The English page - A strong Group one

Last Saturday saw the curtain fall in Cologne, bringing to an end their 2024 Season. A nine race programme which included two amateur races had the 'Silbernes Pferd a Group 3 contest over 3000m (1m 7f) as the main attraction. Run on very soft ground, Padre Palou (Mastercraftsman) from the Henk Grewe stables, set out to make every post a winning one under Eduardo Pedroza and he nearly did so. Turning for home though it was his better fancied stable companion Flatten the Curve (Zarak) in the colours of racecourse President Eckhard Sauren and ridden by his retained jockey Thore Hammer Hansen who came around the field travelling best and streched out to win by a cozy 1 and 3/4 lenghts, Padre Palou outbattled Nastaria (Outstrip) for the second spot, a neck separating them at the line, with Lions Head running a sound race back in fourth.

The two year old maiden over 1850m (1m 1½/2f) could turn out to be a nice race . The Soldier Hollow winner Quinto for Peter Schiergen and Helmut von Finck looked pretty smart under Sibylle Vogt and one could also be impressed by the runs of the second Bariton Bear (Waldgeist) and the third Prummche (Millowitsch and should be noted for next year.. As most people in racing now know,  I have been spending the last two months in sunny California by Monty Roberts and stayed on a little longer to take in the Breeders Cup at Del Mar. It was an amazing experience and there was another success for the Cologne racecourse when on the Saturday night the Godolphin horse Rebels Romance (Dubawi), winner of this years Preis von Europa in Cologne, went on to take out the Turf Classic a feat he was repeating after doing the same back in 2022. 

Again the Preis vom Europa form has the chance to be enriched when Straight (winner of the Gr 2 Premio del Jockey Club in Milan since that run) and the third Lordano (Adlerflug) compete in the last European Group 1 of the year in Munich next Sunday. The Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern has attracted a big field of eleven horses with no less than five foreign horses making the journey. The home team will be made up of the aforementioned pair Lordano and Straight (Zarak) as well as old reliables Assistent (Sea The Moon) and Atoso (Guiliani), both relish softer ground conditions but just might find it hard in Group1 class. Quantanamera (Lope de Vega) having won the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville faltered a little when upped to Group 1 class on Ascots Champions Day in the Fillies & Mares race. Augustus represents the German three year old form. 

So from the foreign horses, Ancient Wisdom (Dubawi) for Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick looks interesting. Through the form of Rebels Romance they know what they need and sending a three year old colt who was second to Economics in Yorks Dante Stakes, ran mid division in the English Derby and won a four runner Bahrain stakes is truly interesting. He did win the Group 1 Futurity Stakes on heavy ground as a two year old and all his best form has been when there's plenty of cut in the ground. He will be accompanied from England by the David Menusier trained pair of three year olds Panthera (Theo Bachelot) and War Chimes (Billy Loughnane). War Chimes has a solid third place in the Group 1 Epsom Oaks this year but was behind Quantanamera on Champions Day. Panthera ran second last start in the Prix Belle de Nuit in Saint Cloud and you would think she must improve to get involved.

Tiffany (Farhh) from Sir Mark Prescott will have her regular pilot Luke Morris on board and the winner of the Group 2 T.von Zastrow Stutenpreis in Baden Baden bettered that form last time with a splendid third placing in the Group 1 Fillie and Mares in Ascot on Champions Day. One very interesting runner is Marquisat (Zarak) from legendary French trainer Andre Fabre who knows how to win here in Munich. Mickael Barzalona will take the ride. He has been placed on all three starts this year at group level encountering such horses as Goliath, Junko and Dubai Honour. He is another representing the blue of Godolphin. The race is again another bonus for the Munich racecourse as it will be included in the World Pools. The BBAG Auktionsrennen, a 52.000 € Sales race adds interest to the nine race card and here possibly eleven two year olds will take their chance. 

Shannon Spratter