Godolphin are no strangers to sending their horses to Germany, but Newmarket Group 3 Bahrain Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom travels to Munich for the Grosser Preis von Bayern on Sunday, 10 November. This is the last of four Group 1 races over 2,400m (1m 4f) in the country each year.
Charlie Appleby landed his second Preis von Europa at Cologne with subsequent Breeders’ Cup Turf hero Rebel’s Romance earlier in the autumn. In Ancient Wisdom, he has a three-year-old Dubawi colt seen to best effect with cut in the ground.
The fact that conditions in Germany are often soft may be behind this first trip overseas with him. William Buick travels over with Ancient Wisdom, who landed the Group 1 Futurity Trophy at Doncaster just over a year ago.
He shaped as though the going was too quick when no match for subsequent Irish Champion Stakes hero Economics and runner-up in the Dante Stakes at York on reappearance. Undeterred, connections next tried Ancient Wisdom in the Epsom Derby where he finished eighth.
There were hopes he could develop into a St Leger horse after then making all in the Bahrain Trophy in July. A return to Town Moor for the oldest Classic never materialised, however, and Ancient Wisdom now goes to Germany fresh.
He’s not the only Godolphin runner in the Grosser Preis von Bayern either, as Andre Fabre sends French raider Marquisat across the border to Bavaria. This four-year-old Zarak gelding placed in the last two editions of a 1m 3f Longchamp Group 2 won this term by King George hero Goliath.
In-between those efforts, Marquisat missed out on Grand Prix de Chantilly glory by a nose to stable companion Junko. He concedes 4lb weight for age to Ancient Wisdom, but may have a big race in him.
Tiffany Another British Raider in Grosser Presis von Bayern
Sir Mark Prescott often sends runners to Germany and Ascot Champion Fillies & Mares Group 1 third Tiffany is no stranger to racing there. Alpinista took the Grosser Preis von Bayern as a four-year-old and the daughter of Farhh seeks to emulate the yard’s subsequent Arc heroine.
Tiffany’s placed effort on British Champions Day behind a couple of three-year-olds she conceded 6lb in weight to reads well. Older fillies and mares must give 1lb to three-year-old colts and geldings like Ancient Wisdom, and 4lb to younger females here. Tiffany looks sure to be popular with punters on UK horse racing betting sites as a result.
Grand Prix de Deauville heroine Quantanamera is back on home soil after coming eighth at Ascot. It’s a case of the softer ground, the better for Andreas Suborics’ four-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega. Similar comments apply to Ancient Wisdom, though.
For the home team, the second and third from the Preis von Europa, Straight and Lordano, lead the way in a rematch. The former pushed Rebel’s Romance to a neck that day before landing an Italian Group 2 last time out.
Lordano stays further after winning the German St Leger last term. He beat Assistent in a Cologne Group 2 down at this trip and then got within a neck of Fantastic Moon, who came out and landed the Grosser Preis von Baden, when confirming that form next time.
Menuisier Runs Two Against Ancient Wisdom in Final European Group 1 of 2024
David Menuisier rolls the dice with two travelling from his West Sussex yard to Germany. Epsom Oaks third War Chimes is the pick of those and it may be best to put a line through her effort on Champions Day.
The three-year-old Summer Front filly missed the break and stumbled around half-a-mile from home. That probably wasn’t her true running at Epsom, much like with Ancient Wisdom, and War Chimes has an otherwise respectable record on soft surfaces.
Menuisier also runs another young female in Panthera. The case for the daughter of Cracksman in the Grosser Preis von Bayern is trickier to make for online bookmakers after three failures to win a Listed race against her own sex including over further the last day.
Both War Chimes and Panthera received maximum weight for age and gender allowances from the field. Whether that is enough to bridge the gap in a race where stamina more than speed is of the essence remains to be seen.
Waldemar Hickst’s narrow Deutsches Derby third Augustus and frontrunner Atoso complete the Grosser Preis von Bayern field of 11 this year.
