Will Cologne see the Derby winner again?

Cologne, Sunday, 11 June: There are only three weeks left until the 154th German Derby in Hamburg, time for the most important preliminary test of all, the 188th Union Race (Group II, 70,000 Euros, 2,200 m) on Sunday in Cologne.

It will be interesting to see who will be the favourite for the race of the year one year after Sammarco`s Cologne/Hamburg double. Mr Hollywood (L. Delozier) has the best prerequisites for this as an impressive winner in the Bavarian Classic in Munich, when Skylo (now with world-class jockey Frankie Dettori) finished fourth. Very convincing was the Krefeld score by Napolitano (S. Vogt). Vintage Moon (S. Byrne) and Straight (J. Bojko) held their own in second and third place respectively in the Japan Racing Association Derby Trial. There is 10,000 euros to be won here in the trifecta.

Nine tests will be run in Cologne between 14:00 and 18:05, including a long-distance highlight with the Weidenpescher Steher Cup (Listed race, 25,000 Euros, 3,000 mm). Nastaria (M. Lopez) and Lordano (L. Dettori) bring best merits with them here.

In the Equalisation II over 1,850 metres Navarra Storm (S. Vogt) and Wildfang (A. Starke) are again conceivable in front. Of course, the four-horse bet is also on offer. 15,000 Euros are offered in the 7th race (Equalisation IV, 1,600 metres). Alianne (A. de Vries) could be far ahead.