Areion's Rubaiyat Goes Five-For-Five In Berlin

   Germany's unbeaten Horse of the Year Rubaiyat (Fr) (Areion {Ger}) went postward as the 3-10 favourite for his eagerly awaited seasonal return in Sunday's G3 Dr Busch-Memorial at Berlin's Hoppegarten venue and, while stablemate Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) reigned supreme trialling for Hamburg's July 12 G1 Deutsches Derby in Friday's G3 Cologne Classic, he was more workmanlike maintaining his perfect record in this dress rehearsal for Cologne's June 1 G2 German 2000 Guineas.
   Darius Racing's bay swept through a juvenile campaign which began with an Aug. 25 seven-furlong maiden score at Dresden and continued with success upped to one mile in Dusseldorf's Sept. 8 Listed Junioren-Preis. He followed up a thrilling verdict over Wonderful Moon tackling the same trip in Cologne's Oct. 6 Preis des Winterfavoriten next time with a five-length romp in Milan's Oct. 20 G2 Gran Criterium to close a perfect year.
   Rubaiyat broke sharply from the outside stall and settled under restraint in third as stablemates Zavaro (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) and Santurin (Fr) (Sommerabend {GB}) led the way up front after the opening exchanges of this one-mile feature. Making smooth headway once eased out into a clear path off the home turn, he was shaken up to gain a narrow advantage approaching the final furlong and kept on well under continued rousting in the latter stages to withstand the persistent attention of Zavaro by 3/4-of-a-length. Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}) ran on well to finish a half-length back in third. “Rubaiyat is difficult to read as he doesn't do much in his work at home,” trainer Henk Grewe told GaloppOnline. “He only does the bare essentials in his races so we are very relieved. Zavaro also ran a huge race.”
   Rubaiyat, who was originally registered as Rose Knight (Fr), is a half-brother to last year's Listed Prix Amandine victress Rose Flower (Ger) (Dabirsim {Fr}), a 2-year-old colt by Kamsin (Ger) and a yearling colt by Jukebox Jury (Ire). The April foal is one of three scorers and the leading performer produced by a winning sibling of G1 Poule-d'Essai des Poulains-winning sire Tin Horse (Ire) (Sakhee) and stakes-winning G3 Prix de Conde placegetter Becomes You (GB) (Lomitas {GB}). He shares his second dam, G3 Prix d'Aumale victress Joyeuse Entree (GB) (Kendor {Fr}), with Listed Rochestown S. victor True Blue Moon (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Listed Criterium de Bordeaux third Parcelle Perdue (Fr) (Coroner {Ire}).

Sunday, Hoppegarten, Germany
DR BUSCH-MEMORIAL-G3, €27,500, Hoppegarten, 5-10, 3yo, 8fT, 1:38.60, gd.
1–RUBAIYAT (FR), 128, c, 3, by Areion (Ger)
1st Dam: Representera (GB), by Lomitas (GB)
2nd Dam: Joyeuse Entree (GB), by Kendor (Fr)
3rd Dam: Cape of Good Hope (Fr), by Crystal Glitters
(€90,000 Ylg '18 BBAGS). O-Darius Racing; B-Gestut Karlshof (FR); T-Henk Grewe; J-Andrasch Starke. €16,000. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 2yo Colt-Ger & Ity, GSW-Ity, 5-5-0-0, €261,000. *1/2 to Rose Flower (Ger) (Dabirsim {Fr}), SW-Fr & MSP-US, $120,467. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zavaro (Ger), 128, c, 3, Areion (Ger)–Zavaala (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). (€14,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Christoph Holschbach & Johannes Wrede; B-Gestut Brummerhof (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €6,000.
3–Fearless King (GB), 128, c, 3, Kingman (GB)">Kingman (GB)–Astrelle (Ire), by Makfi (GB). (175,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Stall Salzburg; B-Essafinaat Ltd (GB); T-Sarah Steinberg. €3,000.
Margins: 3/4, HF, 3HF. Odds: 0.30, 13.30, 4.70.
Also Ran: Santurin (Fr), Sovereign State (Ger), Palmiro (Fr), Vulcano (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.