Despite a week of mixed weather including torrential downpours, the final day of Baden Racing’s Grosse Woche Festival dawned bright and sunny with the going surprisingly reported as good.
While the highlight on the final day is the Group 1 Longines Grosser Preis von Baden, the card also features a Listed race and a Group 3 sponsored by Steinhoff International N.V.
The €55,000 Group 3 Steinhoff Zukunftsrennen (1 400m) for two-year olds drew a field of nine, including the British raider Starlight Mystery trained by Mark Johnston.
Guignol (Liesl King)
Julio, a son of Exceed and Excel, who recently won a Sales race in Cologne, started as clear favourite.
Gestüt Röttgen however, has been on a roll since Windstoss won the 2017 Group 1 Germany Derby and hence it came as no surprise to see their colours carried to victory by Narella, a homebred filly by Reliable Man, who stormed to an emphatic victory under Adrie de Vries.
Auenperle, with Nicholas Guilbert in the saddle, finished in second two lengths back with Julio, under a driving ride by Stephen Hellyn, having to settle for third a further four lengths back.
Klug was understandably delighted with the victory.
“She is the best two–year-old in my stable. I will now aim her at the (Group 3) Winterkonigin.
“Adrie (de Vries) left her alone in the beginning until she found her rhythm and then in the home straight she just flew.”
De Vries was equally impressed with the young filly.
“When I pressed the button, she really kicked.
“She went so fast I thought I might have gone too soon, but she kept going and finished off strongly.”
The feature race, the €250,000 G1 Longines Grosser Preis von Baden over 2 400m also went the way of a homebred, when Stall Ullman’s five-year-old entire Guignol, trained by Jean-Pierre Carvalho, led from start to finish under Filip Minarik to win by 2.5 lengths.
Last year’s winner Iquitos chased hard, but could make no inroads into Guignol’s commanding lead and the newly crowned Horse of the Year had to settle for second with Colomano (GB) a short head back in third.
By Liesl King
