 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 Preis der Diana ‐ German Oaks Day (S1) (Catrin Nack)
S1-1 HKJC World Pool Handicap
For this 1,500m HKJC World Pool Handicap, the importance of the draw cannot be stressed enough, and previous course knowledge is an advantage, too.
The good purse guaranteed a full field of 14 runners, with top trainers dipping into handicap company they are usually keen to avoid. SAVOYA and POYRAZ APPROACH fall into that bracket, as do SABA STORM and LUCIA ARATORI. Sascha Smrczek trains at the track and runs two interesting contenders in top weight GREY SPARKLE and A COUNTACH.
The real track specialist is NOLITO from Hans Blume's stable, who started his career late due to an injury and was successful twice in 4 starts. Both times in Dusseldorf over the 1,600m. The German champion jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev is in the saddle.
SABA STORM will be saddled by trainer Andreas Bolte who has had a highly successful year so far and the horse loves the distance between 1,400 and 1,600m. Germany's most successful jockey of all time is in the saddle and with the weight of 126lbs, SABA STORM is certainly a contender for a place in the top three.
LUCIA ARATORI is a very good runner even in class two races. The 4YO has to carry a lot of weight, but an experienced jockey like Adrie de Vries knows the demanding course very well and is able to handle the horses' forces perfectly. He showed this last week in Munich while winning group one in Munich and previously for Godolphin in a listed race.
A COUNTACH hasn't felt quite as comfortable on his home track so far, but with 115lbs and Sibylle Vogt in the saddle, it's a horse for tierce or forecast bets.
SELECTIONS: 4. NOLITO, 6. SABA STORM, 13. A COUNTACH, 1. GREY SPARKLE & 3. LUCIA ARATORI
DOUBLE SELECTIONS (4 unit bets):
S1-1: Multiple – 4. NOLITO & 6. SABA STORM
S1-2: Multiple – 8. JE ZOUS & 2. ERLE
S1-2 Preis der Diana ‐ German Oaks
The 166th Henkel-Preis der Diana – German Oaks – is a Classic and one of seven G1 races in Germany. It is the second fillies Classic to be run at Dusseldorf racecourse, certainly a track for specialists. It is deemed unsuited for large and unbalanced horses, and keep the draw bias in mind when weighing up form: a high draw is certainly a disadvantage.
A full field of 16 will line up in the Oaks, so again have the draw in mind when picking your selections. The field is full of international flavour, with likely favourite DARNATION being trained in the north of England. She is joined by fellow British raider LINGUA FRANCA as well as a runner from Ireland and France respectively. DARNATION is a few pounds clear on official ratings and comes back to place of her greatest win to date when winning the G2 German 1000 Guineas in May. Her latest 2nd in G3 Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes over 2,038m at Newcastle is good form, and she has a good starting stall in 5. However, there are slight doubts if another step up in trip will bring out more improvement. She sets the clear form standard.
Joseph O’Briens’ powerful Irish yard sends JE ZOUS, German-based Bauyrzhan Murzabayev elected her over local opponents. While the filly hasn’t won in three starts this term, her 5th at Royal Ascot over a slightly longer trip was her best race to date, she remains of interest. French raider BUBBLE GUM is ridden by Jamie Spencer, a tip in itself. A standing dish in the international circuit, the jockey chooses his rides carefully nowadays; his partner certainly wasn’t disgraced in the French equivalent in her first try at top level. LINGUA FRANCA represents British connections who love nothing better than to exploit the German Black Type system. The lightly raced homebred flopped on her latest start in Germany but dismiss her at your peril.
In a country still known for major owner-breeders, the local opposition consists mainly of just that. In the main lightly raced, these fillies contested Oaks Trials at Hamburg, Hoppegarten, Mulheim or Dusseldorf, with various degrees of luck. ERLE, trained by rookie trainer Maxim Pecheur, saw the form of maiden win at this track receive a major boost, she than stepped up in class to take the G3 Diana-Trial at Hoppegarten against three of today’s opponents. WELTBESTE represents the same owner and did run in the G1 Deustsches Derby against colts, but this may still be tough. DIAMOND CROWN, unlucky in stall 16, and DIYA run in the same colours too and are in fact related, both are very lightly raced but could be anything. Both LADY MARY and PRINCESS VALENTINA could outrun their huge odds, for adventurous each-way punters.
SELECTIONS: 8. JE ZOUS, 2. ERLE, 4. LADY MARY, 5. DIAMOND CROWN & 1. DARNATION
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