More Diana Glory For Rottgen As Reliable Man's Erle Makes All

Flying the flag for Germany on Sunday, Gestut Rottgen's G3 Diana-Trial winner Erle (Ger) (Reliable Man {GB}–Kizingo {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) made the most of her favourable inside draw and her abundant ability to make all in Dusseldorf's G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana. Always happy navigating the tight circuit under Martin Seidl, the Maxim Pecheur-trained 6-1 shot turned it on from the top of the straight and was soon beyond recall. At the line, the homebred had a length to spare over the closing Spanish Eyes (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}), with 3 1/2 lengths back to Lady Mary (Ger) (Lawman {Fr}) in third.

This was a seventh renewal of the 11-furlong Classic for the historic and esteemed operation and the fourth since Diu (Ger) captured it in its first year as a group race in 1972. Keeping it in the family, Erle is also the first to win this prestigious Classic since her second dam Enora (Ger) (Noverre) in 2010. In the end, the form that mattered in this was ultimately Hoppegarten's G3 Diana Trial in June, where the winner had narrowly denied Lady Mary.

“The race was absolutely ideal,” Seidl said. “Her last piece of fast work really impressed me and she had improved again since Hoppegarten. “It is fabulous to have achieved this Classic victory for Gestut Rottgen.” Pecheur, who was also celebrating his first Classic and group 1 victory as a trainer in his first year saddling the establishment's horses, had ridden Diamanta (Ger) (Maxios {GB}) to success in this five years earlier but could hardly express the magnitude of the moment. “I am lost for words to describe my feelings,” he said. “We already enjoyed a great season, but winning the German Oaks is absolutely awesome. A great thank you to all of the team who have made this possible.”

G1 166th Henkel-Preis der Diana – 🇩🇪 Oaks over 2200m at Düsseldorf

🥇ERLE 3yo f by Reliable Man
🥈SPANISH EYES 3yo f by Zarak
🥉LADY MARY 3yo f by Lawman

ERLE is bred and owned by Gestüt Röttgen, trained by Maxim Pecheur and was ridden by Martin Seidl pic.twitter.com/HxBjiU8Oce

— Deutscher Galopp (@DeutscherGalopp) August 4, 2024

Pedigree Notes
Rottgen, whose first Diana success came courtesy of Konigswiese (Ger) in 1947, stand the sire who was boasting a fourth group 1 winner here. Erle is the second foal out of Kizingo (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a half-sister to Reliable Man's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten-winning sire Erasmus (Ger). Their aforementioned dam is the 2010 Diana heroine Enora (Ger) (Noverre), who along with the dual G2 Hansa Preis winner and dual group 1-placed Egerton (Ger) (Groom Dancer) was produced by the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio runner-up Enrica (GB) (Niniski).

Enrica was also responsible for the Listed Altano-Rennen winner and G3 Deutsches St Leger runner-up Ernesto (Ger) again by Reliable Man, and is the second dam of the Listed Diana-Trial winner and G3 Preis der Winterkonigin runner-up Empore (Ger) by Kizingo's sire Oasis Dream. Kizingo's unraced 2-year-old filly Eleganz (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was a shrewd €300,000 purchase by Hugo Merry Bloodstock for Blue Diamond Stud when the top-priced filly at the BBAG September Yearling Sale, while she also has a colt foal by Protectionist (Ger).

Sunday, Dusseldorf, Germany
166TH HENKEL-PREIS DER DIANA – GERMAN OAKS-G1, €500,000, Dusseldorf, 8-4, 3yo, f, 11fT, 2:14.00, g/s.
1–ERLE (GER), 128, f, 3, by Reliable Man (GB)
1st Dam: Kizingo (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Enora (Ger), by Noverre
3rd Dam: Enrica (GB), by Niniski
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Gestut Rottgen (GER); T-Maxim Pecheur; J-Martin Seidl. €300,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €338,750. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Spanish Eyes (Ger), 128, f, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Sortilege (Ire), by Tiger Hill (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€95,000 RNA Ylg '22 ARQOCT. O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €100,000.
3–Lady Mary (Ger), 128, f, 3, Lawman (Fr)–La Reine Noir (Ger), by Rainbow Quest. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Graf & Grafin von Stauffenberg (GER); T-Andreas Suborics. €50,000.
Margins: 1, 3HF, HF. Odds: 5.80, 29.10, 6.00.
Also Ran: New York City (Ger), Darnation (Ire), Je Zous (Ire), Weltbeste (Ger), Princess Valentina (Ger), Bubble Gum (Fr), Diamond Crown (Ger), Hope And Believe (Ire), Ashana (Fr), Lingua Franca (GB), Night Of Laki's (Ger), Diya (Ger). Scratched: Sweet Summer (Ger).