Preis der Diana (Group 1)

THE Reliable Man filly Erle followed up her trial success when making all in determined fashion to land the Group 1 German Oaks at Dusseldorf on Sunday.

A short-head winner of the Diana Trial at Hoppegarten in June, the grey/roan Erle was ridden more prominently this time by Martin Seidl, who kicked clear rounding the home bend.

She held a clear lead early in the straight and though chased strongly by New York City, she had enough left to see her off and stay clear to hold the fast-finishing Spanish Eyes and Thore Hammer Hansen with Hong Kong’s Vincent Ho third aboard Lady Mary.

It was a first Preis der Diana success as a trainer for Maxim Pecheur, who landed the classic as a jockey in 2019 aboard Diamanta.

Pecheur said: “We’re happy about the great season, the wonderful horses and what we’ve been given, so thank you very much to my team and let’s look to the future.”

Owner-breeders Gestut Rottgen were landing the race for a fourth time. None other than Greville Starkey partnered their first winner, Diu, in 1972.

Siring his first European classic winner, Reliable Man, a son of Dalakhani and the 2011 Prix du Jockey Club winner, stood at Westbury in New Zealand and shuttled between Gestut Rottgen and France over seven years, before another two-year stint at Rottgen but he remained at Westbury in 2023 and 2024.

The Karl Burke-trained Darnation, who won the 1000 Guineas at the track in May, did best of the British and Irish travellers in fifth, with the Joseph O’Brien-trained Je Zous three-quarters of a length back in sixth. She didn’t get the clearest of runs and was switched out over two out, but she stayed on in the final furlong.

Lingua Franca raced in third for much of the race but faded to finish 13th of the 15 runners for Sir Mark Prescott and Luke Morris.