THE Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden, which will be run for the 148th time tomorrow, is generally recognised as Germany’s top race and last year’s winner Ghaiyyath is now officially recognised as the world’s best turf horse over middle distances.

He runs today in the Irish Champion, so will not be in Baden-Baden to defend his crown, but his owner Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby will be represented this time by Barney Roy, who has already won a German Group 1 this year, Munich’s Grosser Dallmayr-Preis.

He will be partnered by James Doyle, as stable jockey William Buick has been at Leopardstown and international travel these days is very complicated. However, it is not the change of jockey which could be a problem, but the longer distance.

Barney Roy, who is by the top miler Excelebration, had quite a hard race to win over 2,000 metres at Munich (admittedly on rain-softened ground) and appeared not to stay the extra two furlongs when only fourth next time out in the Group 1 Preis von Europa.

That race was won by Donjah, runner-up (by 14 lengths!) to Ghaiyyath here last year, and she can certainly go one better now with no “monster” in the field of eight.

However, there are plenty of dangers, including the other British runner Mark Johnston’s Communique – although he failed to win in three German Group 1s in 2019. Two more four-year-old fillies are of interest, Durance and Satomi, are also of interest, particularly the former, winner of the Group 2 Gran Premio di Milano this year, in which race Baden-Baden course specialist Quest The Moon finished fourth.

These two are old rivals, and this year Quest The Moon has also twice finished in front of Durance, including when only beaten a neck by Barney Roy at Munich. Over this trip the Sea The Moon colt can gain revenge.

Three-year-olds

The two three-year-olds in the field add spice to the mixture; Torquator Tasso and Kaspar finished second and third in the German Derby two months ago.

Torquator Tasso was a real eyecatcher then and has been kept for this race ever since, while Kaspar (actually fourth past the post at Hamburg but subsequently promoted) ran a great race in the Preis von Europa, going down by a neck and he could well improve past Donjah now, who according to trainer Henk Grewe is much better on soft going.

That looks extremely unlikely tomorrow with Baden-Baden currently enjoying a lengthy Indian summer. The jury is still out on the value of this year’s German Derby form, but as the winner In Swoop is expected also to be in action in ParisLongchamp tomorrow – and up against the winners of the British and French Derbys in the Grand Prix de Paris – this weekend could well see a lot of loose ends tied up.