two-year-olds with the Mehmas filly Gracia, three hours later his Lope de Vega 4-year-old filly Quantanamera finally got it all, right to take the Group II, Grand Prix de Deauville under Stefan Pasquier in the colors of Jurgen Sartoris. The Lope de Vega daughter was bred by the Gestut Fahrhof.

Highlight on the Wednesday meet was the 151. Renate und Albrecht Woeste Zukunftsrennen, a Group III for the younger generation over the 1400meters (7f) trip. Three foreign raider drew swords to a four strong home team with the Karl Burke English trained Assertively heading the market an even money favorite. This time though the prize would stay in Germany with the Gestut Park Wiedingen's Soldier Hollow filly out of Salve Venezia proving too strong for her stablemate Dhitjari (Mehmas). The first two home are trained in Cologne by Peter Schiergen with the winner been ridden by Sibylle Vogt and the second the Gestut Ebbesloh colt by stable jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. Turf Sunny (Best Solution) in the Auenquelle silks finished just behind them in third for Marcel Weiss and jockey Rene Piechulek. The favorite finished up in fourth. It was a successful day for leading female Jockey Vogt has she steered home three winners.

In the sales race for 3-year-olds we saw a very smart performance from Louvre (Lord of England) as this half brother to Lordano won very comfortably for Marcel Weiss and Rene Piechulek. This lad well improve again as this was only his third run to date. 

Looking forward to a big weekend in Iffezheim both feature races on the Saturday and Sunday have attracted smaller but interesting fields. Saturday see nine Fillies go to post for the Group II T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis over 2400 meters (1m 4f). Highest rated in the field is Elite Racing owned and Sir Mark Prescott trained Tiffany a four year Farhh filly. She was second of eight behind the John u. Thady Gosden trained Queen of the Pride last time out in the Group II Lancashire Oaks at Haydock Park. She is well known already in Germany having won in Hannover last year and here in Baden earlier this season. Stable jockey Luke Morris rides. The Gosden stable will take her on again here with Lmay a 4-year-old Frankel filly whose best run to date in the UK was a third of ten in the Group II Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on her preliminary start. Robert Harlin will be in the saddle. Its an open race though with the likes of Princess Badee (2 from 3) having only improved all season

Gestut Brummerhof tries with two fillies Narmada from Maxim Pecheur and Diamond Crown from in top form Andreas Suborics Cologne stables. Sacaya represents local trainer Carmen Bocskai who will leave Iffezheim to train for Gestut Brummerhof in Hannover next year. North Reliance, Spirit of Dreams and Ashana make up the field.

On Sunday it’s the big one then when at 15.00, six runners will take their place in the start boxes for the Group I Baden Baden-Wettstar.de 154. Grosser Preis von Baden over 2400meters (1m 4f). The two three-year-olds are interesting as Narrativo this year Union winner put a bad Derby run behind him to finish second to Al Riffa in the Group I Grosser Preis von Berlin. No match for the winner on the day he still had Mr Hollywood and Tunnes behind him and they go again here.

The filly Spanish Eyes from Andreas Wohler stable has only had three runs to date but flew home to finish second to Erle in the German Oaks. It will be a tough ask for one so inexperienced, but also interesting. The big two look to be the older two horses last years Derby winner Fantastic Moon and the six-year-old Dubai Honour, winner of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud two starts back where he beat Feed the Flame, the same horse who finished second to Fantastic Moon in the Qatar Prix Niel in Longchamp last September. Tunnes will probably be allowed to make the running so we should have a true run race, and it will be very interesting to see who comes out on top.

Six turn out also in the second Group II on the day the 91. Brunner- Dettingen Rennen over 1600meters (1m). Only six but a cracking race can be expected with Penalty (Thore Hammer Hansen) back at the mile. Second in the German 2000 guineas and winner of the Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft in Dortmund, he did not stay the 2000meters (1m 2f) in the Dallmayr Group I in Munich. Geography won from the front last time In the Fritz Henkel Preis and remains in blinkers, first tried last time successfully. Armira is his stable companion both from in flying form the stable of Peter Schiergen.

Sea Hector is the second runner from Henk Grewe and the stable companion of Penalty must put a terrible run from last time behind him. He finished last of eight in Dortmund behind Geography. Best Lightning has being running consistently without hitting the target. Now that Christoph Soumillon will not make the journey to Baden-Baden, Rene Piechulek has been given the plum ride on Francis Henry Graffard's Glamaz who runs in the famous Aga Khan, Green and red epalettes. This 4-year-old Gleneagles Gelding has won his last four races including last time at Listed class in Vichy. It sure would be a feather in Rene Piechuleks cap if he can win this in these colors having won earlier this week for this trainer in the Juddmonde Colors.

All in all it should be a great weekends racing with something every racing fan included.

Shannon Spratter