David Conolly-Smith

David Conolly-Smith was born in Nottingham, England. He was educated at Nottingham High School and the University of Cambridge and moved to Munich after graduation. Always interested in horse racing, he began writing on German racing for The Sporting Life in 1973 and soon afterwards joined the International Racing Bureau as their German representative, which he still is to this day. When The Racing Post was founded in 1986, he became their German correspondent and kept that position for 30 years. Since 2003, he has been a freelance journalist and translator, specialing in German racing and breeding. For several years he was also a commentator on the top German races for the Dubai Racing Channel. He still writes regularly for EBN, Turf Times, Irish Field, Vollblut and other publications and is regarded as the leading English-language expert on German racing.

Expert Column for Grosser Preis von Berlin Day (S1) (David Conolly-Smith)

S1-1    Hoppegartener Flieger Preis
The Listed sprint race at Hoppegarten over the straight 1,200m looks very tricky, with overseas runners from five different countries. Eleven runners are likely to face the starter, five of them are fillies and mares hoping to earn some valuable black type. Only five of the runners are trained in Germany and most of them have raced against each other with mixed results.

The 3YO DISHINA, representing the powerful Peter Schiergen-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev combination, has arguably the best form. She was third in the G2 German 1000 Guineas, form which has worked out well, and as a 3YO filly gets weight from all the other runners. She has not run this year over a sprint distance, but gives the impression that it would suit her well.

Of the older German runners, WALDERSEE, trained by Andreas Wohler, appeals best; he ran badly last time at Hamburg, but his form in April at Hanover reads well, where he beat several of these opponents. At Baden-Baden Listed race, he was runner-up to a Swedish raider, and sprinters from that country are always dangerous. There are two here, and we clearly prefer the 7YO BUDDY BOB, who won well at Hanover earlier in the season. Experienced Dutch jockey Adrie de Vries has been booked.

French raider KINDRED SPIRIT was third in that race, but his trainer Francis-Henri Graffard has an excellent record in Germany and she must be respected; she was behind BUDDY BOB at Hanover and she was unplaced at Deauville last time but this is a much weaker race and with Graffard´s stable jockey. Hugo Journiac in the saddle she might reverse the form with BUDDY BOB.

FAUVETTE is trained in Newmarket by Rae Guest and is another danger; she has won 5 of her 18 starts, but four of them were on the all weather.

ARTISTA is very speedy and is another for the shortlist. Her trainer Dominik Moser is a real specialist for sprinters, but 1,200m on this stiff track could be just a bit too far. MINA MACCARI, from Italy, and INTER APPROACH from Poland, are almost impossible to assess, but our instinctive feeling is that they probably are not good enough.

Luck in running, as well as the draw, will probably be decisive here, but if DISHINA can adjust to this distance, she seems to be the most likely winner.

SELECTIONS: 11. DISHINA, 8. KINDRED SPIRIT, 1. BUDDY BOB, 3. WALDERSEE & 6. ARTISTA

S1-2    Grosser Preis von Berlin
This prestigious event was the best race in Germany last year, when ALPINISTA defeated TORQUATOR TASSO and WALTON STREET, form which was well boosted later: however there is nothing of that calibre in this renewal, and only five runners, all German-trained, were declared on Monday.

But fortunately there were three supplementary entries on Wednesday including Godolphin’s 4YO REBEL’S ROMANCE, trained by Charlie Appleby, and James Doyle will be in the saddle. He is not the brightest star in the Godolphin galaxy, but he is a tough and consistent performer who has won six of his nine starts including the G2 UAE Derby and most recently the G3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood, where he defeated his stable companion KEMARI, as he had done on his previous start at Newmarket (July Course) in June. REBEL’S ROMANCE stays really well, a definite advantage at this tough galloping track, and looks the one to beat.

His seven opponents are all trained in Germany, and include three 3YO’s who ran previously in the G1 Deutsches Derby. ASSISTENT finished fourth there and NERIK finished fifth of 20, only beaten by less than two lengths and the form has been franked since. ASSISTENT is trained by Henk Grewe and Thore Hammer Hansen will be on board, while NERIK is trained by Peter Schiergen, who is having an excellent season and jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev has been German champion jockey for the past three seasons and is again leading. NERIK is lightly raced and gives the impression that there is more in the tank. However ARDAKAN, who finished eighth in the Deutsches Derby, was only a length behind this pair and finished very well; he had previously won the G2 Derby Italiano. French jockey Clement Lecoeuvre rode him in Rome and partners him again. One would have to say that German form is much stronger than Italian form, so ASSISTENT and NERIK can be expected to confirm the Hamburg form, but there is very little between the trio.

The other supplemented runner is the 3YO filly NASTARIA, who is much improved this season and has won her last two races in good style. Before that she was runner-up in the G3 Diana Trial at this track and there finished in front of the subsequent G1 German Oaks winner. However this is a huge jump in class and on ratings she has little chance.

The other three runners are all 4YO’s and are all solid G2 performers. ALTER ADLER was runner-up in last year´s Deutsches Derby, but in our view the 2022 renewal was a much stronger race. This year ALTER ADLER won a G2 in Baden-Baden in May, making most of the running, but was most disappointing last time at Hamburg where he finished well behind NORTHERN RULER and VIRGINIA STORM.

NORTHERN RULER, whose trainer Andreas Wohler won the German Oaks last week, was runner-up there to Germany’s top horse TORQUATOR TASSO, so that was no disgrace, and on the form he holds VIRGINIA STORM who was less than two lengths behind him in third.

ALTER ADLER would have a squeak if back to his best, but we suspect that he needs softer ground than he will find here. The long, hot summer continues and the going seems certain to be on the fast side. This could well suit REBEL’S ROMANCE better than his German rivals.

SELECTIONS: 3. REBEL'S ROMANCE, 7. NERIK, 6. ASSISTENT & 5. ARDAKAN

Disclaimer:

The above content and information are the personal views and/or opinions of each individual writer and do not represent the views of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and/or its subsidiaries (together, the "HKJC"). The content and information are provided by the writers solely for entertainment purpose only, and should not be construed as a suggestion for anyone to place any bet nor should they be taken and/or relied upon as advice of any kind. The above content and information have not been verified, confirmed and/or endorsed by HKJC and HKJC shall not be liable to any person for any loss or damage suffered by such person as a result of any use or reliance of the above content or information.

HKJC shall not be required to give and does not give any warranty, whether express or implied, arising out of or in connection with the content or information. The Club disclaims any responsibility and accepts no liability (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) for any direct or indirect loss of damage arising from any inaccuracies, omission or typographical errors that may be contained therein. The Club also does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or fitness for purpose of any such information.