Last of 15 when Fantastic Moon was 11th flying the flag for Germany in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when last sighted, Mr Hollywood was understandably fresh and keen early on the front end in the hands of Andrasch Starke. Looking vulnerable as the patiently-ridden Fantastic Moon threatened to his right in the straight, the 13-10 second favourite gave extra to pull away again and win by 1 1/2 lengths. “I had to go to the front, which wasn't ideal as I'd have liked him to calm down behind another,” Starke said. “He kept at it and even broke away in the end.”

Mr Hollywood is the second dam out of the listed-placed dam Margie's Music {Fr} (Hurricane Run {Ire}), whose first was the G3 Derby-Trial runner-up Magical Beat (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). Out of Margie's World (Ger) (Spinning World), was also listed-placed and is kin to the G2 Gerling-Preis-placed Margosto (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), she is connected to the GI Spinaway S. runner-up Our Little Margie (Mr. Majestic). Her yearling full-sister to Magical Beat was knocked down to Elliott Bloodstock Services Limited for €220,000 at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale.

PREIS VON DAHLWITZ-Listed, €25,000, Hoppegarten, 3-31, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:07.12, g/s.
1–MR HOLLYWOOD (IRE), 126, c, 4, Iquitos (Ger)–Margie's
Music (Fr) (SP-Ger), by Hurricane Run (Ire). TDN Rising Star.
(€15,000 Ylg '21 BBASEP). O-H H Sheikh A bin Khalifa Al Thani,
Wanja Soren Oberhof und Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut
Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe; J-Andrasch Starke. €15,000.
Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Ger, 7-3-3-0, €288,500.
*1/2 to Magical Beat (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), GSP-Ger.
2–Fantastic Moon (Ger), 130, c, 4, Sea The Moon (Ger)–
Frangipani (Ger), by Jukebox Jury (Ire). (€49,000 Ylg '21
BBASEP). O-Graf & Grafin von Stauffenberg; B-Liberty Racing
2021 (GER); T-Sarah Steinberg. €5,000.
3–Lightning Jock (Ire), 123, g, 6, Lawman (Fr)–High Haven (Ire),
by High Chaparral (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€10,000 Ylg '19
TIRSEP; €5,000 HRA '21 GOFAUT). O-F Esser; B-Ballylinch Stud
(IRE); T-Frank Fuhrmann. €3,125.
Margins: 1HF, 2 1/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.30, 1.10, 10.00.
Also Ran: Merkur (Fr), Quebueno (Ire). Scratched: Mythico (Fr).

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Now that the only marginally less brilliant King Of Steel (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has underlined at Royal Ascot just what an achievement it was to give him a start and run him down on the famous Surrey Downs, the excitement continues to mount that we are in the midst of a great one.

It is therefore vital that the talented and possibly under-rated White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) is here to test his merit again and provide a true measurement of his trajectory. John Joseph Murphy's grey missile likes to hand his rivals instant advantage, but at Epsom he was notably rapid throughout the final half mile with his split from three to two out of 10.67 just a tick off the race's sharpest recorded by King Of Steel. Now on a more galloping track on ground which should play more to his strengths, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's representative ensures this is an Irish Derby with real weight.

Much will be said by Aidan O'Brien but as usual, the master of Ballydoyle was keeping it low-key pre-race. “Everything has gone smooth since Epsom,” he said. “That was his first time over a mile and a half and we didn't know how it would be, but we thought he was very comfortable and it has to be a good experience to stay at that trip again. Those horses at Ascot had more time from the Derby this year, which helped, but the form looks to be standing up.”

Murphy is understandably hoping that White Birch can make the same impact here as he did last month. “I was delighted at Epsom, but I think he could have been a bit better as he starts his races quite slowly and then gallops very genuinely,” he said. “He's a very sound horse, I don't think he's ever had a vet. He's very genuine, but he doesn't break well and I think he'll get better as the race goes on. He's lightly-raced still, there's only so many times you can go to the well but he likes his racing and likes his work–every morning he has a great attitude.”

Fourth in the Derby and denied a clean passage at a crucial time, Mohammed Khalid Abdulrahim's Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) still has to improve markedly to impose himself on Auguste Rodin and White Birch so the colts that followed him home at comfortable margins in Leopardstown's G3 Derby Trial, Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Proud And Regal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), should be readily outclassed. Aidan O'Brien has set this up tactically to allow the favourite to get into his crushing rhythm and the useful potential pacemaker Covent Garden (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will presumably set the stage.

Straight Up?…

Of course, Ireland are not the only ones on Sunday staging a Derby, with the 154th edition of the G1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg seeing Gestut Karlshof's Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}) re-opposed by TDN Rising Star Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) following their mismatched encounter in Cologne's G2 Union-Rennen earlier this month. While there was a five-length margin between them on that occasion, Wanja Soren Oberhof and Sebastian Weiss's Mr Hollywood had been so impressive when taking Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic that Straight has to do it again for true validation.

Straight's owner-breeder Bruno Faust said, “We are very happy for him to have shown his quality in such an awesome way! He has the right genes, being very closely related to three German Derby winners, a German Oaks heroine and Derby runner-up plus this year's Derby Italiano hero Goldenas. For me, it was clear that he had the potential when he broke his maiden at two and he has continued to convinc e us. I also hope that he can handle any ground.”

Sebastian Weiss said of Mr Hollywood, “Our trainer Henk Grewe told us that he was a very good horse, but just how good he was we only began realising when he took the Bavarian Classic. We bought him without much planning, he was on a list given to me by Wilhelm Feldmann and even if it sounds like a cliche, I fell in love with him instantly. He had so much presence, he was such a good mover and athletic, if he would have been by Sea The Stars or Frankel, he probably would have been amongst the top lots, but we were lucky he was by Iquitos. I only know whoever wants to win this Derby will have to beat Straight.”

If there is one who could shake up the domestic team it is the Ralph Beckett-trained If Not Now (Ger) (Iffraaj {GB}). Bred by Gestut Fahrhof and bought at the BBAG September Yearling Sale for €67,000 by Jeremy Brummitt for Quantum Leap Racing, the relative of the 1999 Deutsches Derby runner-up Acambaro (Ger) (Goofalik) produced a noteworthy performance when winning a Sandown handicap by seven lengths on his latest outing. “He's done well from two to three and it was a good effort last time. He's a very straightforward individual and his owners were keen to have a go, so it all made very good sense,” Beckett said.

Unquestionable Faith…

Sunday's G2 GAIN Railway S. is always an important staging post en route to the following year's Classics, particularly where Aidan O'Brien is concerned, and there are three potential Guineas colts from Ballydoyle this time. Successful on debut in the Listed First Flier S. and a close third in the G3 Marble Hill S. here before finishing fourth and beating all on his side in last Thursday's G2 Norfolk S., His Majesty  (Ire) (No Nay Never) would ordinarily have been expected to be Ryan Moore's pick. That he is not speaks volumes for the regard in which the TDN Rising Star Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) is held. Third behind His Majesty as they made their debuts in the First Flier, Al Shaqab Racing, Coolmore and Westerberg's relative of Cityscape (GB) and Bated Breath (GB) looked so comfortable in the course-and-distance Tally Ho Stud Irish EBF Maiden at the Irish Guineas meeting that he has made a deep impression on Moore.

Opting for him over His Majesty and fellow TDN Rising Star Democracy (Ire) (No Nay Never), who was last of six in the Marble Hill, the rider explained, “There isn't much to choose between any of them. I do think His Majesty holds the best form claims of our trio heading into the race, especially as you have to mark up his fourth in the Norfolk last week and I think the return to six furlongs will suit him too but Unquestionable clearly has a lot of potential and I was very impressed by him when he won his maiden here last month. I think there is a lot of improvement in this Wootton Bassett colt. Democracy is better than he showed in the Marble Hill last time too.”

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Following his crazy 16-length winning debut at Mulheim in April, the bay made light work of Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic on heavy ground a month later and has a clear form edge on that evidence. While it is impossible to ever write off a Gestut Auenquelle homebred son of Sea The Moon (Ger), the fact is that the favourite's most credible rival Vintage Moon (Ger) was well-beaten by Fantastic Moon  (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in Baden-Baden's G3 Derby-Trial and the winner of that had been put in his place by Mr Hollywood in the Bavarian Classic.

Perhaps Stall Nizza's impressive eight-length Krefeld maiden winner Napolitano (Ire) (Australia {GB}), a Peter Schiergen-trained son of the dual G1 Preis von Europa heroine Nightflower (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) from the family of the G2 Deutsches Derby hero Nutan (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), will be the one to test him.

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Positioned off the clear leader in fifth until turning for home in this 10-furlong contest, the 2-1 joint-favourite powered forward in the straight to lead approaching the final furlong and, despite rolling around in front, kept on strongly in the closing stages to account for G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen victor and market rival Alpenjager (Ger) (Nutan {Ire}) by three lengths in taking fashion. Last year's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), hitherto undefeated, finished 4 1/2 lengths adrift in third.

“It is usually a very difficult race to win, but not with him as he is such a fast horse on this ground,” winning rider Lukas Delozier told GallopOnline. “He was very green today, in every way, but he coped well with the softened ground. This is a good track, he is sure to improve for his next start and I think he is good enough for the [Deutsches] Derby.” Trainer Henk Grewe added, “He had worked very well at home [in Cologne] and we were expecting him to run well under the given circumstances, but working and racing can differ a great deal. He is sure to have learned a lot and will improve.” Connections indicated Germany's premier Derby trial, the [June 11] G2 Union-Rennen [at Cologne], is next on the agenda.

Pedigree Notes
Mr Hollywood (Ger) (Iquitos {Ger}), who becomes the first stakes scorer from only four first-crop foals for his sire (by Adlerflug {Ger}), is the second of three foals out of Listed Escada Cup runner-up Margie's Music (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}). The February-foaled bay's stakes-placed second dam Margie's World (Ger) (Spinning World) is a half-sister to G2 Gerling-Preis third Margosto (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}) and Listed Fruhjahrs-Stutenpreis placegetter Masai Mara (Ger) (Shaadi). His fourth dam Our Little Margie (Majestic Light) finished second in the GI Spinaway S. and her descendants include GIII Miesque S. victrix Paddy's Daisy (King Of Kings {Ire}). Margie's Music has also produced last year's G3 Derby-Trial runner-up Magical Beat (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Moosbeere (Ger) (Waldgeist {GB}).

Monday, Munich, Germany
WETTSTAR.DE – BAVARIAN CLASSIC-G3, €55,000, Munich, 5-1, 3yo, 10fT, 2:15.81, hy.
1–MR HOLLYWOOD (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Iquitos (Ger)
1st Dam: Margie's Music (Fr) (SP-Ger), by Hurricane Run (Ire)
2nd Dam: Margie's World (Ger), by Spinning World
3rd Dam: Margie's Darling, by Alydar
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€15,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Wanja Soren Oberhof & Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe; J-Lukas Delozier. €32,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €38,000. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Alpenjager (Ger), 128, c, 3, Nutan (Ire)–Amora (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire). O-Stall Nizza; B-Ursula & Jurgen Imm (GER); T-Peter Schiergen. €12,000.
3–Fantastic Moon (Ger), 128, c, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Frangipani (Ger), by Jukebox Jury (Ire). (€49,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Liberty Racing 2021; B-Graf & Grafin von Stauffenberg (GER); T-Sarah Steinberg. €6,000.
Margins: 3, 4HF, 13. Odds: 2.00, 2.00, 3.80.
Also Ran: Skylo (Ger), Romina Power (Fr), Snow Late (Fr), Merkur (Fr). Scratched: Quality Road (Ger), Straight (Ger).

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Mare Trouble…
Interestingly, Luxembourg who comes with the customary “will-improve” tag, encounters the mare Insinuendo (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who so nearly upset the odds when he was returning from his first injury-enforced rehab period in the G3 Royal Whip over this course and distance in August. These races don't always come easy and that is certainly the case this time, with another femme fatale lying in wait in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary and G2 Blandford S.-winning TDN Rising Star Above The Curve (American Pharoah), not to mention the G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}). Like Vadeni and Bay Bridge on Sunday, Luxembourg might have to wait a bit longer for that familiar taste of success…

Off To A Flier…
The Curragh's card gets swinging with the Listed GAIN First Flier S., the first of its kind for the domestic juvenile crop of 2023 which includes the Paddy Twomey-trained TDN Rising Star Noche Magica (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Having made such an instant impact at Cork earlier this month, Mohammed Ahmad Ali Al Subousi's slick traveller looks ready-made to be one of the top early 2-year-olds as Royal Ascot looms. Interestingly, Aidan O'Brien has a pair of newcomers engaged including His Majesty (Ire) by No Nay Never, sire of last year's winner Blackbeard (Ire). Does the title give a clue as to the regard in which the 325,000gns son of the group 3 scorer Czabo (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) is held?

The Next Stop…
There is a chance that by the time the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains comes around, Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will have a fitness and experience edge as well as possibly a class edge over several of his peers. Already the winner of the historic Madrid Handicap at Naas, he preps for the ParisLongchamp Classic in the Listed Coolmore Stud Blackbeard Irish EBF Tetrarch S. in which he is joined by the stable's Drumroll (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), a full-brother to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) who opened his account first time at Navan in March. The Tetrarch used to be an important Guineas trial and it can still promote a future star of that ilk as the 2016 winner Awtaad (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) testified.

Muguet Offerings…
   Saint-Cloud stages its traditional May 1 la Fête du Travail fixture, where another Classic trial on the wane is the Prix Greffulhe, newly downgraded from group 2 to group 3 status despite its honour roll which features Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). That future luminary was incredibly 12-1 last year, but there doesn't on the face of it appear to be one of his ilk lining up this time. This therefore is surely a must-win for Ballydoyle's Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), who trailed the under-rated Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) when third in the G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp last month. That aperitif is served before the feature G2 Prix du Muguet, where The Aga Khan's exciting G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein-winning TDN Rising Star Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) starts his big year in preparation for Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S.

See The Classic Stars…
Not to be undone by its French and Irish counterparts, Munich hosts a tantalising renewal of its showcase 10-furlong G3 WETTSTAR.de – Bavarian Classic in which Wanja Soren Oberhof and Sebastian Weiss's TDN Rising Star Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}). Winning his Mulheim maiden by 16 lengths last month, the Henk Grewe-trained bay takes on Liberty Racing 2021's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten winner Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Stall Nizza's mightily-impressive G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen scorer Alpenjager (Ger) (Nutan {Ire}) in a Deutsches Derby pointer to savour.

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“We were quite enthusiastic about him and I had the ideal position behind the leader with him always going well,” his rider said of the sire's first foal to be born. Grewe was keeping his feet on the ground as he added, “The going surely helped him and my horses are already very fit. We will soon see how good he really is, for the moment we will stay calm and just wait and see.”

The winner is the second foal out of the dam, who was listed-placed in the famed Gestut Ammerland silks and who also has a 2-year-old filly by Waldgeist (GB) named Moosbeere (Ger). The second dam Margie's World (Ger) (Spinning World) was also listed-placed and is kin to the G2 Gerling-Preis-placed Margosto (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), while the fourth dam Our Little Margie (Mr. Majestic) was second in the GI Spinaway S.

1st-Mulheim, €10,000, Mdn, 4-2, 3yo, 10fT, 2:23.27, hy.
MR HOLLYWOOD (IRE), c, 3, by Iquitos (Ger)
     1st Dam: Margie's Music (Fr) (SP-Ger), by Hurricane Run (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Margie's World (Ger), by Spinning World
     3rd Dam: Margie's Darling, by Alydar
(€15,000 Ylg '21 BBASEP). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €6,000. O-Wanja Soren Oberhof und Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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