Henk Grewe

Eckhard Sauren's ultra consistent Assistent (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Anna Kalla {Ger}, by Kallisto {Ger}), who finished in the top four in five prior Group 1 contests, gained compensation for his second in last year's G1 Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern with a late surge for glory in this year's renewal at Munich. The Henk Grewe trainee, who tuned up for this with a 3 1/4-length tally in last month's G3 Herbst-Trophy at Baden-Baden, employed patient tactics and was anchored in rear until well beyond halfway. Coming under pressure on...

Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}) could continue to follow in the footsteps of Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) after keeping the G1 Deutsches Derby trophy in the hands of owners Liberty Racing with his victory at Hamburg on Sunday. Trained by Henk Grewe and ridden by German-born jockey Thore Hammer-Hansen, Palladium ran out a surprise winner of the Classic as he edged ahead in the final strides to get the verdict by a neck, having raced away from the other principals after being brought over to the stand's side...

Repeating the trick of coming stand's side to win in Liberty Racing colours, Palladium (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Path Wind {Fr}, by Anabaa) got up late to provide his owners with back-to-back renewals of Hamburg's G1 Idee Deutsches Derby on Sunday. Only fourth in Cologne's G2 Union-Rennen last month, the Henk Grewe trainee benefitted from being close to the tepid early pace set by the G2 Derby Italiano hero Borna (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) before Thore Hammer-Hansen's calculated risk after the home turn. Losing lengths by crossing to the other rail, the...

The unforgettably named Thore Hammer-Hansen bade farewell to British racing at the end of last season to take up a retainer with leading German owner Eckhard Sauren. On Sunday he will go to post for the G1 Deutsches Derby as the leading rider in the country.  In many respects it was a homecoming for the young jockey, who was born in Cologne and spent some of his formative years in Baden-Baden, where his Danish-born father Lennart was riding and later training. It can also be regarded as a wise move. ...

Hamburg avoided a clash with Sunday's knockout phase of soccer's European Championships and its early-bird programme featured the €55,000 G3 Sparkasse Holstein Cup (Hamburger Stuten Meile) as the opening day highlight of the venue's G1 Deutsches Derby festival. This year's renewal of the one-mile staging post played host to a match-up of Classic distaffers, with last term's G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) third Sea The Lady (Fr) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) eyeballing this year's G2 German 1000 Guineas third Three Havanas (Ger) (Havana Grey {GB}--Three Ducks {GB}, by Diktat...

While soccer's European Championships has witnessed just one successful penalty kick in 24 matches played in Germany thus far, Eckhard Sauren's €210,000 BBAG September yearling Penalty (Ger) (Frankel {GB}--Praia {Ger}, by Big Shuffle) made a mark of his own and added to his runner-up finish in last month's G2 German 2000 Guineas with a career best in Sunday's G3 35th Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft at Dortmund. Penalty backed up a five-length maiden win, going one mile at Dusseldorf in March, with a second over the same distance at Cologne the...

Sunday's Listed Preis von Dahlwitz at Hoppegarten witnessed the return of last year's G1 Deutsches Derby first and second Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}), but with a two-kilo swing in his favour it was the latter who turned the tables to get his 2024 campaign off to a flyer. Labelled a TDN Rising Star on his jaw-dropping debut at Mulheim last April, Mr Hollywood proved that to be no fluke with success in Munich's G3 Bavarian Classic and runner-up finishes in Cologne's...

Last week this column was led by Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Now, for the same owner/breeder, Shadwell, it is the turn of Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). It was quite the boost for Newcastle's all-weather G3 Hoppings Fillies' S. that both the winner Al Husn and runner-up Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) went on to win a Group 1 on the turf on their next start. With Nashwa having won the G1 Falmouth S. in emphatic fashion, she reopposed Al Husn in attempting to defend her crown in the...

Sunday's G1 165th Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) at Dusseldorf went the way of Stall Golden Goal's G3 Hamburg Stuten-Meile scorer Muskoka (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Morning Mist {Ger}, by Peintre Celebre) as she mastered Kassada (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the 11-furlong Classic staged in heavy rain. Stepping up in trip having won at a mile, the Henk Grewe trainee was reserved early in mid division by Lukas Delozier with stamina unproven. Reeling in Kassada in the last 100 metres, the 5-1 shot asserted to score by a...

Wanja Soren Oberhof and Sebastian Weiss's Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}--Margie's Music {Fr}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) provided evidence of above-average ability when streaking to a 16-length triumph, and 'TDN Rising Stardom', in his Apr. 2 debut at Mulheim last time and photobombed the G1 Deutsches Derby picture with a decisive success in Monday's G3 Wettstar.de - Bavarian Classic at Munich. Positioned off the clear leader in fifth until turning for home in this 10-furlong contest, the 2-1 joint-favourite powered forward in the straight to lead approaching the final furlong...

Henk Grewe trainee Assistent (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Anna Kalla {Ger}, by Kallisto {Ger}) went postward for Sunday's G2 Carl Jaspers Preis at Cologne coming back off a half-length victory in Dusseldorf's Listed Grand Prix Aufgalopp on seasonal return last month and upset G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern victor Tunnes (Ire) (Guiliani {Ire}), G1 Preis der Diana second Wagnis (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Alter Adler (Ger) (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) for a career high in the 12-furlong feature. Last year's G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Preis von...

Mulheim was grey and damp on Sunday, but it nevertheless witnessed a sparkling display in the card's opener as Wanja Soren Oberhof und Sebastian Weiss's 3-year-old colt Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}--Margie's Music {Fr}, by Hurricane Run {Ire}) issued a 16-length beating to his peers on debut to become the latest German TDN Rising Star. With his triple group 1-winning Gestut Graditz-based sire having just five members of his initial crop, the Henk Grewe-trained half-brother to last year's G3 Derby-Trial runner-up Magical Beat (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was flying...