Gestut Idee

Darius Racing's bargain buy Pashang (Isfahan) justified his entry in July's G1 157th Deutsches Derby with a scintillating display in Sunday's Preis vom Gestut Auenquelle at Mulheim to become his sire's first TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard. The €24,000 BBAG September graduate was doing all his best work at the business end of a Dortmund all-weather maiden, when runner-up to subsequent G3 Dr Busch Memorial-winning stablemate Asker (Aclaim), in December and shed maiden status in emphatic style over 12 furlongs in this turf debut. "He's a very talented horse...

For Hamburg resident Albert Darboven, every Derby day is special, not least because for the last 16 years his family's coffee trading company JJ Darboven has sponsored the German Classic. But the businessman has also tasted success at the highest level as the owner-breeder of the 1992 winner Pik Koenig (Koenigsstuhl), and last Sunday another chapter was added to his storied association with the Deutsches Derby when Darboven's homebred stallion Polish Vulcano was responsible for this year's winner Hochkoenig. "It was incredible to witness Hochkoenig's victory live on Sunday and...

Unbridled joy was present in bundles at Hamburg on Sunday as recent amateur-turned-apprentice Nina Baltromei urged Hochkoenig to victory on the line in the 156th Deutsches Derby, denying the Karl Burke-trained Convergent (Fascinating Rock) by the merest of margins. Hochkoenig is by the Lomitas stallion Polish Vulcano, who stands at the Darboven family's Gestuet Idee, which sponsors the Derby and is where the 17-year-old was bred. We'll be hearing from the stallion's breeder Albert Darboven in tomorrow's TDN, but for the breeders of Hochkoenig, racing photographers Marc and Gabi Ruehl,...