The English page - Promising youngsters

The only racing last week in Germany was a low level meeting in Munich, but although there were no black type races there were two races for 2yo maidens, which were both won in good style by a horse making all the running and in both cases looking like an interesting prospect for next season.

First up was a race over 1400 metres which was won by Gestüt Etzean´s homebred filly Nandina (Areion), who was making her debut and was well fancied, starting at 27-10. She made all and found plenty when challenged in the straight, finally asserting in the final furlong to win cozily by three parts of a length from the favourite Scopello (Maxios). This was a very promising performance for a debutante, and she should be able to hold her own in better company next year. She is entered in the 2022 Preis der Diana, and although she is by the sprinter Areion (Big Shufle) she should be able to stay middle distances next year, as the bottom line is stout enough, and also classy. Her dam, Navajo Queen (Monsun) won over 2200metres and is an own sister to King George winner Novellist.

Half an hour later we saw an even more promising winner when Jaber Abdullah´s homebred Maraseem  (Nathaniel) made all and outclassed the opposition to win by five lengths over 2000 metres. This was his third career start and he had already shown a decent level of form having been in the money in good company on both his previous starts and he was clear favourite here. He possibly did not have much to beat here, but he was undeniably impressive and looks certain to make an impact in 2022. He is entered in the Deutsches Derby and is quoted among the favourites in ante-post betting for that race. Having won here over 2000 metres, he should certainly have no problem in staying the extra two furlongs of the Derby distance. His unraced dam Why Not Queen (Dubawi) was an own sister to the very smart Akeed Mofeed, winner of the Hong Kong Cup and other good races and this is the extended family of such stars as Johann Quatz and Hernando.

There is no racing at all in Germany this week, and five more fixtures left in 2021, twice on turf at Mülheim and three times on Dortmund s all-weather sand track, but obviously no more races at black type level, or even close. Instead thoughts are turning to the upcoming breeding season, and figures have recently been published which show clearly how much the German racing and breedings industries have shrunk this century.

There were only about 2,200 horses in training in Germqny this year, down from around 4,000 at the turn of the century. There are now only about 1,000 thoroughbred broodmares stationed here, only about 800 thoroughbred foals born each year. The German version of “Return of Mares” shows that stallions based in Germany – 43 of them to be precise- covered 847 mares in 2021. All these numbers are roughly half of the equivalent figures twenty years ago. It is therefore remarkable that the German bloodstock industry – tiny in comparison to Ireland, where the numbers are ten times higher – is able to produce top class international performers, the latest example being this year´s Arc winner Torquator Tasso, a 4yo colt by Adlerflug who was German-bred, German-owned and German-trained and by a sire who was also German-bred, in fact the winner of the 2007 German Derby. Adlerflug (In The Wings) was in fact inbred  3x4 to Northern Dancer, but he represents a well-established Schlenderhan family, in fact the family of Allegretta (Lombard), dam of Arc winner Urban Sea and hence grandam of such superstars as Galileo and Sea The Stars; a real sire´s pedigree.

Sadly the glory of siring an Arc winner came only posthumously to Adflerflug. His sudden death of a heart attack at Easter, halfway thorough the breeding season, was a huge blow to the German breeding industry. He was champion sire for the first time in 2020 and had done so well in his first years at stud despite only getting small books. This would have been his breakthrough year, with his biggest and best book of mares so far. As it was he was only able to cover 27 mares, only about half of those booked to him, before his untimely death.

The other significant German sire to die in 2021 was Lord of England (Dashing Blade), who was only one year older than Adlerflug. He represents the Mill Reef sireline and was from an excellent Fährhof family, his third dam being the Fährhof foundation mare Love In (Crepello). Lord of England did extremely well., siring – among many others- 2016 German Derby winner Isfahan, himself now a very promising young sire, and Preis der Diana winners Feodora and Palmas (this year).

Obviously the situation in German breeding is far removed from that in Ireland, where popular sires have books of 300+. The most popular German-based sire this year was Best Solution (Kodiac) at Auenquelle, who covered 72 mares, followed by newcomer Waldpfad (Shamardal) with 64. The only other sires with more than 50 mares covered were Isfahan and his sire Lord of England. It is rather sobering to record that 19 of the 43 sires listed covered only ten or fewer mares, hardly a very profitable business for the farm standing them.. And the fees are by international standards very reasonable, although this is partly due to the low prize-money in Germany. The most expensive stallion is Soldier Hollow, another son of In The Wings, whose fee is given as “private” but was last published as 30,000 euros for the 2019 season, up from 25,000 euros the previous year, and no doubt still in the same region, but he is now coming up to 22 and covering smaller books  (45 in 2021 compared to 64 next year).

We shall take a more detailed look at the German sires next week, and in particular the four new sires (so far) for 2022.

David Conolly-Smith