Catrin Nack's Bio

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.

Hoppegarten Racecourse – Track Analysis (Grosser Preis von Berlin Day)

Berlins racecourse Hoppegarten is located in the village of the very name, east of Berlin City center – part of a large training centre. About 150 horses or so are trained there nowadays, by four principal trainers. The track is now privately owned, and the quality of racing continues to raise. Roughly 10 racedays are staged in Hoppegarten at present.

This year sees the 133rd running of the Grosser Preis von Berlin, a race with a similar colourful history. First run in 1888, it was then held over 2000m. Over the years, the distance increased to up to 2600m, but decreased again to its current trip of 2400m. The race changed location a couple of times as well, couldn’t be staged during the Second World War. The race returned to Hoppegarten, and its former name, in 2011. It is one of seven G1 races in Germany, none of which are shorter than 2000m. This race is the only one at the highest level to be held at Hoppegarten. The race is open for 3yo and older horses, of both sexes, with geldings being eligible to run as well. The roll of honour includes a fascinating mix of international stars such as CAMPANOLOGIST, MEANDRE, BEST SOLUTION, ALBANOVA and her subsequent Arc-winning relative ALPINISTA, but also the who-is-who of German stayers, think LOMITAS, PLATINI, ADLERFLUG or DANEDREAM to name just a very few. In fact the race has built up a nice reputation as some sort of “Arc trial”, with MARIENBARD, DANEDREAM and ALPINISTA going on to ultimate glory at ParisLongchamp.

Hoppegarten racecourse is right-handed, its circumference being about the 2400m-length of the Grosser Preis von Berlin; in fact the start of the race is right in front of the historic grandstand. Hoppegarten is in oval shape which is similar to almost all other racetracks in Germany, but does have some characteristic features. The race has two chutes, one for the 2200m start, right before the first bend, and one towards the end of the first bend, where races run over 1800m can be started.

Hoppegarten also features – unique to tracks in Germany – a 1400m straight, with not even the slightest bend. The back straight has a slight turn leading to one long elongated bend, the actual home-bend is rather tight and leads into the 500m home straight. Like all racetracks in Germany, Hoppegarten is fairly flat; the straight course does have some slight undulations, and the home straight does rise ever so slightly. Jockeys are advised not to make their move too early, and a true stayer is needed to last the trip.

Two races will be simulcast to Hong Kong for the Grosser Preis von Berlin Day. For the feature race of the day, 2400m G1 Grosser Presis von Berlin, only two 3YOs scored in last 10 running’s of the race, with seven 4YOs and one 6YO. Last year’s winner was Godolphins globetrotter REBEL’S ROMANCE.

Germany was hit by a very wet summer in recent weeks even though the amount of rain naturally varied from region to region. Small amounts of rain are forecast early this week, with dry days and rising temperatures predicted for the days leading into the weekend. If the current forecast proves to be correct, the ground should be Good.

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