There’s European Group-race action in France and Germany today with a number of British stables hoping to secure some valuable prizes.
Baden-Baden stages the Group 1 Longines Grosser Preis von Baden (1m4f) in which the Mark Johnston-trained Communique bids to go one better than when touched off in the Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten last month. Joe Fanning gets the leg up on the son of Casamento, having ridden him on his last start. Godolphin’s Ghaiyyath, trained by Charlie Appleby, has been absent since finishing third behind Waldgeist and Study Of Man in the Prix Ganay in April.
Both four-year-olds could have their work cut out against German Derby victor Laccario. German racing’s new star has won all four starts this year for trainer Andreas Wohler and receives 7lb from his older vials.
Laccario will be ridden by Panama-born Eddie Pedroza, who made it 17th time lucky in the German Derby, having endured stinging criticism for a number of his previous 16 rides in the Classic.
Vintager and Crossing The Line represent Charlie Appleby and Andrew Balding in the preceding race at Baden-Baden, the Group 2 Oettingen-Rennen over a mile, while Heavenly Holly (Hugo Palmer), Adelante (George Baker) and Miss Celestial (Sir Mark Prescott) contest the Listed Stadt Baden-Baden/Viererwette (7f) for fillies and mares.
Trainers Ralph Beckett and James Fanshawe are also targeting valuable black type for their owners at Longchamp today. The former sends Sand Share (Khalid Abdullah) and Glance (Julian Richmond-Watson) for the Listed Prix de Liancourt while Fanshawe relies on impressive all-weather winner Sweet Promise (A Boyd-Rochfort) in the extended ten-furlong event.
Moonlight Spirit, fourth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, bids to bag a Group 3 prize for Godolphin earlier in the day in the Prix de Lutece (1m7f). James Doyle takes the ride for trainer Charlie Appleby.
The domestic programme sees racing taking place today at Brighton and Worcester (NH) while they also race at Cork in Ireland.
Mischief making hay
There is Grade 1 action at Saratoga today with the Spinaway Stakes for two-year-old fillies the highlight on the card.
Spendthrift Farm stallion Into Mischief supplies four of the seven runners in the seven-furlong dirt contest in the shape of Mundaye Call, Figure Of Speech, Risky Mischief and likely favourite Frank’s Rockette, representing Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.
