Grosser Preis von Baden 2015

September 6, 2015 - 2,400 metres (1½ miles), Iffezheim, Germany

Preview September 3, 2015

Not many foreign horses turned up at the Große Preis von Baden the recent years, with Prince Gibraltar and the Derby Italiano winner Goldstream two thoroughbreds of the highest international level will come to Baden-Baden this time.
Jean-Pierre Carvalho's Ito should be able to give the foreign guests a hard time, also the three-year-old filly Nightflower may have a chance with her low weight under Andrasch Starke. All other competitors are German horses too, they will only be outsiders.

Ivanhowe won the Große Preis von Baden 2014 for the Gestüt Schlenderhan and also this year the oldest private stud in Germany has a good chance to capture the big race again. Ito won his first three starts in 2015 vastly superior, already looked like the winner of the Große Preis von Berlin (Gr.1, 2,400 m) when got caught on the line by Second Step. He was not totally pushed forward by jockey Filip Minarik, so there should be more to come from the son of Adlerflug. The four-year-old will most probably go to the front of the field on Sunday again, and if he wins, might target the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe next.

His most serious opponent is expected in Prince Gibraltar, who represents the highest international class. The son of Rock Of Gibraltar won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud (Gr.1, 2,000 m) as a two-year-old on heavy ground, finished third in the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr.1, 2,100 m) as favourite the next year. He then got only narrowly beaten in the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr.1, 2,100 m) on soft ground, ended seventh in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe 2014 afterwards. The meanwhile four-year-old run just three races this year so far, disappointed when came only third as favourite in the York Stakes (Gr.2, 2,092 m) at the end of July, which obviously raise the question about his recent form. According to the weather forecast he could meet his preferred softish ground on Sunday.

With a weight of just 54 kilogram the three-year-old filly Nightflower might be in the mix as well. She came only second in the Preis der Diana (German Fillies Derby, 2,200 m) when run against the track bias at the end of the field in Düsseldorf. This tactics do not have to be a disadvantage in Baden-Baden though. She had not given a bad performance in the Prix de Diane (Gr.1, 2,100 m) in Chantilly before and will get ridden by Germany's best jockey Andrasch Starke in the 145th Große Preis von Baden.

Australian Bloodstock supplemented their Italian colt Goldstream for 25,000 Euro on Wednesday. He had won the Derby Italiano (Gr.2, 2,200 m) in great style, where he left the later participants of the German Derby Graasten and Summer Paradise far behind. After that triumph Goldstream moved to Germany to the stable of Andreas Wöhler. At the end of a three month break he then had to accept his first defeat when got fourth in the Secretariat Stakes (Gr.1, 2,011 m) in the USA. If he has not suffered from the long journey, credit must be given to him in Baden-Baden. The son of Martino Alonso is also among the favourites for the Melbourne Cup, which was won by Andreas Wöhler last year.

The four-year-old filly Weltmacht had no chance against Ito in the Preis der Badischen Unternehmer in June, but that was her first start after an almost one year injury break. She gave a very strong performance against her male colleagues in August and if she will be able to increase again, may be surprises in Baden-Baden. The daughter of Mount Nelson might fight for the lead with Ito on Sunday, which could result in a pretty fast race.

Palace Prince was supplemented for the Große Preis von Baden too. He was also supplemented for the German Derby 2015 (Gr.1, 2,400 m), where he then came runner-up as 17:1 outsider. But he passed the line five length behind the winner Nutan, who himself got beaten by Ito in the Große Preis von Berlin afterwards.

Sirius won the Große Preis von Berlin last year, but finished only fourth in this race this year, two length behind Ito. He came fifth in the Große Preis von Baden 2014 and will only be outsider this time again. The same is even more true for Spend The Cash, who is a son of Adlerflug too and ended four length behind his half brother Ito in the above mentioned Preis der Badischen Unternehmer.

The Grosse Preis von Baden is run since 1858, it is Germany's highest classified horse race. The winner automatically gets an invitation for the Breeders' Cup Turf and the Japan Cup.