The English Page - Final Group One of 2022

Big race in Germany last weekend was the Group Three Silbernes Pferd (“silver horse”) over 3000 metres at Hoppegarten. This is not only one of Germany´s best staying races, but ois also the oldest race in the German calendar, dating back to 1832. It looked quite an open affair with 9 runners, only one of them a 3yo, the filly Pretty Girl (Sea The Stars), but she dropped out disappointingly sfter making the early running. Stall Nizza´s homebred Nerium (Camelot) started favoiurite, and he went on at halfway. He had a clear lead in the straight and looked the likely winner two out when he stilled by five langths. But then the 5yo mare Silence Please (Gleneagles), who had been held up in last place for the first mile, came out of the pack and went in pursuit. She had to be switched twice, but was clearly going best of all; she cut down Nerium at the distance and quickly put the race to bed finally scoring by five lengths from Nerium, with Gestüt Ittlingen´s homebred Stella (Neatico) running on for third seven lengths further back and the rest well strung out.

Silence Please, owned by Barry Irwin´s Team Valor, has an interesting background. She was bred in Ireland by Lynch Bages and Camas Park Stud, she was a 27.000 euros yearling and was originally trained by Jessica Harrington; she had good form in Ireland and was a listed winner there as well as being placed several times in group races. She actually started favourite for the 2020 Preis der Diana (German Oaks), still with Harrington, but could only finish fourth behind Miss Yoda. Later she was transferred to Andrew Balding but seemed to lose her form. She was sent to Germany and this was her first race for Andreas Wöhler, who is a past master at dealing with such problems, This her first race for him, and also her first group race success after many attempts. Full credit to the trainer and also to jockey Josef Bojko for a very cool ride. She has been given a German rating of GAG 92 ½ (=international 105) which seems fair enough, as this was hardly the best group race ever run. There are no obvious races for her now in Europe, but as a group race winner from a good family (she is a half-sister to Grand Prix de Paris winner Gallante) she is of great interest as a broodmare.

Looking forward now to this weekend, there is a clear end of the season look about the programme. We have the Breeders´ Cup this weekend in Kentucky, the “world racing championships” as they call it, we also have the start of the Meydan season in Dubai, with the Japan Cup coming in three weeks´ time and the big Hong Kong meeting in mid-December. But in Europe N.H. racing has taken over in England and Ireland, and trotting in France.

This Sunday´s Grosser Allianz-Preis von Bayern in Munich is therefore the last European Group One race of 2022. Unfortunately, like so many other big races this year, it has cut up disappointingly. Only six were declared to run, and local trainer Sarah Steinberg has already stated that Mendocino (Adlerflug) will not run because of the heavy ground. He is to be kept for the Hong Kong Vase, and will in fact be the only German-trained runner at their big meeting on December 11^th.

Of the five that are left, three of them, all 3yo´s, are trained in Germany, and the other two in the U.K.: Godolphin´ s Siskany (Dubawi), trained by Charlie Appleby and with Mickael Barzelona in the saddle, and Kirsten Rausing´s Albaflora (Muharrar), trained by Ralph Beckett and to be ridden by Rossa Ryan. It is clear from her name that this 5yo mare is from the same family as last year´s winner, and this year´s Arc winner Alpinista (Frankel), but it is also clear that on form she is far inferior to her close relation. Beckett is having a good year, but we shall be surprised if Alpenflora is good enough.

Siskany is much more interesting, particularly in view of Charlie Appleby´s outstanding record in Germany. He has already won two German Group Ones this season with Rebel´s Romance, also a Dubwai gelding who has shown tremendous improvement this year. That one now runs in the Breeders´ Cup Turf this weekend, and with a good chance in our view, but Siskany was pencilled in for the Munich race some weeks ago. He is taking a huge leap in class here, having won a listed race in Newmarket last time out, but we can certainly imagine that he is up to it.

Best of the three German runners should be Tünnes (Giuliani), a half-brother to Torquator Tasso. He was a top juvenile in Germany last year and would have been favourite for the German Derby had he not suffered a setback and had to miss the race. He made his comeback in the autumn and has twice won very easily, including an eight lengths romp in the German St. Leger. He looked very smart that day and is likely to start a s warm favourite on Sunday.

The other two runners are both trained by Markus Klug. Lavello (Zarak) won the Bavarian Classic here in May, beating the subsequent Derby winner Sammarco. The filly Well Disposed (Dubawi) has won two Group Threes this year and as a half-sister to two winners of the Germany Derby is a great broodmare prospect; a Group One placing would only add to her appeal. That certainly looks possible, but whether she can actually win remains to be seen. However all five runners have the potential to score here, and despite the small field, it is a fascinating race.

David Conolly-Smith