THE Group 1 Preis von Europa, over one and a half miles at Cologne tomorrow, has in recent years been a relatively weak affair, but this year’s renewal looks a much stronger race, with three UK runners, all with Group 1 form, opposed by seven Germans. They represent the best that this country has to offer over the classic distance.
They include not only this year’s Deutsches Derby winner Laccario but also the winner Weltstar and third Royal Youmzain from last year’s Derby – both of whom admittedly disappointing this season – as well as the top three-year-old filly Donjah.
The daughter of Teofilo has only run four times; after winning both her juvenile starts very easily, the sky looked the limit, but various setbacks this year resulted in her not making her reappearance until the Preis der Diana (German Oaks) in early August, where she finished a close sixth despite not getting much of a run.
She followed up with a distant second place to the spectacular Irish-bred Godolphin runner Ghaiyyath in the Grosser Preis von Baden. That race could be the key to the Cologne event, as she finished four lengths in front of Laccario, with Colomano another four lengths back in fourth and Mark Johnston’s Communique tailed off last after a problem at the start.
Ghaiyyath is now a leading fancy for the Arc in two weeks’ time and the performances here of Donjah and Laccario could give an indication of the value of the Baden-Baden form.
However, Mark Johnston warns that Communique should be judged on his much better performance in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, where he finished just in front of Old Persian, easy winner last week of the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Stakes at Woodbine.
Communique has won two Group 2s at Newmarket this year but is still looking for his first Group 1 victory, as is Roger Charlton’s Aspetar, also a Group 2 winner and fourth last time in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Charlton rarely has runners in Germany, and when he does, they must be respected.
However, the most interesting of the British raiders could be Godolphin’s Best Solution, who stays the trip really well despite being by Kodiac. His trainer Saeed bin Suroor has won the Cologne race three times, but all in the early years of this century, when Frankie Dettori was stable jockey.
Best Solution will be partnered by Ulster-born Pat Cosgrave, who has struck up a great partnership with the five-year-old, winning two Group 1s last year in Germany as well as the Caulfield Cup.
However, the McCracken-bred’s only race this year was a rather feeble effort in Kempton a fortnight ago, so he also has questions to answer.
This is certainly an intriguing race with several factors to be considered, but it is a proper Group 1 – if nowhere near Arc level – and the winner will have to be smart.
French preview
Gosden well represented
THERE are two Group 3 races at ParisLongchamp today and John Gosden is represented in both. He sent over Duneflower for the Prix Bertrand De Tarragon over nine furlongs. The Dubawi filly was second in the Atlanta Stakes in Sandown and won at listed level before that this season.
Frankie Dettori also teams up with the supplemented Dubai Warrior in the Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange over 10 furlongs.
An impressive two-year-old winner, he suffered a surprise defeat at odds-on in Chelmsford two weeks ago.