Defoe heads the raiders party in the Gr.1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern. He won his first two starts of the season including the Gr.2 Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket. On his last start, he finished a well-beaten 15th in the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe behind the all-conquering Enable.
Defoe beat one of today’s rivals Iquitos in the Gr.1 Preis Von Baden. He should be looking for redemption in this one. Iquitos has only won once this season but has run respectably in top races all season and he was second in this twelve months ago behind Guignol. I think he lacks the class to win but showed still run his race.
Royal Youmzain represents the classic generation and is held in high regard by leading trainer Andreas Wohler, so much so that he has jumped off well fancied on all of his starts. Since stepping up in the class he has been met with defeat including the German Derby and the Gr.1 Preis Von Berlin. On a line through Best Solution, it would appear that Iquitos has the beating of Royal Youmzain.
The next Brittish raider is Dee Ex Bee, who boasts a runners-up medal in the Epsom Derby earlier in the year behind Massar.. Mark Johnston’s inmate has looked slightly regressive since that run and although he ran well to finish fourth in the St Leger when last seen, he was still beaten nine lengths. This drop down in trip looks sure to suit the son Farhh and if he recaptures his Derby form then he must go close.
Overall should be a nail gripping finish.
Click here to watch Grosser Preis Von Bayern Winner Race 2017
1st Guignol (J:minarik Filip, T:carvalho Jean), 2nd Iquitos (Porcu Daniele, T:groschel Hans), 3rd Dschingis Secret (J:de Vries Adrie, T:klug Markus)
1.Defoer (Oger.varian Andrea Atzeni), 2.Iquitos (Hans-jurgen Groschel Eddy Hardouin), 3.Racing History (Saeed bin Suroor, Adam Kirby), 4.Tiberian (Lain.couetil/frank Olivier Peslier), 5.Windstoss (Markus Klug Adrie De Vries), 6.Dee Ex Bee (Mark Johnston Francis Norton), 7.Royal Youmzain (Andreas Wohler Eduardo Pedroza)
Distance:2,400 metres (1½ miles), Surface:Turf, Track:Right-handed, Qualification: Three-years-old and up, Weight:58 kg (3yo); 60 kg (4yo+),Allowances,1½ kg for fillies and mares, Purse:€155,000 (2017),1st: €100,000
Credit: Ritesh Jamkhedkar ritesh.jamkhedkar@secretariatsworld.com