Paul H Vandeberg

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. ...

Holger Renz's accidental purchase Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}--Tijuana {Ger), by Toylsome {GB}), a half-brother to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) who was acquired as the result of an online oversight, brought the curtain down on his juvenile campaign with a win in Krefeld's Nov. 14 G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen. Having passed on his G1 Deutsches Derby engagement this term, he made a successful comeback in a Baden-Baden conditions heat at the end of last month and continued his winning streak with a wide-margin...

Last term's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}--Tijuana {Ger}, by Toylsome {GB}) could manage only sixth when contesting Baden-Baden's May 29 G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft on seasonal return last time and bounced back in style to claim a second straight edition of Saturday's G2 wettstar.de Grosser Hansa-Preis at Hamburg. The 13-10 favourite raced third passing the judge first time and remained in that slot for the most part. Sent forward on the turn to go second into the home straight, he drifted...

Holger Renz's €38,000 BBAG September graduate Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), a half-brother to last week's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), bettered a debut second at Cologne last month with a three-length score in Sunday's Alson-Rennen back at the Weidenpescher venue. 1st-Cologne, €5,100, Mdn, 10-10, 2yo, 9 1/4fT, 1:57.83, g/s. TUNNES (GER) (c, 2, Guiliani {Ire}--Tijuana {Ger}, by Toylsome {GB}), who ran second going one mile in his Sept. 26 debut at this venue last time, was swiftly into stride and led from flagfall....