The English page - Hamlet without the prince?

There were more International successes for the German racing and breeding industries last weekend. A Raving Beauty (Mastercraftsman), who last year was trained for owner-breeder Gestüt Karlshof to win a listed race at Hoppegarten and finish runner-up in an Italian Group One, was sold at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale to her American owners for 225,000 euros and has won back far more than this amount by winning her first two races in the USA, notably last Saturday´s Group One Just A Game Stakes at Belmont Park; she is closely related to multiple group race winner Alianthus (Hernando), one of the best German milers this century. At Longchamp on Sunday, the main event, the Group Three La Coupe, was won by Dallas Affair (Soldier Hollow), bred by Gestüt Haus Ittlingen and sold to George Strawbridge for 120,000 euros at the BBAG Yearling Sale in 2015. And in Milan, the Andreas Wöhler-trained Sand Zabeel (Poet´s Voice) won the Oaks d´Italia, no longer a Group One race but still very valuable. She does not have a German pedigree, being bred by her owner Jaber Abdullah, but was the tenth German-trained winner of this Italian classic in the last twenty years.

The German version of the Oaks, the Group One Preis der Diana, to be run at Düsseldorf on August 5^th, is apparently not on Sand Zabeel´s agenda; she is likely to be seen next at the Deauville August meeting. However that race was in the forefront of many racegoers´ thoughts after the big race at home last weekend, the Group Two Diana-Trial at Hoppegarten. The race was run in a downpour and it is not certain that the form will hold up as some of the fillies were clearly unhappy, but Stall Ullmann´s homebred Well Timed (Holy Roman Emperor) ran out a convincing winner and is now clear ante-post favourite for the classic. Trained by Jean-Pierre Carvalho Well Timed (who is also well named!), and ridden with confidence by Filip Minarik, Well Timed raced in third behind the early leaders Nica (Kamsin) and Taraja (High Chaparall) before taking the lead from Taraja over a furlong out and keeping on well to score by one and a quarter lengths from Taraja, with the fast finishing Cheshmeh (Kendargent) third.

Taraja, an own sister to the champion two-year-old and promising young sire Tai Chi, ran well enough after a slow start; she is likely to miss the Preis der Diana, as connections feel that she will not be suited by the track. However Cheshmesh, who finished best of all and is also trained by Henk Grewe. will take her chance; but it is hard to imagine any of those further back could play much of a role, with the possible exception of sixth-placed Felora (Lord of England), an own sister to the 2014 Diana winner Feodora, who must be given another chance when the weather conditions are more suitable.

However Well Timed won fair and square and must be currently put at the top of the pecking order of German three-year-old fillies, with a provisional rating of 104. Sand Zabeel is actually on 105, but as mentioned earlier, is not entered in the Diana and not expected to run there. Well Timed is very well-bred; her second dam Wells Whisper (Sadler´s Wells) was bought for a large sum at Tattersalls for Baron Ullmann some 25 years ago. She is from the immediate family of dual Hong Kong Group One winner Akeed Mofeed (Dubawi).

It is the colts´ turn this weekend, when the main event is Cologne´s Group Two Union-Rennen over eleven furlongs. This is normally the best German Derby trial, although in fact only one three-year-old has done the double in the past ten years. This season we have seen two outstanding German three-year-old colts – Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit), the easy winner of the German 2,000 Guineas almost a month ago, and Royal Youmzain (Youmzain), winner of the Bavarian Classic at Munich on May 1^st and then impressive in winning the Ittlingen Derby Trial at Baden-Baden a fortnight ago. The former is clearly a specialist miler and was never considered as a Derby prospect; he probably runs next in the Prix Jean Prat at Deauville on July 8^th (German Derby Day), while the latter goes straight to Hamburg. However his Munich form will be tested, as four of those who finished behind him are in the line-up.

They are Jimmu (Dalakhani), Emerald Master (Mastercraftsman) and Salve del Rio (Rio de la Plata), who finished close up second, third and fourth respectively, and Valajani (Jukebox Jury), who finished last. but is probably much better than that form implies. The other three were within a length of Royal Youmzain at the line, but that one won with more in hand than the distances suggest. However, with Royal Youmzain not running, all three are expected to step up on the Munich form.  The interesting one could be Weltstar (Soldier Hollow), one of four runners trained by Markus Klug and the choice of stable jockey Adrie de Vries. He is a half-brother to Windstoss, who ran second in this race last year and then went on to win the Deutsches Derby. Weltstar was fourth to Ancient Spirit in the 2,000 Guineas, but was putting in his best work at the finish and looks certain to appreciate this longer trip. A newcomer to group races is the supplemented Ballydoyle (Masterstroke), a very easy Munich maiden winner from Magic Pivotal (Pivotal) and Puccini (Reliable Man), who also both run on Sunday, He has since been sold, for a reported six-figure sum, but is taking a huge leap in class here. The Union-Rennen is always an informative event and has been won by some top class performers in the past, but with the two best three-year-olds not running this time, Sunday´s field – with all due respect - looks like Hamlet without the prince.

David Conolly-Smith