Dubai Honour bids for more Group 1 glory in the Grosser Preis von Baden

Dubai Honour will be breaking new ground for William Haggas, who has yet to saddle a runner in Germany's leading middle-distance race and whose rare forays across the Rhine have previously yielded a Preis der Diana (Oaks) success in 2011 with Epsom heroine Dancing Rain.

Tom Marquand arguably ended up tracking the wrong column of horses after dropping across from a wide draw to the rail in a King George run at a furious pace, but Dubai Honour's win in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on quick ground in June showed he is now fully effective over a mile and a half.

In aiming Mohammed Obaida's globetrotting gelding at the Grosser Preis von Baden, Haggas has alighted upon a major European prize that has stubbornly refused to smile on the three-year-olds for some time.

Since Danedream collected the prize by six lengths en route to Arc glory in 2011, all 34 runners from the Classic generation have been beaten – representing 39 per cent of the total fields across the last 12 editions – including six winners of the Deutsches Derby.

That streak has seen the defeat of horses like Sea The Moon and Pastorius, yet there is no overwhelming reason why the Grosser Preis should be any more immune to three-year-old winners than the Arc or the Champion Stakes run at Leopardstown and Ascot; indeed, but for the driving of Christophe Soumillon aboard Zagrey, Mr Hollywood would have struck for the younger brigade 12 months ago.

Danedream was the last three-year-old to win the Grosser Preis von Baden in 2011Credit: Edward Whitaker

The poor record of three-year-olds detracts from the otherwise-sound claims of Narrativo, who was stuck too far back in a Derby that favoured the prominently positioned, but then came back to form when chasing home Arc-bound Al Riffa in Berlin, with the rest of the field left in his wake.

Spanish Eyes, the mount of Thore Hammer Hansen, was having only her third start when running on strongly to be second in the Preis der Diana and is clearly well thought of, being from the family of 2000 Grosser Preis winner Samum and Schiaparelli, who won the Deutsches Derby for Peter Schiergen and later the Goodwood Cup for Saeed Bin Suroor and Godolphin.

Last year the Hamburg Derby winner Fantastic Moon was withdrawn on the morning of the race because of fears over the ground and, while a couple of his starts this term have been compromised by soft ground, he should have conditions to his liking, and is the logical alternative should Dubai Honour still be suffering the effects of his efforts at Saint-Cloud and Ascot.
Analysis by Scott Burton 

Marquand blames himself for Dubai Honour's showing in the King George

The German handicapper gives Dubai Honour just half a kilo in hand over Fantastic Moon but the British-trained challenger may be underestimated off the back of his seventh-placed effort in the King George, and regular rider Tom Marquand certainly feels he is a better horse than he was able to show that day.

"He is coming off the back of his only bad run in the last few years," said Marquand. "Things didn't really go our way, obviously we slotted in and we probably rode the race for the draw too much. He's shown gears in the right circumstances, but last time wasn't the right day to do that.

"I wouldn't be worried about the Ascot run. I do think I got it wrong and I hope he proves that."

Dubai Honour and Tom Marquand return after winning the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-CloudCredit: Racing Post/Burton

Marquand added: "He's got a good turn of foot and he's proved his versatility on the ground. He won his first Group 1 race on good ground at Rosehill, which is pretty quick for a horse who was put in the bracket of a slow-ground performer. 

"The distance has been one of his big assets too; he's obviously now campaigned at a mile and a half and a mile and a quarter, and he's seemingly equal at both."

What They Say

Lars-Wilhelm Baumgartner of Liberty Racing syndicate, owners of Fantastic Moon
The good ground is great news for our horse, who is in good shape. He’ll set off at 4am from Munich on Sunday rather than stay overnight, because it’s very hot in Baden-Baden. Rene [Piechulek, jockey] is very confident but it's a tricky race. We hope that we have Fantastic Moon on his A-Game and we’d love to win a Group 1 race as an older horse for his stallion career. In the Ganay he was a bit coltish all day, so he didn’t show his form. It was very soft when he was second to Calif in Munich and for me, 2,400 metres [a mile and a half] and good ground is ideal. If he wins, it will set him up well for the Arc.

Rene Piechulek celebrates after Fantastic Moon's win in the Deutsches Derby at HamburgCredit: Marc Ruhl / Deutscher Galopp

Peter Schiergen, trainer of Narrativo
You can ignore his run in the Derby, I think he's a better horse than he showed that day. He ran very well last time in Berlin. The good ground will help him and I think he has a good chance.

Andreas Wohler, trainer of Spanish Eyes
It's a tough task and the main goal is for her to be placed. Hopefully the extra 200 metres and going left-handed won't be a problem. She is very well bred and getting placed would be very important for her.
Reporting by Scott Burton and Liam Headd

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