Welcome to the third Anglo German Racing Newsletter. This week, we look at the first Classic of the season in Germany, the 2000 Guineas. There are also previews of races in Hungary, Czech Republic, Italy and Switzerland, as well as many other features such as reviews of jumps races in Germany and Sweden. - Darren Thrussell, chief editor Content News & Reviews Germany 2 News & Reviews Europe 5 Jockey Portrait C. Roberts 8 Jockey Files 9 Imprint Anglo German Racing Chief editor: Darren Thrussell Postal address: Hattendorffstraße 83 29225 Celle GERMANY Email address: [email protected] [email protected] Published weekly Ländler wins under Chris Timmons at Krefeld 1 News & Reviews Germany KREFELD: LÄNDLER IMPRESSES Ländler was still going strong in front, The start of the year had been relatively dry causing his owner's disappointment to mix in Germany, but ironically, on the day with hope, excitement and disbelief. It was commemorating the patron saint of water still a long way to go though. While the – St John of Nepomuk – it began to rain! leader seemed to enjoy himself in front, more Slight drizzle fell incessantly all afternoon, and more of his rivals were dropping out of and the combination of rain and firm ground the race. Rounding the home turn, the did not prove to be a good one for German favourite Falconettei eventually started his steeplechasing. Two horses had already attack. After a short and thrilling duel, Ländler slipped in the flat races, and when the nine – to the surprise of many – romped home to runners for the concluding jumps race took win by seven lengths. Falconettei filled the practice fence it became obvious that the second spot, while Audientia came home in ground conditions were far from ideal. Some third. contenders were lucky not to fall, and at least a few of the riders were stating that it was too Krefeld 16 May 2015 dangerous to ride over fences on the slippery 3500m steeplechase – run on the flat – ground. After consulting officials and trainers, the decision was taken to run the 1st Ländler (Chris Timmons) steeplechase on the flat over the same 2nd Falconettei (Cevin Chan) distance. Despite agreeing that this was the 3rd Audientia (Vlastislav Korytar) best choice in terms of safety, the majority of 4th Chilbury Hill (Diego Declercq) the trainers were not entirely happy as their 5th Moneymix (Fabian Xaver Weißmeier) horses would not run well on the flat. Volker 6th Alanco (Julian Marinov) Schleusner, owner of Ländler, was 7th Supervisor (John Winston) particularly disappointed as they had 8th Coyaique (Marian Falk Weißmeier) travelled all the way from Rostock in northern 9th Samurai (Christopher Roberts) Germany to run their horse over the big distances: fences at Krefeld. Cursing his luck as he 7 – 13 – 1 – 2½ – 19 – 11 – 4 – 46 feared his horse's chances had gone completely, he watched the race almost in resignation. His resentment was even growing when he saw that Ländler had taken over in front soon after the off, as he feared he would not stay. The son of Bonvivant did not enjoy the slow pace, so his jockey Chris Timmons did the best he could do in this situation – let his mount dictate his own pace. He was temporarily joined by Moneymix. When the field was passing the stands for the first time, they were met with thunderous applause from the crowd. The leading duo was going clear of the rest of the field, the grey Moneymix however was soon Winners presentation fading. 2 DETTORI SET FOR GERMAN GUINEAS TOP GERMAN JOCKEY HUNGARY FOR RIDE SUCCESS The first Classic of the year in Germany, the Dennis Schiergen, regarded by many as one 2000 Guineas, takes place at Cologne on of the best young jockeys in Germany and Monday. A Group 2 contest worth a total of the youngest ever winner of a Group 1 race 153,000 Euros, this years renewal has when winning the Grosser Preis von Berlin attracted a field of ten runners with on Nymphea in 2013 when a 17 year old challengers from Ireland and England. amateur, travels to the Kincsem Park FANCIFUL ANGEL makes the trip from the racecourse in Budapest for five rides at their Newmarket stables of trainer Marco Botti, meeting on Monday. The main racecourse in and is ridden by another English-based Hungary, Kincsem Park stages a ten race Italian, Frankie Dettori. Winner of two of his card with the feature race of the day the seven races so far, Fanciful Angel seemed to Listed Millennium Dij worth 7,400,000 HUF appreciate the step up to Mondays trip when (about 24,000 Euros) where Schiergen winning a Listed race on the all weather track partners the only Hungarian-bred horse in at Lingfield last month. Ireland are the race, ROPTUZ, trained like all five of represented by CAPPELLA SANSEVERO, Schiergens mounts on Sunday by champion who was 11th after being badly hampered in trainer Sandor Kovacs. However, Roptuz the English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket may well struggle against this high class earlier this month but won a Group 3 race at opposition led by SILENT BLESSING, who The Curragh in August last year. Pick of the had Roptuz back in third when winning a home contingent looks to be the unbeaten Listed race at Budapest earlier this month. KARPINO, wo is held in very high regard by Splitting the pair was AKABA, who despite trainer Andreas Wöhler, who last weekend being bred in Germany by the famous tipped him to be one of the biggest potential Röttgen Stud, has only ever raced in dangers to his Derby favourite Quasillo in the Hungary, and indeed won this corresponding Hamburg classic in July. Winner of the Group race last year. SEPERATE OPINION, winner 3 Dr. Busch Memorial at Krefeld last month, of a Listed race in Munich back in October Karpino will be ridden by British-based Irish last year, found the opposition too hot when jockey Oisin Murphy for Qatari owners Pearl only seventh in a Group 3 race at Hannover Bloodstock. BRISANTO landed one of two weeks later, but warrants respect here, Germany's biggest two year old races, the particularly on her form in September last Preis des Winterfavoriten at Cologne for his year when taking the listed Kincsem Dij, one German-based Bulgarian connections, but is of Hungary's biggest races, with Akaba and making his seasonal debut on Monday. another of Sunday's rivals, RED HOT CALYPSO back in second and third Dettori has also secured a ride on the respectively. The latter, second in last year's undercard at Cologne as he partners Hungarian Derby, was an impressive winner NOVALIS for Krefeld-based trainer Mario on his seasonal debut at Bratislava last Hofer in a conditions race. month. Do you have any questions or would you like to tell us about something that has happened in the racing world? Contact Darren at [email protected] Would you like to advertise in our newsletter or sponsor our jump jockey project (see Newsletter 2/2015)? Or would you like to book a jump jockey? Contact Stefanie at [email protected] 3 The ten-strong field is completed by recent English import GOLDEN JOURNEY, useful Slovakian raider KING OF MARMALADE, French-bred PANDA, who has failed to build Would you on some outstanding form as a two year old, outsider BLACK BLADE, and the interesting Portuguese-bred GRAN TORINO. like to reach The undercard is headed by the Rascal Dij Class 2 Handicap, which features possibly Schiergen's best chance of success on the hundreds of day with the four year old locally-bred filly NADSZAL, who will appreciate the drop back into handicap class after finding an Elite category race a bit too hot last time out. potential new NO BRITISH LUCK FOR GERMAN RAIDER customers all DESROCHES The Christian von der Recke trained DESROCHES could only finish last of eight finishers in a hurdle race at the Stratford on over Europe Avon course in the English Midlands on Sunday. Formerly with trainer Oliver Schnakenberg, Desroches was making her debut for the new trainer, but despite being every week? sent off 15/8 favourite, was always at the back of the 11 strong field under jockey Richard Johnson and did not jump with any Advertise fluency on her first race over English hurdles, eventually finishing 60 lengths behind the winner Sudden Wish. With Anglo German Desroches Racing 4 News & Reviews Europe SWEDEN: LOVEN EXCELS ON HUMOR AT CZECH REPUBLIC: FIRST VELKA GOTHENBURG (22 May 2015) PARDUBICKA QUALIFIER THIS WEEKEND Seven horses went to post for Gothenburg's The famous Pardubice racecourse in the first jumps race of the season. HEFNER from Czech Republic stages its second meeting of Dennis Persson's yard was the favourite for the year on Saturday, the highlight of which this 3200m novice hurdle but could not is the Velka Cena Mesta Pardubic, the first deliver in the end. ALI HOPE and TOO qualifier for this year's Velka Pardubicka. A FRISKY went into the lead right after the maximum field of twenty horses go to post start, with the favourite taking over after a headed by AL JAZ, who was a shock second few strides. FINE HUMOR was at the back of to Orphee des Blins in last years Velka the field at this stage and appeared to be Pardubicka. With Orphee des Blins now struggling. Niklas Lovén instructed his mount retired after winning the last three Velkas, the well though as to was he was supposed to search starts here for her successor, and Al do in a race.