Grand Prix opener in Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, Sunday, 26 March: The long-awaited start to the `Green Season` takes place today in Düsseldorf, where nine very well-staffed races are on the programme. The absolute highlight is the Grand Prix Aufgalopp (6th race/14.30/25,000 Euro/2200 m), run as the Prize of the Fortuna. The Listed race offers an additional betting incentive due to the four-horse bet and the guaranteed payout of 11,111 Euros.

Last year`s winner, Mansour (Michal Abik), will make a double strike, but he has a tough nut to crack with the Derby and Prize of Europe fourth-placed Assistent (Leon Wolff). Dato (Bayarsaikhan Ganbat) and Wild Man (Sibylle Vogt), who are always touring between Germany and France, are other contenders with good chances. Nubius (Wladimir Panov) took fourth place in the Dead Race twelve months ago. After his seventh place in Switzerland, the seven-year-old switched to the break. Have Dancer (Andrasch Starke) was kept fit on the sand track. A good placing is within the realms of possibility for the Le Havre son, who showed twice in Longchamp last year.

The Compensation 2 in eighth place (3.40pm/13,000 Euro/1700m) could be a prey for Quello (Shuichi Terachi) from the stable of Peter Schiergen, who started his career here three years ago with a third place and achieved further strong performances later in France. Bastiano (Bayarsaikhan Ganbat) finished last season with two wins. Like Inaugural (Sibylle Vogt) and Rajguru (Sean Byrne), he cannot be left out of any consideration.