German Derby 2014

July 6, 2014 - 2,400 meters (1½ mile), 3-year-olds, Hamburg-Horn

Preview - July 4, 2014

The unbeaten Sea The Moon has been the exclusive favourite for the 145th Deutsche Derby until Aidan O’Brien nominated Geoffrey Chaucer last Monday. This surprising entry did not only enhance Germany's most important horse race, it also made the German Derby far more exciting.

Sea The Moon's recent win at the prestigious Oppenheim-Union-Rennen (Group 2, 2200m) did not happen against the very best opposition, far more impressive was his performance at the Frühjahrspreis des Bankhauses Metzler (Group 3, 2000m) in May, where he beat several serious Derby candidates, including Magic Artist, who won the Bavarian Classic easily afterwards.
The son of the Arc-winner Sea The Stars achieved all his three successes wire to wire, and it does not look like that anyone will challenge him for the lead on Sunday. His trainer Markus Klug, whose stall is in outstanding form this year, declared that his charge does not really need to be in front anyway. Sea The Moon will get ridden by the Belgium star jockey Christophe Soumillon for the first time in Hamburg.

Aidan O’Brien's Geoffrey Chaucer could become his most serious rival. As a two-year-old the son of Montjeu won the Beresford Stakes (Group 2, 1609m) at the Curragh, entered the Epsom Derby as on of the favourites afterwards, where he ended only last though. He was also among the favourites for the Irish Derby last week, but was withdrawn there as in the Prix du Jockey Club before.

Lucky Lion would normally be considered as a serious competitor after impressive victories in the Dr. Busch Memorial (Group 3, 1700m) and the Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen (Group 2, 1600m), but there are reasonable doubts about his stamina. His trainer Andreas Löwe at least declared that he estimates Lucky Lion to be able to go a lot further than 1700 meters.

Wild Chief became only third behind Norse Prize in the Prix Francois Mathet (2100m), but despite an unclear run he finished fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, 2100m) and must obviously be considered in the German Derby now as well.

It is a great honour for Hamburg's Racing Club that Godolphin's Pinzolo was entered to the Derby. Charles Appleby's son of Monsun had been second favourite in the Racing Post Trophy last year, were he disappointed as well as in the Epsom Derby.

Before Lucky Speed triumphed in the German Derby 2013 he had won the Bavarian Classic (Group 3, 2000m) in Munich. From this race Magic Artist came out with a three length victory against decent opposition this year. Magic Artist was beaten by Sea The Moon in Frankfurt before, but the way he won in Munich implied further improvement. He will be located at the end of the huge field on Sunday to display his massive speed on the stretch and obviously would like a strong pace.

As Jean-Pierre Carvalho and his Stall Uhlmann will send their best three-year-old Guardini to the Grand Prix de Paris, Swacadelic will be their only Derby horse now. He got beaten by Sea The Moon in the Oppenheim-Union-Rennen but won the Derby-trial in Hannover and the George C. Muhle Gedächtnis-Rennen before. This race in Bremen had yield several Derby winners in the past, among others Swacadelic's father Adlerflug.

With Weltmacht a filly will start in the German Derby this year. Also trained by Markus Klug she had been the favourite for the German Oaks but got beaten in Berlin recently.

A horse that has to be mentioned is Giants Cauldron. He has never won so far but is the horse of four-times Derby winner Peter Schiergen and will get ridden by Germany's currently most successful jockey Adrie de Vries.

Amorous Adventure is recommended for friends of long odds. The chestnut disappointed as a two-year-old but probably would have won the Derby-Trial in Bremen with a clear run recently.


Important races ahead of the German Derby: