The English page - Start of Hamburg's Derby meeting

The most interesting race in Germany last weekend was the Group Three Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft at Dortmund over 1750 metres, a race jointly sponsored by 59 local companies. Gestüt Röttgen´s homebred Degas (Exceed and Excel) won an exciting race, coming from last place with a late run to score by half a length from long-time leader Palace Prince (Areion), with Cashman (Soldier of Fortune), who had been runner-up here last year, a close third.

Until this year Degas had been an extremely frustrating horse. He was placed in all four starts at two, and then after winning his maiden, was just touched off by a nose in the 2016 Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (German 2,000 Guineas). After that he seemed to have lost all interest in winning and was repeatedly placed but could never get his head in front. He was runner-up four more times in good company and was beginning to get a dodgy reputation, so that Röttgen decided to send him to the sales. However he then had a change of luck: Wonnemond, to whom he had finished second at Düsseldorf in late April, was disqualified after failing a dope test, and Degas suddenly found himself a group winner. He ran well at the opening day of the Baden-Baden Spring Meeting when fourth in a strong field and he was withdrawn from the sale. Now he has thanked his owner-breeder and his trainer Markus Klug by winning a group race on his own merits and not only that, the gifted Düsseldorf success meant that he had a penalty at Dortmund and had to concede weight all round. It seems that the key to success is to use exaggerated waiting tactics, hold him up in last place and challenge as late as possible, tactics which stable jockey Adrie de Vries carried out to perfection at Dortmund.

Degas is from one of Röttgen´s best families, tracing back to the Hungarian mare Didergö (Imi), brought to Germany in the 1950s. Didergö became the dam of Diu  (Utrillo), who won the Preis der Diana and is the fifth dam of Degas; she is also the fifth dam of Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. However Degas´ side of the family are milers; his dam Diatribe (Tertullian) was a listed winner, and his second dam Diacada (Cadeaux Genereux) won the German 1,000 Guineas.

Today (Friday) sees the start of Hamburg´s Derby meeting, which includes eight black type races culminating in the Group One IDEE Deutsches Derby on the Sunday of next week. Today´s main feature is the listed Langer Hamburger over two miles. Last year´s winner Summershine (Three Valleys) tries again, but the going was heavy then and this time will be on the fast side, as we are in the middle of a long hot and dry spell. The opposition this time is stronger as well, and Newmarket raider St. Michel (Sea The Stars) looks the logical winner. He has not run for nine months, having pulled up lame while preparing for a crack at the 2017 Melbourne Cup, but trainer Sir Mark Prescott knows how to get them fit and also knows how to win this race, which he did in 2006. Top local jockey Andrasch Starke has been booked. His main opponents could be Moonshiner and Adler, both sons of Adlerflug.

On Saturday we have the Group Three Preis der Mitglieder des Hamburger Renn-Club e.V. (Hamburger Flieger-Preis) over six furlongs. This rather unwieldy title indicates that the members are putting up the prize-money, i.e. there is no sponsor, a major problem these days for German racecourses. Plenty of familiar faces here, including the ultra-consistent Millowitsch (Sehrezad), who won last year from Daring Match  (Call Me Big), Schäng (Contat) and McQueen (Silver Frost), all of whom reoppose here, while Schäng won it in 2016. Last time out Millowitsch won the Silberne Peitsche at Baden-Baden from Schäng, with Scapina (Tai Chi) third after a slow start, with Daring Match fifth, Shining Emerald (Clodovil) sixth and three more of this field further back.  It seems that form on the day will decide, with both Schäng and Shining Emerald hoping for some rain. Millowitsch is arguably the form choice, but he has to give away weight all round and is also without his regular jockey. If Scapina gets off to a good start, she could be dangerous, as could be the only three-year-old in the field Julio (Exceed and Excel), if he can recover his excellent juvenile form.

Markus Klug, who trains Millowitsch, has declared three runners for the weekend´s big race, the Group Two pferdewetten.de Grosser Hansa Preis over one and a half miles. Once again last year´s winner is one of them, Dschingis Secret (Soldier Hollow), but if the ground stays fast he could be scratched. Stable jockey de Vries has chosen to partner Windstoss (Shirocco), winner of last year´s German Derby over this CD, although this one too would prefer easier going. The third Klug contender Colomano (Cacique) is just behind the other two on ratings, but will like the ground and could be the stable´s best hope. Main opposition could come from Walsingham (Campanologist), who finished just behind Windstoss and Colomano in the Gerling-Preis in early May and then showed improved form when runner-up at Baden-Baden to Iquitos (Adlerflug) – who runs in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud on Sunday - with Colomano disappointing slightly in fourth. This is another race in which form on the day could be decisive.

Next week we shall take an in depth look at the German Derby.

David Conolly-Smith