The English page - The second classic stays at home

Last week’s racing in Europe was a week to savor and relish. Derby Meeting at Epsom Downs followed by the French Derby from Chantilly and the German 1000 Guineas showed our Sport in Bright Lights.

The English Derby is THE race on a very tricky course, a real test for the young 3-year old’s. A race where destiny calls and glory beckon´s. The meeting though is for all spectator’s. Top hats and tails, party frocks and broad rimmed hats in the enclosures, to the open top busses and the family carnival atmosphere in the Inner course. Racing’s most spectacular carnival. It is also this year the last year for legendry jockey Frankie Dettori, his farewell tour and we were lucky to have a German representative on Ladies Day the Friday when Tünnes (Guillani) from Peter Schiergen was sent over to contest the Group I Coronation Cup over the 2400 meters distance. Even though there were only the five starters, this was always going to be a tough task in the 412.000 English pound added contest, and this it proved. Running well on the good ground Tünnes finished 4th, thereby beating the Godolphin Hurricane Lane but they could never keep tabs on the Gosden trained Emily Upjohn (Sea the Stars) and Frankie Dettori or Westover (Frankel). This was a top-class field in a real Group I a good start for Dettori and Gosden. Then Gosden and Frankie went on to complete a Group I Double on the Day when Soul Sister (Frankel) took the Epsom Oaks.

Saturday saw Derby Day, the main Event and again we saw a top-class racehorse conquer Epsom. Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact), the apple of Trainer Aidan O´Briens eye this year, put a miserably disappointing run in Newmarket´s 2000 guineas behind him to beat King of Steel (Wootton Bassett) under a strong drive from Ryan Moore.

Over in Chantilly on Sunday we saw another classy performance from Ace Impact (Cracksman). This one strode away with the Prix du Jockey club French Derby for Jean-Claude Rouget and Cristian Demuro. This colt was bred by Mrs Waltraut Spanner and the mother raced here in Germany for Michael Figge.

We saw the work of three great trainers over the weekend, John Gosden with his 2 Group I fillies winners, Aidan O´Brien bringing a talented 3 yo colt back after such a poor run, to win the English Derby an Jean-Claude Rouget taking his Cagnes sur Mer winner all the way to victory in the French Derby and remain unbeaten in four starts.

Back on German soil we kept the Best for Sunday in Duesseldorf, with the WEMPE 103. German 1000 Guineas. In glorious sunshine eleven 3yo fillies went to post on good to fast ground. Sent off favorite for the race would be Charlie Appleby´s trained Godolphin runner Dream of Love (Shamardal) but the paddock pick and she stood out in the view of our experts was Habana (Kingsman) from Andreas Wöhler stable with stable jockey Eduardo Pedroza on board. She had shown she was very good at two year and was sent for the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day last year, but it didn´t pan out for her there as she pulled to hard in the softer ground and she finished well beaten. 

But here in Düsseldorf this lady put in an impeccable performance. Good out of the gates, she was allowed to bowl along from the front and on entering the straight, she quickened impressively to put 3 lengths between her and her rivals, the nearest being Stenton Glider from England and the favorite Dream of Love. Eddie Pedroza rides this track so well and he got his fractions perfect from the front here, and with a willing partner they smashed the track record for the mile in Duesseldorf. Yes, we did hear the German National Anthem!

The Listed Derby trial saw Merkur (Kingman) stake his claim for Hamburg in good manner, coming home 2 ½ lengths in front of Quality Road (Areion) and Superius (Helmet). Running in the colors of Deutscher Galopp honorable President Albrecht Woeste, I´m sure he´ll now head to Hamburg. For the stallion Kingsman it could not have been a better day, with him being the sire of both Habana and Merkur.