Susanne Born New Press Officer at Berlin-Hoppegarten Racecourse

Susanne Born will take up position as the new press officer at Berlin-Hoppegarten Racecourse, announced the venue via press release on Friday.

A veteran of similar positions in Hannover and Baden-Baden, Born will work to develop effective communication strategies for the international media sector as well as a focus on the long-term strengthening of the presence and perception of horse racing in Germany's capital region.

“The mission is clear: Born should increase public enthusiasm for our sport. A particular focus is on gaining new fans and media partners who recognise and share the uniqueness and fascination of our sport,” said Berlin-Hoppegarten owner Gerhard Schoningh.

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Zarak’s Shagara Prevails In Winterkonigin Thriller

Just a head separated Shagara (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}–She Bang {Fr}, by Monsun {Ger}) and Lady Mary (Ger) (Lawman {Fr}) when they ran second and third in last month's Listed Winterkonigin-Trial at Cologne, and it was a case of as you were as the pair fought out an exciting finish to Sunday's G3 BBAG Preis der Winterkonigin at Baden-Baden. Shagara had earlier defeated the reopposing New York City (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) over seven furlongs in her Aug. 19 debut at Mulheim and that rival provided an added boost to the form by finishing on the podium in this one-mile test.

The eventual winner, sent postward as the crowd's 13-5 pick, raced in mid division during the opening exchanges and went through halfway in fifth. Bustled along rounding the home turn, Shagara made relentless headway in the straight to take a share of third entering the final furlong–where she received a hefty bump from Lady Mary–and kept on strongly under continued rousting to deny that rival by a head on the line for a career high. New York City held a slender advantage inside the furlong pole, but was usurped in the closing stages and finished 1 1/2 lengths adrift in third.

“She has the heart of a lion and fought incredibly hard,” said winning rider Andrasch Starke. “She was really strong at the finish and what a racehorse she is.” Trainer Markus Klug added, “It's crazy what a fighter's heart Shagara has. She put in so much effort to win and now she will take her well-deserved winter break.” Gestut Schlenderhan's general manager Gebhard Apelt continued, “She wasn't in the best position at first and it is very rare to see a 2-year-old fight like that.”

Pedigree Notes
Shagara, who becomes the 12th pattern-race winner for her sire, is the sixth of seven foals and one of five scorers produced by a winning sibling of Listed Hannover Derby-Trial runner-up Sargas (Ire) (Shirocco {Ger}). Her second dam, Listed Henkel-Trial victrix Servenya (Ger) (Dashing Blade {GB}), is a full-sister to G2 Maurice Lacroix-Trophy runner-up Slawomira (Ger) and a half to Listed Preis der Hotellerie Baden-Baden victor Skythe (Ger) (Spectrum {Ire}) and the stakes-placed duo Stoikov (Ger) (Platini {Ger}) and Salomea (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). Servenya is also kin to the dam of this race's 2004 winner Sorrent (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). The March-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G2 Union-Rennen third Sky Out (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and a weanling colt by Ito (Ger) named Shejtan (Ire).

 

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
BBAG – PREIS DER WINTERKONIGIN-G3, €155,000, Baden-Baden, 10-15, 2yo, f, 8fT, 1:42.22, g/s.
1–SHAGARA (IRE), 128, f, 2, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: She Bang (Fr), by Monsun (Ger)
2nd Dam: Servenya (Ger), by Dashing Blade (GB)
3rd Dam: Slawa (Ger), by Polish Precedent
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Gestut Schlenderhan (IRE); T-Markus Klug; J-Andrasch Starke. €85,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €95,400. *1/2 to Sky Out (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}), GSP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lady Mary (Ger), 128, f, 2, Lawman (Fr)–La Reine Noir (Ger), by Rainbow Quest). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Graf & Grafin von Stauffenberg (GER); T-Andreas Suborics. €31,000.
3–New York City (Ger), 128, f, 2, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Nouvelle Neige (Ger), by Big Shuffle. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Gestut Ebbesloh (GER); T-Sarah Steinberg. €20,500.
Margins: HD, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.60, 4.20, 6.60.
Also Ran: Words Of Peace (Ger), Saman (Ger), Princess Valentina (Ger), Anna Riva (Ger), Linzona (Ger), Princesa (Ger), Go Quick (Ger).

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Seven Days: No Hollywood Ending but Baden Still Shines

The Tattersalls Somerville Sale has meant that a return to Newmarket could be delayed no longer but this column sprang, or perhaps staggered, into life on the final day of Baden-Baden's Grosse Woche.

The scribbling started reasonably early on Sunday morning from a desk in the press room that boasts one of the best views in the racing world, looking out across the turf to the wooded mountains of the Black Forest. It was also the desk that was once occupied by British-born but German-based racing correspondent David Connolly-Smith, who died in July. David was 83 but he had still been a regular presence at the races, and I always enjoyed a chat with him on my annual trip to BBAG. He brought German racing to life for readers of various publications in Britain and Ireland and, more than that, he was always so helpful and welcoming. David is much missed and it was an honour to be granted temporary residence at the desk that still bears his name.

The last day of Baden-Baden's premier week of racing is not for the faint-hearted. By 11am, the runners were already leaving the parade ring just after 11am for the first of a 12-race card on a sweltering day at Iffezheim. Three of those races, much to the delight of Baden Galopp's effervescent Stefan Buchner, featured within the World Pool, an increase from just one race on the same card last year and following on from the inclusion of the Deutsches Derby and Grosser Preis von Berlin earlier this season. By the end of the day, World Pool reported turnover of HK$64.3million (€7.5m) on those three races.

It is hard not to be concerned about German racing, primarily because it is really important for it not just to survive, but to thrive. Any country that continues to make such an impact on thoroughbred breeding globally really must have a strong domestic racing scene in order for that reputation not to start waning. Germany is not alone in struggling with falling racecourse attendances and a reduction in the number of horses in training and mares in the paddocks, but the contraction, to around 850 broodmares and slightly less than 2,000 racehorses, is worrying nonetheless.

A day or two at the bustling Baden-Baden racecourse during this late summer week almost certainly gives a false sense of the health of German racing overall, but it also provides an encouraging glimpse of racing at its very best, where a significant portion of the crowd is fully engaged with the stars of the show: the horses. It is hard to think of another racecourse where the runners and riders are clapped as they pass the stands for the first time. This happens for every race of sufficient distance at Baden-Baden; not so much a Cheltenham roar, more a polite Iffezheim ripple of applause, but it is beguiling.

The huge hedge-lined parade ring is encircled by racegoers four or five deep for every race, even from such an early start. Each winner and the also-rans are cheered back in by those lining the route, including plenty of children, along each side of the walk of fame that has the names of every winner of the Grosser Preis von Baden embedded in a path back to the winner's enclosure.

I wonder how many bosses of British racecourses have visited Baden-Baden on a raceday to see what's possible with low-cost entry, very little division of enclosures, no dress code, plenty of seating and picnic areas, and better still no noisy sideshows to divert attention from the main event or to upset the horses. It can be done, as long as we promote a day at the races as just that, and not as a big boozy outdoor party with some horses galloping around in the background.

To Longchamp via Baden-Baden

The trophy for Germany's main race of the week, the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, hopped over the nearby border to France when Christophe Soumillon timed his run to perfection on the statuesque Zagrey (Fr) to give Zarak (Fr) his first Group 1 winner. The Aga Khan Studs stallion was also the sire of the third home, Straight (Ger), and in the States over the weekend he was represented by Parnac (Fr), winner of the GII Flower Bowl S. At Saratoga. 

It was a banner day for Zagrey's trainer Yann Barberot, who was in Germany to receive the prize for the second Group 1 win of his career despite having the smart Beauvatier (Fr) in action at Longchamp, where he remained unbeaten in the G3 Prix la Rochette. That son of Lope De Vega (Ire) looks a smart Classic prospect for Barberot's Deauville stable next season. Before that, however, the trainer has much to look forward to on the first weekend of October, with Zagrey bound for the Arc and Beauvatier likely to start next in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

Zagrey was the sole foreign runner in the Grosser Preis, and his last-gasp win was a blow to fans of the second-placed Mr Hollywood (Ire), who has featured in this column before and almost made all, going down by just a neck at the line. It was encouraging to see the three-year-old in the flesh, as he is a strong, handsome individual, who will surely notch his top-level win before too long. 

Sean Cronin and Tom Frary, who are the racing writers entrusted with handing out TDN Rising Stars, guard this honour closely, and it was hard not to prick up one's ears when Tom decided to award one to a son of the little known (outside Germany anyway) Iquitos (Ger) back in early April. That was the day that Mr Hollywood made his debut at Mulheim and bolted in to win by 16 lengths. He won the G3 Bavarian Classic on his next start, and has been second in his ensuing three runs, including when second to Fantastic Moon in the Deutsches Derby. He is one of one five foals from the first crop of his sire, a son of Adleflug (Ger) standing at Gestut Graditz. Another of the quintet is the G3 Diana Trial runner-up Drawn To Dream (Ire). Both were bred by Dietrich von Boetticher of Gestut Ammerland, where the stallion stood for his first two seasons, and they are both out of mares by the owner-breeder's Arc winner Hurricane Run (Ire). 

We'll keep a close eye on Iquitos. I've a feeling there may well be plenty more to report on his offspring in the coming seasons. 

Breakthrough Win for Pearson 

Baden-Baden is likely to be remembered fondly by British jockey Laura Pearson, who had her first German ride there on Saturday. She won the Listed Wackenhut Mercedes Benz Fillies Cup with a cool-headed ride aboard the Ralph Beckett-trained Diamond Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).

It was the first stakes-race victory for Pearson, 22, who only rode out her claim a month ago having had to sit out the second half of 2022 with a serious neck injury. She returned to the saddle in January and is already well on her way to surpassing last year's tally of winners, with 19 on the board, including a Ffos Las treble for Beckett on August 25.

“I had a really fun trip to Italy last February and was lucky enough to have a double at Pisa, so it's great to keep my overseas record at 100 per cent,” Pearson told TDN.

She is enjoying her association with Beckett's Kimpton Down stable, which currently has one of the best strike-rates in Britain after a hugely successful August.

“I ride out there four days a week and it's a pleasure to be in there with the team,” she added. “I recently had my first treble for the boss, and it's great to get this win for him. I can't thank him enough for the opportunities he's given me. It's brilliant.”

Along with Zagrey, various international raiders struck in the major races during the week at Baden-Baden. Charlie Johnston saddled the third group winner from the first crop of Too Darn Hot (GB) when Carolina Reaper took the 150th running of the G3 Renate und Albrecht Woeste Zukunfts Rennen last Wednesday, and Francis Graffard sent out the Aga Khan's Darkaniya (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) to win the G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis.

Stauffenbergs on Top

Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg may be best known to many on the sales circuit as the leading German consignors internationally, but they are also first-class breeders and currently occupy the top spot on the list of German breeders with significantly fewer runners than their nearest rivals in the table, Gestut Karlshof and Gestut Rottgen.

Of course, a large portion of the prize-money haul comes from the Deutsches Derby victory of Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who disappointingly was a late withdrawal for the G1 Grosser Preis on Sunday owing to ground worries. But they were also represented at the course on Saturday by a homebred debutante, Lady Mary (Ger) (Lawman {Ire}), winner of the strong maiden, the Gestut Etzean Winterkonigin Trial, for Andreas Suborics. The juvenile is out of La Reine Noir (Ger) (Rainbow Quest), a half-sister to G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Lady Marian (Ger) (Nayef), who, like Fantastic Moon, had been sold by Stauffenberg Bloodstock for €49,000 at the BBAG September Yearling Sale.

None of the five yearlings in the Stauffenberg draft sold for that magic number this year, but the vendor was among the leaders with a €220,000 filly by Sea The Stars (Ire). The other Sea The Stars yearling in the consignment, a colt from the Lordship Stud family of Classic winners Love Divine (GB) and Sixties Icon (GB), sold for considerably less than one might have expected, and was knocked down at €80,000 to Tina Rau for the Ullmann family of Gestut Schlenderhan. 

The good-looking colt will be well worth following when he heads into training with Joseph O'Brien, however. As we see time and again, there is often little correlation between sales prices and racecourse performances, and the most notable Lordship Stud graduate of recent years was another by Sea The Stars who was sold for just 60,000gns as a yearling. Later named Emily Upjohn (GB), she turned out to be rather good.

King of Paris

Kingman (GB) was represented by a notable double at Longchamp on Sunday when his daughter Sauterne reeled in the front-running Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) to land the G1 Prix du Moulin and Narnaco (GB) made all in the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte.

For Sauterne, who delivered her trainer Patrice Cottier a first Group 1 win, this was truly reward for effort and consistency. Bred by her owner Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois, she won the Listed Prix Pont du Neuf in April and since then has been placed three times at Group 1 level, in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix Jean Prat and Prix Rothschild.

On the same weekend two years ago, Spain's champion trainer Guillermo Arizkorreta sent out Rodaballo (Ire) and Kitty Marion (GB) to win the G2 Oettingen Rennen and G3 Goldene Peitsche in Baden-Baden, and this year he turned his attention on Longchamp with Naranco. 

It was a truly international result. The colt was bred in Britain by the Hong Kong-based Eric Chen and was bought at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale by the former head of the Spanish Jockey Club, Jose Hormaeche, for owner Yeguada Rocio. Trained in Madrid by Arizkorreta, he was ridden to glory by Czech jockey Vaclav Janacek. Naranco also owns a pretty smart pedigree that is spreading its wings. His dam Patsy Boyne (Ire) is a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to High Chaparral (Ire) and she has been exported to Australia by Chen.

Hays Making Merry

One should never say never, but it seems highly unlikely that any other owner will be able to repeat having a treble spreads across Kincsem Park and Kentucky Downs, as enjoyed by Jim and Fitri Hay on Saturday.

This unique feat was pulled off by Splendent (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) and Silent Film (GB) (New Approach {GB}), both of whom won at Hungary's big meeting with Frankie Dettori in the saddle. This was followed later in the day by victory in the valuable GIII Mint Millions S. for Ancient Rome (War Front). Trained by Charles Hill and ridden by Jamie Spencer, the 110-rated four-year-old won almost £1 million in prize-money and was following up on his win in the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood last month. 

 

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Zagrey Becomes Zarak’s First Group 1 Winner In Baden-Baden Feature

Granted leave of absence from 'TDN Rising Star' Beauvatier's G3 Prix La Rochette victory in Paris earlier in the day, conditioner Yann Barberot was on hand to witness G1 Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud placegetter Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}–Grey Anatomy {GB}, by Slickly {Fr}) set the seal on a notable double, and claim a Group 1 first for his sire, in Sunday's 153rd Wettstar.de Grosser Preis von Baden.

Last term's Listed Derby du Midi and Listed Grand Prix du Nord victor had his task made slightly earier task by the withdrawal of G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) was he keen under cover, along the fence on the heels of the leaders, as 'TDN Rising Star' and Deutsches Derby runner-up Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) set a modest pace for most of the 12-furlong trip. Caught in traffic out wide as the sprint commenced in earnest off the home turn, the 2-5 favourite was presented with a dream seam underneath the stands' side rail when Mr Hollywood drifted off a true line passing the furlong pole and stayed on relentlessy to deny that tenacious rival by a neck in the dying strides. Gestut Karlshof's Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}) was on the scene throughout the thrilling final quarter-mile and only gave best nearing the line, finishing a half-length adrift in third.

Christophe Soumillon, who was winning the Grosser Preis for the first time, said, “The start was very difficult because we didn't go very fast. Luckily on the first bend the lead horse didn't turn well so that gave me the opportunity to get on the inside and let him roll a bit. After that, he was really relaxed for the whole race. He changed legs perfectly when I asked him to and when we got into the straight he was fighting with the bit a little.”

 

“When I asked him to quicken, I had to wait as there was a point when I didn't have a lot of room so I was just waiting for the gap. He's a lovely horse. We knew everything would suit him here, especially the way the race is run here as he always hangs right, so for him to get the perfect leg to the outside is always great. For sure, he would have been better with a stronger tempo in the race, but he was in great shape today.”

Barberot, who landed his second Group 1 victory and first in Germany, added, “It's never easy to win a Group 1, even with a good horse like him. It was a great race in the straight. There wasn't a lot of room in the last 500 metres, particularly when they had gone such a slow pace early on, but the horse showed a lot of courage to get there. Having said that, when they were turning into the straight I was quite worried.”

Pedigree Notes
Zagrey, who becomes the 10th pattern-race scorer and first at the highest level for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the fourth of six foals and one of three scorers out of the unraced Grey Anatomy (GB) (Slickly {Fr}). The April-foaled bay is a half to G1 Criterium International third Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), the stakes-placed Anatiya (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}) and the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Eepha (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). His second dam, Listed Virginia S. victrix Light Step (Nureyev), produced dual stakes-winning G3 Prix des Reservoirs third Nova Step (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and is kin to three stakes winners headed by MGISP G2 Royal Lodge S. victor Eltish (Cox's Ridge). Light Step is out of Nimble Feet (Danzig), herself a full-sister to GI Arlington-Washington Lassie S. heroine Contredance and kin to MGSW distaffer Skimble (Lyphard). Skimble, in turn, is the dam of dual GI Pacific Classic-winning sire Skimming (Nureyev).

Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
153RD WETTSTAR.DE GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €400,000, Baden-Baden, 9-3, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:39.77, gd.
1–ZAGREY (FR), 132, c, 4, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr)
2nd Dam: Light Step, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Nimble Feet, by Danzig
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€32,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Altima & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot; J-Christophe Soumillon. €230,000. Lifetime Record: MSW & G1SP-Fr, G1SP-UAE, 14-5-4-2, €1,034,716. *1/2 to Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), G1SP-Fr, $280,444; and Anatiya (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), SP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mr Hollywood (Ire), 125, c, 3, Iquitos (Ger)–Margie's Music (Fr), by Hurricane Run (Ire). (€15,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Wanja Soren Oberhof & Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €90,000.
3–Straight (Ger), 125, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Seductive (Ger), by Henrythenavigator. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€40,000 RNA Ylg '21 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €45,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 4.50, 17.70.
Also Ran: Quantanamera (Ger), Kassada (Ger), Sisfahan (Fr). Scratched: Fantastic Moon (Ger).

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