Bragging rights among Germany's middle-distance runners are up for grabs at present, and Sunday's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich offers the opportunity for a clear leader to emerge. Ito (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) would have enjoyed such a position on last year's form, when he captured the 12-furlong G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern by four lengths here in November, but he has questions to answer now following a latest third in the G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft over 11 furlongs May 29. On that occasion the Gestut Schlenderhan homebred was third behind Iquitos (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) and the subsequent G3 Hamburg Trophy scorer Articus (Fr) (Areion {Ger}), and the winner of that contest has subsequently finished runner-up to Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) in Hamburg's G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis July 3.
Gestut Ammerland's Royal Solitaire (Ger) (Shamardal) is a filly on a roll, having followed two listed successes with a win in the G2 Badener Meile May 26, while Potemkin (Ger) (New Approach {Ire}) is also coming here on the back of a notable performance. After signing off in 2015 by taking Hoppegarten's G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit over this trip in October, Klaus Allofs and Gestut Fahrhof's 5-year-old captured the G3 Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft over nine furlongs at Dortmund June 26.
If it proves that the domestic runners are not up to scratch, the Rothschild Family's Elliptique (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) could capitalise from the Andre Fabre stable. Last year's G3 Grand Prix de Vichy scorer was runner-up in Chantilly's G3 La Coupe over this trip when last seen June 22, and would not need to make vast improvement to deliver a first win in this for his master trainer.
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