Rene Piechulek

Recording his first elite-level success since last year's G1 Deutsches Derby, Liberty Racing's Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) proved too strong for Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) in Sunday's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden. Anchored in rear early by Rene Piechulek, the Sarah Steinberg-trained 2-1 second favourite surged to the front inside the final two furlongs en route to a 1 1/4-length success from the William Haggas raider.   FANTASTIC MOON takes the G1 @wettstar_de 154. Grosser Preis von Baden🔥🤩 pic.twitter.com/LoZbxuV8BS — Deutscher Galopp (@DeutscherGalopp) September...

Bouncing back to form at Cologne on Sunday, last year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) registered a first success since the G2 Prix Niel in September in the re-scheduled G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft. Keen early under restraint from Rene Piechulek racing in mid-division, the Sarah Steinberg-trained 4-year-old was delivered in the centre of the track and had a slight edge with a furlong remaining. Asserting from there, the 3-1 second favourite had a neck to spare over the 11-5 market-leader Lordano (Ger)...

With the late scratching of Germany's leading marathoner and morning line favourite Lordano (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), jockey Rene Piechulek made the switch to Gestut Ittlingen's alternate Alessio (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}--Alandia {Ire}, by Adlerflug {Ger}) and made the most of that ownermate's absence to register a career high in Sunday's G2 Comer Group International 53rd Oleander-Rennen at Hoppegarten. Alessio, who ran sixth in 2022's G1 Deutsches Derby, notched a first pattern-race win in October's G3 The Land Trophy at Baden-Baden and brought the curtain down on 2023 with a runner-up finish...

Stall Hanse's Geography (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}--Guajara {Ger}, by Montjeu {Ire}) followed up a debut success at Dusseldorf in August with a fifth in Baden-Baden's G3 Zukunfts-Rennen and bounced back to claim a career high in Sunday's G3 Wettstar.de - Preis des Winterfavoriten, Germany's premier juvenile contest, at Cologne. The 21-10 second choice was the sharpest of seven into stride and tanked along under a firm on the lead from flagfall in this first attempt at this one-mile distance. Shaken up to poach a decisive advantage with 500 metres...

Sunday's G1 Preis von Europa was all about the fillies and mares as Gestut Ittlingen's India (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}--Ivory Coast {Fr}, by Peintre Celebre) overcame the Irish challenger Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) to keep the Cologne prize at home. Registering her fourth group win when getting the better of the talented pair Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Rogue Millennium (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France in April, the Waldemar Hickst-trained homebred was settled with two behind early by Rene Piechulek. Sent forward at the top...

Liberty Racing's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Frangipani {Ger}, by Jukebox Jury {Ire}) suffered a reversal following up in Munich's G1 Bayerisches Zuchtrennen last time and bounced back in style to dominate the closing stages of Sunday's G2 Qatar Prix Niel at ParisLongchamp. The Sarah Steinberg trainee tanked forward to stalk the pace in third for the most part and improved into second along the false straight. Coming under pressure soon after turning for home, the 51-10 chance quickened to seize control approaching the final...

Stall Hanse's Calif (Ger) (Areion {Ger}--Cherry Danon {Ire}, by Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who ran sixth in two Group 3 starts after annexing May's G3 45th Kronimus Badener Meile at Baden-Baden, returned over the same one-mile strip of that stakes breakthrough to double his pattern-race tally in Sunday's G2 90th Brunner Oettingen-Rennen at the Iffezheim venue. The 17-2 chance occupied a slot in rear after a slightly tardy getaway and remained there through halfway. Shaken up when sent wide into the straight, he made relentless headway from the two pole...

Sea The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) powered to a wide-margin triumph underneath Hamburg's stands' side rail in the 2014 G1 Deutsches Derby and his Sarah Steinberg-trained son Fantastic Moon (Ger) ploughed the same furrow to claim a clear-cut success of his own in Sunday's latest renewal of the German highlight. The 31-5 third favourite was positioned well off the pace with just one of his 19 rivals in arrears for the most part. Inching forward on the home turn, he was sent wide into the straight to launch...

Off the mark on debut over seven furlongs at Munich Sept. 12, Liberty Racing 2021's Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}--Frangipani {Ger}, by Jukebox Jury {Ire}) pitched his case as one of Germany's leading Classic contenders for 2023 in Sunday's G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten at Cologne. Settled in mid-division early by Rene Piechulek, the Sarah Steinberg-trained 14-5 shot stayed in his group of three racing away from the remainder. Drifting left in the straight to join the others towards the stand's rail, the bay had the lead approaching the...

Stall Salzburg's Mendocino (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}--Mill Marin {Ire}, by Pivotal {GB}), whose previous career best was a runner-up finish behind Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in last November's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern, initiated a pilot merry-go-round when Rene Piechulek was obliged to take the mount aboard the Sarah Steinberg trainee, but it was all smiles for the jockey as the 4-year-old colt upset illustrious opposition in a stellar renewal of Sunday's G1 152nd Wettstar.de Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden's Iffezheim venue. Piechulek had ridden last year's winner and G1...

Frankie Dettori has been booked to ride 2021 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in a title defence of the Sept. 4 G1 Grosser Preis von Baden. The chestnut's regular jockey, Rene Piechulek, has been claimed to ride the Sarah Steinberg-trained Mendocino (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) for owner Stall Salzburg in the 1 1/2-mile feature. Torquator Tasso was second to Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) in the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. at the end of July. "Yes, it is true Frankie...

The elders smothered last week's G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot, dominating once more in this week's G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood, but the Class of 2019 landed a telling counterpunch as Gestut Park Wiedingen's homebred G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sammarco (Ger) (Camelot {GB}--Saloon Sold {Ger} {SP-Ger}, by Soldier Hollow {GB}) annexed the latest elite-level clash of the generations, doing so with aplomb, in Sunday's 10-furlong G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis - Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich. Sammarco, who saluted in his Oct. 31 debut at Halle, suffered his...