SOME of the top older horses lined up for the Group 2 Grosser Preis von WETTSTAR.de over 11 furlongs at Cologne on Sunday and despite not going off favourite, it was last year’s German Derby winner Fantastic Moon who got back to winning ways under Rene Piechulek.
He had finished a disappointing last in the Group 1 Prix Ganay on his last run but came through here to beat the favourite Lordano by a neck with Assistant back in third.
Paddy Power made Fantastic Moon 25s from 40s for the Arc in which he was fancied last season after an impressive win in the Group 2 Qatar Prix Niel, but finished 11th behind Ace Impact.
The German Derby trial, the Group 2 Sparkasse Kolnbonn - 189th Union-Rennen, run over 11 furlongs, went to the Adrie de Vries-ridden Narrativo, a German-bred son of the 2007 Deutsches Derby winner Adlerflug for trainer Peter Schiergen.
He was ridden after three out and ran on to lead in the final 150yds, going clear towards finish to beat Alemno, in the same ownership of Gestut Ittlingen, by a length and three-quarters.
The winner had finished third in the Group 3 Prix Hocquart on heavy ground at ParisLongchamp in May on his reappearance.
Favourite Any Moon Any Moon, ridden by Andrasch Starke for Markus Klug, finished a disappointing seventh of the nine runners.