The English page - Muddied waters

Two of the most important German classíc trials were run this week, but the rather inconclusive results have only served to muddy the waters further. The German Derby in recent years has been virtually monopolized by three trainers – Markus Klug, Peter Schiergen and Andreas Wöhler – and they all had fancied runners in Krefeld´s Dr. Busch-Memorial on Sunday, but the rather surprising winner was Gestüt Ravensberg´s homebred Winterfuchs (Campanologist), trained in Iffezheim by Carmen Bocskai and ridden by Sibylle Vogt, currently the most successful lady trainer and lady jockey respectively in Germany.

Winterfuchs was held up near the back of the field as Dutch-trained King (Lord of England), who had been supplemented after a very easy CD maiden win, set a good pace, chased by the two British raiders Barys (Kodiac) and Hot Team (Zoffany). Both of them had won listed races in France, but that form was not good enough here and they both weakened in the straight as King kept going strongly. Winterfuchs moved up in good style to lead at the furlong marker, and despite hanging left, kept on well to hold off the fast-finishing Moonlight Man (Reliable Man) by a neck with King another neck away in third. It looked a strong race on paper and this was undeniably a good performance by Winterfuchs, whose rating has now been put up to GAG 94.5 (=international 109).

The trainer explained after the race that the decision was made to run at Krefeld, over a distance that is normally too short for Winterfuchs, as he needs experience on a right-handed track with sharp bends, as that is what he will face at Hamburg in the Deutsches Derby, obviously now his main target. On pedigree Winterfuchs looks certain to stay a mile and a half. His dam Wunderblume (Lomitas) never ran but has already bred Wonder of Lips (Champs Elysees), third in last year´s Preis der Diana. She was also a half-sister to the smart Wurftaube (Acatanenango), winner of 7 of her 10 starts including the German St. Leger, and dam of German Derby winner Waldpark (Dubawi) and also Waldmark (Mark of Esteem), dam of Doncaster St. Leger winner Masked Marvel. This “W” family traces back to Ravensberg´s mare Waldrun (Alchimist), who was moderate on the track, winning only one of her 17 starts, but had an amazing record as a broodmare, eight of her nine foals being black type winners (by today´s standards) and her daughters went on to found a dynasty that is still as strong as ever, as we saw on Sunday with not only Winterfuchs but also her close relation Waldgeist (Galileo) winning the Prix Ganay in tremendous style and now an obvious candidate for this season´s top races.

Waldgeist is of course out of as Monsun mare, and April was an excellent month for the stallion, unquestionably the best ever in German racing history. Among his other successes during the month were the Sydney Cup, won by Shraaoh (out of a Monsun mare) in a close finish from Vengeur Masque (Monsun), while in Japan Velox (out of the Schlenderhan-bred Selkis by Monsun) just lost out in a photo-finish for the Japanese 2,000 Guineas, and in the USA the Karlshof-bred La Force (by Monsun´s son Samum) was runner-up in the Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita. Sons of Monsun, especially those now standing in Ireland, continue to fire on all fronts in British and Irish N.H. racing: Getaway, for example, is sire of Scottísh Champion Hurdle winner Verdana Blue and also of Bet365 Gold Cup winner Talkischeap, while Network, who is based in France, is sire of this week´s Champion Novice Chase winner Delta Work. Monsun famously sired three winners of the Melbourne Cup in this decade, and it is no wonder that Australian owners are currently offering large sums for German-breds.

This was also seen at Munich on Wednesday, when the Bavarian Classic was run, undoubtedly the best trial so far for this year´s German Derby. Eight colts lined up, all of them with a Derby entry, and after a slowly-run race the favourite Django Freeman (Campanologist) ran out a convincing winner from Quest the Moon  (Sea the Moon) and Dschingis First (Soldier Hollow). Despite the slow early pace, the form of the race looks reliable, and the first three home are all obvious Derby candidates. Both Quest the Moon, whose connections made it clear that he needed the race, and Dschingis First, who finished very strongly from last place to grab third on the line and clearly needs further then this 2000 metres distance, can fancy their chances of reversing the form at Hamburg, but on the other hand Django Freeman won fair and square and was certainly the best horse on the day.

Django Freeman is now clear favourite for the German Derby at odds of around 5-1, while Quest the Moon and Winterfuchs are next in the betting at 10-1, and Dschingis First around 14-1, together with the filly Donjah (Teofilo), trained like Django Freeman by Henk Grewe in Cologne, but not seen out so far this year. Django Freeman was bred by Gestüt Fährhof and sold as a foal for only 4,000 euros at Arqana; he was reoffered at the BBAG Yearling Sale but bought in for 5,000 euros. In retrospect, quite a bargain! Since then the Australian bloodstock agent Suman Hedge has bought a half-share in Django Freeman for one of his syndicates down under, and the plan now is for Django Freeman to run twice more in Germany for Henk Grewe – in the Union-Rennen and then the Derby - and then move to Australia and continue in training there. A similar syndicate already owns Schabau (Pastorius), who won twice at the Hamburg Derby meeting last year, and then won his first three races in Australia in good style, before an injury put an end to his Melbourne Cup hopes for this year. The German end of both these deals was handled by Holger Faust (HFTB Racing Agency).

Like Winterfuchs, Django Freeman is by Campanologist (Kingmambo) and the early death of this very good-looking stallion is great loss to German breeding. He stood for just three years at Fährhof before his death following an attack of colic on the journey back from Argentina, to where he had been shuttling. He has already had two Group One winners in South America, and following this week´s results here, it is by no means inconceivable that he will also soon have winners at this level in Germany.

David Conolly-Smith