Horse of the Year Honours for Fantastic Moon

Fantastic Moon (Ger) has emulated his sire Sea The Moon (Ger) not just by winning the G1 Deutsches Derby but now also in being crowned German Horse of Year for 2023.

The colt, owned by Liberty Racing, won the oldest public vote in the history of German sport, which took place on his fourth birthday, March 21.

“We are very proud of this title. Fantastic Moon absolutely deserves it,” said Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, the co-founder of the colt's ownership syndicate Liberty Racing.

“His magnificent victory in the 2023 German Derby and his superior victory as the first German horse in the Prix Niel in Paris have clearly shown that he is currently Germany's best horse, and the fans have now confirmed this with their vote for the Sea The Moon colt.”

Sea The Moon was himself made Horse of the Year following his 11-length Derby win in 2014. The Lanwades Stud resident had an emphatic influence on the German Classics last season and was also responsible for the first three home in the G1 Preis der Diana, led by Muskoka (Ger), who was bred by Baumgarten.

Fantastic Moon remains in training with Sarah Steinberg in Munich with the aim being for him to make his seasonal debut at Hoppegarten in the Listed Preis von Dahlwitz on Easter Sunday. His runner-up in the Derby, Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}), is also entered for the race. After Berlin, the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp at the end of April is also under consideration for Fantastic Moon. 

Baumgarten added, “He is only the second Derby winner in the past 23 years to win this award, likely because he has built up a large fanbase. We thank everyone who voted for him and of course his team around trainer Sarah Steinberg and jockey Rene Piechulek for the outstanding work with our hero.”

His co-founder in Liberty Racing, Nadine Siepmann, said, “As a child, I was impressed every year watching the Horse of the Year vote on TV, and now our horse has won the vote, which is so great.”

There are 22 members in the ownership group for Fantastic Moon, and this represents the first time that the German Horse of the Year has been owned by a syndicate. Liberty Racing was set up in 2020 and now has seven active syndicates with 16 horses in training for more than 100 shareholders.

Siepmann added, “Owner syndicates are enormously important for horse racing in order to introduce the great thoroughbred horses to new people. That's why it's all the more wonderful that these communities also win big races and own great horses, that's the best advertising.”

Fantastic Moon was bred by Philipp and Marion Stauffenberg from the Jukebox Jury (Ire) mare Frangipani (Ger). Now 10, the mare is due to foal to Sea The Stars (Ire) and she will return to Sea The Moon (Ger) this season. 

 

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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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BSA August 2YO Sale Topped by Vercingetorix Filly

The second session of the BSA August Two-Year-Old Sale proved more adventurous than the first as four of the five seven-digit purchases came during the portion of the event. The crowning draft arrived in the form of Lucrative (Saf), who topped the sale at R1,400,000 and cemented Vercingetorix as the top sire with an aggregate of R7,300,000 from 12 lots sold.

The jewel of the Maine Chance Farms (pty) Ltd. consignment, the bay daughter of Querari (Ger) mare La Collossa (Saf) hails from a busy Group-winning and performing family including MGSP-Fr La Banderilla (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) and German champion MG1SW-Ger & GSP-US Lomitas (GB) (Niniski)–grandsire of Vercingetorix–through the female line of La Colorada (Ger), the German champion 2-year-old filly of her year. La Collossa does not claim quite the race record but has produced a winner from two of racing age counting Lucrative.

Of the 257 lots offered for the two-day auction, 245 sold (95.3%) for an aggregate of R59,690,000. The average was R244,631 and the median was R160,000.

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Irish, German Derbys Make World Pool Debut

The world's largest globally commingled horse racing pools, created and powered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, will now include both the Irish and German Derbys for the first time on Sunday, July 2. Germany's richest race, the G1 Deutsches Derby, will mark the inaugural time the World Pool has operated in the country and will also be available two hours later for all eight races on the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Day card from the Curragh.

“The various international Derbys carry particular importance in Hong Kong across various stakeholder categories,” said Sam Nati, Head of Commingling at the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “These include racing fans, wagering customers and owners, so the German and Irish Derbys are an important addition to the World Pool schedule.”

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