The English page - Busy days at home and abroad

The highlight of last weekend’s racing was the Group I 61. Preis von Europa in Cologne on Sunday. Over 13.000 spectators and perfect weather made a real atmosphere and the ideal setting for the Weidenpescher seasons highlight. The Group I event attracted eight starters, as Sisfahan was taken out and will go for the Prix d l´Arc de Triomphe this Sunday, these included the Godolphin pair Live your Dream (Ifraaj) for Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy and Siskany (Dubawi) the better fancied of the two for Charlie Appleby and William Buick. Trevaunance (Muhaarar) also made the journey from Ireland for Jessica Harrington. Hollie Doyle took the mount on the filly. In a truly run race where Best of Lips set the pace, all eight runners travelled well into the straight, but it would be the two fillies who would show their male counterparts the way. Always in second place Trevaunance battled bravely with Siskany but only for the minor honors as the home trained filly India (Adlerflug) was always travelling the best under Rene Piechulek and she gave her trainer Waldemar Hickst the dream prize of a Group I winner on his home track and that for one of his most important patrons Gestüt Ittlingen. For India it was a well deserved win having been demoted to second place in the stewards room last time out in Berlin in the Group III Fürstenberg Rennen and she took this step up in class in her stride. As for Jockey Rene Piechulek, what a season he is having adding this prize to the Derby and St. Leger and numerous other Group winners here at home and abroad.

A good second place for Hollie Doyle on Trevaunance in the main event but she would go one better in the Winterkönigin trial, a listed race over 1500 meters (7 ½ f) on the Amy Murphy trained Geologist (Territories). Having picked herself up off the ground after a fall on the same trainers 2-year-old Kapparis Kid in the first race, she made all the running on the winner, battling hard to hold Shagara (Zarak) under Andrasch Starke and Lady Mary (Lawman) with Hugo Boutin with only a short head and a head separating all three at the post.

On Saturday in Dresden where an attendance of over 12.000 turned out on the tracks most important day, the running of the Group III Großer Preis der Landeshauptstadt Dresden. This time it was the turn of Andrasch Starke as he teamed up with English trainer Archie Watson to bring home Roman Mist (Holy Roman Emperor) ¾ length winner of the 1400 meters (7f) event. The Andreas Wöhler trained Westminster Night (Morandi) with Eduardo Pedroza ran a game race to split the foreign runners, with Sivka Burka (Siyouni) for France 2 ¼ lengths away in third, a nose in front the Czech Republic representative Worth Choice (Worthadd).

Group races in Düsseldorf and Berlin

The good racing continues this week with racing in Germany being staged in Mulheim on Saturday, Dusseldorf on Sunday and Berlin on Tuesday and of course all eyes will be on Paris Longchamp Saturday and Sunday where the Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe meeting takes place which will include a German team of runners with good chances.

What a weekend of Racing we have in store! Let’s start on home soil. Mulheim kicks off the racing in Germany on Saturday with the feature being the Silbernes Band der Ruhr, a listed race for 3-year-old and older horses over the extreme distance of 4000 meters (2 ½ mile) making it the longest flat race in Germany. Interestingly from the 10 starters, 6 are 3-year-olds. Of the six, Drawn to Dream (Iquitos) is the highest rated off a mark of 92 having finished a good 4th behind Darkaniya and Kolossal in the Group II T. v. Zastrow fillies race in Baden-Baden when upped in distance to 2400 meters (1 ½ mile) last time. Reading form literally, she finished less than a length behind Kolossal, who had beaten India in Berlin the time before and now that India has won the 61. Preis von Europa Group I last weekend, the Ammerland owned filly looks to have an outstanding chance for Peter Schiergen and Sibylle Vogt if staying the trip. Of the older horses Aff und Zo (Kallisto) is a seasoned stayer and has won a group II over 3200 meters (2 mile) in Berlin this year.

On Sunday then we have a 9-race programme in Dusseldorf featuring the 103. Großer Preis der Landeshauptstadt Dusseldorf over 1700 meters (1 mile 200 yards). The Group III event has attracted only the seven runners, but it is an intriguing affair. Aemilianus (Holy Emperor) will try to defend his title under Andrasch Starke having beaten the French runner Cantilena here last year. His biggest danger this year could also be the foreign runner Brave Emperor (Sioux Nation) who finished a good second to Calif in the Oettingen Rennen Group II over the mile in Bade-Baden where he had Arnis Master (Tai Chi) back in 4th, Dapango (Soldier Hollow) 5th, Sea Hector (Counterattack) 6th, Parol (Pastorius) 8th and Best Lightning (Sidestep) 9th and last. Trainer Archie Watson, fresh from his Group III win with Roman Mist in Dresden last Saturday, supplemented the Middleham Park Racing´s 3-year-old for this race and his regular pilot Luke Morris flies in for the ride.

Tuesday in Berlin, we have the Group III Wettstar.de 33. Preis der Deutschen Einheit over 2000 meters (1 ¼ mile). Probably 13 runners go to post with the 3-year-olds Lips Freedom (Free Eagle) and Lady Ewelina (Mukhadram) representing the Andreas Suborics respectively Andreas Wöhler stables. Lips Freedom won a listed race last time out in Meran (Italy) and has been Group III placed, Lady Ewelina is a Gr. III-winner. Lord Charming (Charm Spirit) for the Peter Schiergen stables has been supplemented for the race. The 5-year-old in the ownership of Rennstall Gestüt Hachtsee come here on the back of a top-class effort last time in the Group III La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte at Longchamp where he finished second beaten ¾ length under Sibylle Vogt. Rene Piechulek will take the ride this time. Vogt switches back to Mansour (Tai Chi) on whom she won the Group III Preis der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe in Baden-Baden. Mythico (Adlerflug) 2nd in that race beaten a head renews rivalry. Aguirre (Camelot), Schlenderhan/Klug/Starke is very interesting stepping up to 2000 meters (1 ¼ m) having finished 3rd behind Calif in the Oettingen Rennen in Baden-Baden over the mile.

"Arc" with three German runners 

And for all the very good racing we have this weekend in Germany, all eyes will be focused on Paris-Longchamp and the Arc weekend. How good it is to see three German runners in the Arc itself and it must be the first time that the German Derby winner and the runner up renew rivalry in Europe’s most prestigious race. The 5 million Euro race with a winner’s purse of €2.857.000 this year will have 15 runners, the best from overall in Europe and one Japanese runner, Through Seven Seas (Dream Journey), will start at 16.05. Fantastic Moon (Sea the Moon) the German Derby winner and Prix Niel Group II winner over this course and distance last time out will represent Liberty Racing 2021 and Sarah Steinberg with stable Jockey Rene Piechulek in saddle. He had to be supplemented at a cost of €120.000 this week. Also supplemented was the Coolmore Stud owned, Aiden O Brien trained English St. Leger winner Continuous (Hearts Cry) the ride of top Jockey Ryan Moore. Favorite for the race will be the unbeaten French Derby winner Ace Impact (Cracksman) for trainer Jean Claude Rouget and Italian born Jockey Christian Demuro. 

Colognes leading trainer Henk Grewe will be double handed in the race with Sisfahan (Isfahan) having missed the 61. Preis von Europa last Sunday to try his hand here in the Darius Racing/ Michael Motschmann colours. With stable jockey Lukas Delozier on board the 2021 German Derby winner will be an outsider. Mr. Hollywood (Iquitos) his other representative, 2nd in the German Derby and winner of the Group I Großer Preis von Baden-Baden last time out has been partly sold in the meantime to one of the Arc sponsors. He will now run in the colors of Sheikh Al Thani and previous owners Wanja Oberhof and Sebastian Weiss. Through Seven Seas, the Japanese runner, was beaten just ½ length last time out by the worlds number one rated racehorse Equinox (Kitasan Black) in a Group I event on his home soil at Hanshin racecourse.  

As always, the British are strongly represented. Hukum (Sea the Stars) from Owen Burrows Lambourne stable took the Group I King George Stakes at Ascot last run beating Westover in one of the best finishes of the year. Westover (Frankel) for Juddmonte Farms finished 6th in the Arc last year and his trainer Ralph Beckett is looking forward to the rematch in Longchamp.  Ace Impact the favorite looks the best of the French, but they also have some notable runner in their own race.  Feed the Flame (Kingsman) was not given the best of rides in the Quatar Prix Niel at Longchamp last time when 2 ½ lengths second to Fantastic Moon. Previously he had finished 4th in the French Derby behind Ace Impact and had won the Group I Grand Prix de Paris over Arc trip and on this track. Simca Mille (Tamayuz) has won 3 of 4 starts this year including a Group I on the track and we know him well as he won the Group I Großer Preis von Berlin last time out. Place du Carrousel (Lope de Vega) will represent legendary trainer Andre Fabre and won the Prix Foy over course and distance last time out beating the German runner Sammarco. 

On the same card, Muskoka (Sea the Moon) will represent owners Stall Golden Goal and trainer Henk Grewe in the Group I Prix de L´Opera Longines over 2000 meters (1 ¼ m). She takes on the likes of Blue Rose Cen (Churchill), Jannah Rose (Frankel) and Darkaniya (Frankel) but the German Oaks winner definitely has a real chance in this. The evening before she will be in the ring of the Arc Sale. 

From all of us here we wish all the German runners "Hals und Bein" in their races over the weekend, especially our three representatives in the big one the Prix de l´Arc de Triomphe 2023 and let’s hope one of them can do what Torquator Tasso or Danedream did the years before.

Shannon Spratter