The Group III race over 2,000m is one of the most important preliminary tests for the German Derby and the three-year-old stallion Lavello, owned and bred by the Ittlingen stud farm, is now undoubtedly one of the favorites for the top race in Hamburg in July.
The Dutchman de Vries, who spent the winter in the Arabian Gulf, has been part of the elite jockeys in Germany for many years and won the German Derby once with Weltstar in 2018. “We had some concerns about the soft ground, but Lavello behaved very professionally,” said de Vries. “He is certainly a horse that can continue to improve, something can happen.”
Lavello is trained by Markus Klug, who has already saddled three Derby winners – including Weltstar – in Heumar near Cologne. Klug had probably speculated on the win in Riem, after all he was responsible for four of the nine starters. However, most likely through So Moonstruck. But the Toto favorite struggled, got going late and “only” finished fourth. His stablemate Lavello, on the other hand, won easily as a 16.3:1 outsider by three quarters of a length ahead of Sammarco and Maraseem.
Despite less than ideal weather conditions, the Secretary General of the Munich Racing Club, Sascha Multerer, was pleased with the lively attendance and good atmosphere at the Riemer season opener: “We are very happy that spectators are allowed again without restrictions, and we are now counting on a successful and pandemic-free racing season.”
Night Rose shows the way for bigger tasks
In the “small” edition of the Bavarian Classic, the SMC Investment Bank Prize for three-year-old horses without a win over 2,000m, which was well attended by many hopefuls, there was an exciting duel between Nachtrose and the favored stallion Assistent. The mare from the Nizza stable showed great fighting qualities and narrowly won with a 5.3:1 chance. “That was the lower limit of her distance; over longer distances, Nachtrose will be even better and can still improve,” said winning rider Bauyrzhan Murzabey, the current three-time champion jockey in Germany.
Since last year, Murzabayev has been riding primarily for Peter Schiergen in Cologne, who trains the winner. With half-sister Nightflower, Schiergen has won the Prize of Europe twice, one of only seven Group I races in Germany. There are also big plans for Nachtrose. She has been entered for the Mares’ Derby, the Prize of Diana (Gr.I). Schiergen wants to “discuss with the owners” where he will go next. The Diana Trial in Berlin-Hoppegarten or the Oaks d’Italia in Milan are the options.
Figge three-way bet on the home track
At the start of the race day, the duo Schiergen / Murzabayey had to bow to Zandjan (2.5:1) trained by Henk Grewe in Cologne in the three-year-old race over 1,400m with Dishina. The Riemer training center was also successful at the start of the season. Michael Figge, who trained the first three placed horses in a handicap IV over 2,000m, achieved a special feat – Allegretta (6.9:1) won ahead of Aoraki and Feuerspiel. “As if we had practiced it,” joked Figge afterwards.
In the saddle of Allegretta sat Michael Cadeddu, who had already scored points with Zandjan and then triumphed in the Handicap II over 2,000m, the prize of the MIG Fund. With the four-year-old Siluto from the Grewe quarter, he easily won from start to finish ahead of Wonderful Starlet. John David Hillis with Ferragosta (2.6:1) under the young amateur Konstantin Phillip and Werner Glanz with Vincero (2.4:1) with Patrick Gibson also achieved home victories in Riemer, both in the Handicap IV over 1,600m. In the final test, Caddedu also secured a victory with Estivo, so that not only trainer John Hillis could celebrate his second win of the day, but Caddedu even achieved hit number 4, making the Italian man of the day on the Isar.
The Riemer season continues with the race day on June 12th – start: 11:20 a.m.!
