Germany Leads Big Five Resumption

Germany gains a welcome foothold in Europe, today, as the first of the continent's big five racing jurisdictions to reopen for business and, with France preparing for a Monday restart too, the enforced period of inactivity appears to be at an end. Scandinavia has kept the ball rolling while elsewhere lay dormant, but now the spotlight shines on Hannover, which plays host to the country's first Thoroughbred race since Stall vom Odon's 9-year-old gelding Kitaneso (GB) (Medicean {GB}) prevailed in a 13 1/2-furlong selling heat, the closing act of Dortmund's Mar. 8 all-weather fixture. Munich-Daglfing staged a trotting meet one week later just before lockdown was imposed. Deutscher Gallop, with governmental approval obtained Tuesday, has issued a comprehensive list of mandatory measures to be met along with implementing a stringent admission protocol across all venues. Spectators are strictly forbidden access to racetracks, but so too are owners. Trainers have been granted permission to oversee their runners and there is a two-attendant limit per horse. Foreign runners will not be permitted, although this policy will be reviewed ahead of Dusseldorf's May 16 meet. In addition to the many necessary conditions for racing to proceed, purses are set to operate at levels reduced by 50% in most cases. However, projects such as the well-received “Wetten, dass..?” betting initiative–founded by Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, Christian Sundermann and Guido Schmitt–form part of a unified approach and have helped fuel a collective will to face the difficulties ahead.

“Many thanks to the Hannoversche Rennverein and relevant authorities who have made this possible,” read Tuesday's statement from Deutscher Galopp. “The performance tests of the breed will be resumed in Hannover on Thursday May 7, in strict compliance with the association's measures, which the authorities have deemed appropriate. This ensures that, taking into account all official requirements and reducing the risk of infection by excluding spectators, the profession can be resumed.”

Setting in motion a run of six domestic fixtures on consecutive days, Hannover stages one dozen races headed by three listed heats for older horses complemented by a mix of five maiden and four handicap events. Classic clues will not be mined in the black-type features, but unearthed potential lurks in the sophomore maiden contests. Andreas Wohler introduces Dr Christoph Berglar's hitherto unraced homebred Pleasant Company (Ger) (Siyouni {Fr}), a well-regarded G2 German 1000 Guineas entry, in the one-mile test for 3-year-old fillies. Stefan Hahne's €35,000 BBAG Premier yearling Sunny Queen (Ger) (Camelot (GB}) is likewise untried and another with Classic ambitions, retaining a ticket to Dusseldorf's Aug. 2 G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks). The Henk Grewe trainee is poised for an 8 3/4-furlong debut against the boys. Gestut Rottgen's homebred Kaspar (Ger) (Pivotal {GB}), a July 12 G1 Deutsches Derby entry held in high regard by trainer Markus Klug, raced in snatches and was squeezed for room when posting a debut fourth over an inadequate 7 1/2 furlongs on tacky ground at Halle last October. He stretches out to 10 furlongs against 12 fellow maidens for his seasonal return.

The caravan takes a south-westerly turn for Friday's 12-race card at Cologne's Weidenpescher track. Gestut Rottgen's homebred 2017 G1 Deutsches Derby hero Windstoss (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) is the star attraction and faces a cast of nine rivals in the 12-furlong G2 Carl Jaspers-Preis (ex Gerling-Preis).

Stall Wasserfreunde's axis of Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, Uwe Aisch and Peter Vogt resisted a deluge of offers for Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), in the aftermath of a 12-length G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen romp over 8 1/2 furlongs at Krefeld, and a determination to hold on to Germany's champion juvenile was emboldened by welcoming Eckhard “Ecki” Sauren into the ownership fold. The chestnut found success each time he was upped in trip last term and will seek to cement Andrasch Starke's new partnership with champion trainer Henk Grewe as the headline act in the 10 1/2-furlong G3 Cologne Classic (ex Bavarian Classic). His objective is Hamburg's July 12 G1 Deutsches Derby, for which this is a reliable launchpad to success.

Munich takes centre stage on Saturday, with a nine-race fixture featuring four maiden heats and five handicaps, and acts as the warm-up for Sunday's 12-race card at Berlin's Hoppegarten venue. Top billing in the capital goes to Darius Racing's reigning German Horse of the Year Rubaiyat (Fr) (Areion {Ger}), whose intended starting point on the Classic trail is the €27,500 G3 Dr Busch-Memorial over one mile. The grey is one of eight still holding steady for this staging post to Cologne's June 1 G2 German 2000 Guineas. Elsewhere on the card Stall Torjager's hitherto unbeaten Kalifornia Queen (Ger) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) makes her seasonal return in a 10-furlong conditions test for 3-year-old fillies coming back from an 8 1/2-furlong maiden win at Dusseldorf in September.