The English page - four fillies in the row

For the fourth successive year a filly was victorious in the Deutsches St. Leger, last weekend´s main event in Germany. This was Near England (Lord of England) who took the lead half a mile from home and galloped on strongly under jockey Andreas Helfenbein. The Gestüt Wittekindshof homebred was one of four runners in the race, all fillies, trained by Markus Klug, but his main hope, Röttgen´s Weltmacht, trailed in a disappointing ninth of eleven. Near England paid almost 10-1 on the tote, a generous price considering that she was one of the highest-rated runners. However punters had ignored her as it was felt that she needed very soft ground to show her best form. This is obviously not the case and she won easily enough by two lengths from Tellina (Silvano), who put up a nice performance on his first ever start in Germany. The seven-year-old gelding had previously been trained by Mike de Kock in South Africa and was transferred to Andreas Wöhler in the spring after running well enough, although always unplaced, in better company in Meydan.

Near England, from one of the most successful families currently in Germany, is closely related to last year´s Group One winners Nutan and Nightflower; this is also the family of the latest Hong Kong star Pakistan Star and it seems a shame that other countries do not follow the German tradition of giving their runners the same initial letter as the dam. Near England is the second German classic winner this year for her local owner-breeder, following Serienholde (Soldier Hollow) in the Preis der Diana (Oaks). It was also the second classic success in 2016 in Germany for her sire Lord of England, who stands at Gestüt Etzean, following Isfahan in the Deutsches Derby.

The action now switches to Cologne for the most important German meeting of the autumn, the Europa-Meeting, with Sunday´s Group One Preis von Europa as the main event. Eight runners have been declared for the mile and a half race, including Nightflower (Dylan Thomas) and Sirius (Dashing Blade) who were first and second last year. Sirius has not won since taking the Grosser Preis von Berlin two years ago and faces a stiff task here, but Nightflower must have a good chance.  She has also not won for a while – since in fact taking this race a year ago- but seems to be coming back to form with second places in Hoppegarten and Baden-Baden on her last two starts and is the subject of positive reports from her trainer Peter Schiergen, who has an excellent record in this race.

She was beaten fair and square by Iquitos (Adlerflug) in the Grosser Preis von Baden but there could be little in it this time. Iquitos runs his best races at the Black Forest track and needs to be held up off a strong pace, which may not be the case here. He has had an excellent season, having also won the big race at Baden-Baden´s May meeting with the same last-to-first tactics. If things fall right for him, he must have an excellent chance, but it is a big “if.”

Godophin´s Elite Army (Authorised) is the only foreign runner. Saeed bin Suroor has won the race three times this century and knows what is required, but this five-year-old needs to improve on what he has so far shown this year.  However on U.K. form he should have the beating of Red Cardinal (Montjeu), who is having his first race for Andreas Wöhler. Previously with David Simcock, this four-year-old was transferred to Wöhler having been sold to Australian Bloodstock before his last start. He is presumably using this race as a prep for his targets at the Melbourne Spring Festival later this year.

Rather surprisingly there are no three-year-colts in the field, but three fillies represent the classic crop. All three ran in the Preis der Diana (Oaks) seven weeks ago, which was won in good style by Serienholde, also trained by Wöhler and the choice of stable jockey Eduardo Pedroza. However both Kasalla (Soldier Hollow) and Parvaneh (Holy Roman Emperor) were noted running on strongly in fourth and fifth and it is certainly possible that they can reverse the form over this extra furlong. The Diana is run over eleven furlongs, and Serienholde´s poor showing subsequently in the Grosser Preis von Baden was put down to the bad going and the longer trip. The going will certainly be much better on Sunday, but the trip remains a question mark. Parvaneh then went on to win well at Baden-Baden from Kasalla in the Group Two race for fillies and mares over Sunday´s distance.

The Preis von Europa is backed up by a listed race for two-year-old fillies on Saturday and a listed race for older fillies and mares on Sunday. The former race sees a rare German runner from Lambourn trainer Sylvester Kirk in the line-up, Tiburtina (Holy Roman Emperor). She is the most experienced runner in the field and has twice finished fifth in well-contested group races at Glorious Goodwood and the St. Leger meeting; she could have too many guns for the local two-year-olds, the best of whom could be Saloon Sold (Soldier Hollow, an easy winner of a valuable sales race at Baden-Baden. Sunday´s race has a large field as usual, including the obligatory runner from the French stable of Henri-Alex Pantall, who has an excellent record in German listed races. He saddles Godolphin´ s Powder Snow (Dubawi), runner-up in a similar event over a slightly shorter trip at Baden-Baden and she could go one better here.

David Conolly-Smith