The English Page - Season drawing to a close

We are at the end of October and nearing the end of the German racing season. Germany has no N.H. season, in fact practically no jumps races at all, and many leading racecourses have already shut up shop for 2021, including Cologne, Düsseldorf and last Sunday Hanover, which signed off for the year with a strong card which included three black type races.

There had been a major racing conference the previous day in Hanover and many of the makers and shakers in the German racing and breeding industries were present, while most of the races were sponsored by breeders and racing organisations. Main event was the Group Three Grosser Preis des Gestüts Auenquelle und Torquator Tasso-Herbst Stuten Preis for fillies and mares over 2200 metres. The owners of the Arc winner have supported several races since their big win and have been very generous to various racecourses.

Four of the runners had also fun in the Group Two Zastrow Stutenpreis over a furlong further at the big Baden-Baden meeting at the beginning of September, including the first two in that race, Waldbiene (Intello) and Walkaway (Adlerflug). Both had come from a long way back on that occasion, with Waldbiene finding the better turn of foot to score by 1 1/2 lengths. That was clearly the best form here, although Walkaway, a Schlenderhan homebred, had since run unplaced in the Group One Preis von Europa against much stronger opposition. She started here at 3.8-1, while Waldbiene was clear favourite at 17-10.

However the race panned out differently this time and the result was reversed. Waldbiene found herself in front at an early stage and was forced to make the running. Walkaway was always in touch and launched her challenge early in the straight. The two of them fought it out to the line, but Walkaway stayed on the better and held the upper hand throughout the final furlong, finally scoring by 1 ¼ lengths. Whizzair, another Schlenderhan homebred daughter of Adlerflug, completed a good result for the owner and also for trainer Markus Klug by running on well for third place, though never a danger to the front pair.

The three “W” horses therefore took the first three places, but they are in fact not related. Walkaway must be a tough filly; she had earlier finished fourth in the Preis der Diana, finishing very fast from last place, and had run twice in September before this well-deserved success. This was her best performance yet and her rating has been put up to German GAG 93 (=international 106). Her dam Walzerprinzessin (Monsun) whose own dam, the smart group race winner Walzerkönigin (Kingmambo) also bred the German Derby winner and sire Wiener Walzer (Dynaformer). Obviously she and Waldbiene, a member of the celebrated Waldrun family, are very useful and it must be hoped that they both stay in training, while this result one again emphasizes what a great loss the death of Adlerflug at Easter this year has been to German breeding.

The listed Grosser Preis der Mehl-Mülhens-Stiftung, for 2yo fillies over 1400 metres was won in good style by Parnac (Zarak), who continued the good run of this sire in Germany. She is owned by Frenchman Jean-Pierre Dubois, who also bred her and is better known in the world of trotting. He also does well with his small thoroughbred operation and trainer Andreas Wöhler is very keen on this filly: “she is probably no stayer, but she looks an obvious prospect for the German 1,000 Guneas in 2022.”

Thse two races were restricted to fillies and a filly was also successful in the listed Grosser Preis des Gestüts Etzean for 3yo´s and up over 1400 metres. This was the Godolphin homebred Romantic Song (Shamardal), trained in France by Henri-Alex Pantall, who does so well with these Godolphin runners in German listed races, especially at Hanover. This was his 15^th black type success at the course (two group races and 13 listed), all for Godolphin. Romantic Song, who showed much improvement on her previous German start, won easily enough by 3 lengths from the Swedish-trained Good Eye (Eishin Dunkirk).

The action now moves to Hoppegarten, which stages its final meeting of the year on Sunday. The main event is the Group Three Silbernes Pferd over 3000 metres. This is one of the oldest races in the German calendar, going back almost two centuries. Nine line up, including the Swedish challenger Quebello (Sea The Moon), who is in fact German-bred. His Scandinavian form is difficult to decipher, but he has been first or second on all 7 starts this year, so should not be underestimated. Even so, the German form is likely to be stronger, and Aff un Zo (Kallisto) and Loft (Adlerflug), winner and runner-up respectively last time in the German St. Leger, look the ones to beat. However we also like the look of the much improved 3yo filly Samoa (Jukebox Jury), who has been supplemented by trainer Peter Schiergen. Last time out she ran out an easy winner of the Silbernes Band der Ruhr, Germany´s longest race, and although this time the distance is a whole kilometre shorter she could well pick up another “silver” race off her low weight. Locally-trained course specialist Memphis, another daughter of Jukebox Jury, is another danger. Following this weekend there are just two more group races this year in Germany, next week´s Grosser Preis von Bayern in Munich, the last European Group One of 2021, and a week later the Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen for 2yo´s at Krefeld.

David Conolly-Smith