 Expert - Catrin Nack | |
|---|---|
| Catrin became hooked with racing when she watched ZAUBERER ploughing through the mud to win the German Derby in 1978. She ventured into racehorse-ownership in 1994, and this horse, a mare, is still with her at the tender age of 30. Catrin and her husband have been running several syndicates, mainly with homebred horses, and continue to breed in partnerships. She joined the German racing newsletter Turf-Times as a freelance writer in 2010 and has been contributing about English and Irish racing, with a focus on National Hunt, until 2023. | |
Expert Column for Deutsches Derby (S1-7) (Catrin Nack)
S1-7 Deutsches Derby
The 154th running of the German Derby looks like a very open affair, with lightly raced colts and a filly set to face the Derby on Sunday. England and Ireland will be represented by one starter each, while eight local trainers provide the remaining horses. Peter Schiergen, who already trained the winner on six previous occasions, including last year, Andreas Wohler (five wins) and Henk Grewe (one win), will also send a couple of runners for this race.
Andreas Wohler’s STRAIGHT, ridden by stable jockey Eduardo Pedroza is the highest rated runner in the race. He scooted home in the G2 Union-Rennen over 2,200m in Cologne in early June, giving a comprehensive beating to a quality field on paper, including Henk Grewe-trained MR HOLLYWOOD who ridden by Lukas Delozier. In fact, the whole nine-strong field is set to meet again in the Deutsches Derby, and with STRAIGHT from barrier 8 such an easy winner, it’s hard to see him being turned over by those opponents in Hamburg.
That said, trainer Henk Grewe couldn’t be more positive about MR HOLLYWOOD. “He worked great the other day, and he is clearly my best chance. If the ground is soft or even heavy, he will take a lot of beating.” The ground was on the firm side of good in Cologne, so ground conditions will play an important part on Sunday, with a current description of good to soft and some rain hitting the course in the early parts of this week. MR HOLLYWOOD was unbeaten in two impressive runs on the heavy ground prior to the G2 Union-Rennen, one at G3 level, and he remains of utmost interest.
FANTASTIC MOON represents Munich trainer Sarah Steinberg, with Arc-winning jockey Rene Piechulek taking the reins in the colours of a new syndicate called Liberty Racing, which is set to be represented by two runners (WINNING SPIRIT, 2nd in the G2 Derby Italiano, from the Peter Schiergen yard being the other). A three-time winner from four starts, latest in a G3 Derby Trial at the prestigious Baden-Baden race meeting, FANTASTIC MOON is likely to prove popular in the betting, with good ground important but the trip is a question mark. He has a high draw in barrier 16 to overcome too.
Germany’s multiple Champion and most successful “Derby-Jockey” (with eight winners and counting) Andrasch Starke is set to partner Markus Klug-trained ASPIRANT this time. A winner on his lifetime debut, the colt has found wanting in Group-company since and can only have an outsider’s chance.
England will be represented by the Ralph Beckett-trained and Hector Crouch ridden IF NOT NOW from barrier 3, who is in fact German-bred. The triple-raced dual winner, latest on handicap level, faces a tough task.
Irish trainer Jessica Harrington will send the PIVOTAL TRIGGER to Hamburg. This time he will partner with Oisin Orr from barrier 12, and he is the only horse to at least try his hand at G1 level when he finished last in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last October.
SELECTIONS: 2. MR HOLLYWOOD, 1. STRAIGHT, 5. WINNING SPIRIT, 9. SEE PARIS & 3. FANTASTIC MOON
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