Yasmin Almenrader

With the late scratching of France's leading contender Juwelier (Wootton Bassett), the path was left clear for domestic hope Hochkonig (Polish Vulcano) and British raider Convergent (Fascinating Rock) to battle out a thrilling finish to Sunday's G1 IDEE 156th Deutsches Derby at Hamburg. The delayed photo verdict heightened the drama and the crowd erupted once Hochkonig was confirmed the short-head winner, with Nina Baltromei becoming the contest's first female rider to celebrate glory. Baltromei employed patient tactics from the outset and settled Hochkonig off the pace in rear for most...

Volker Kaufling's twice-raced 3-year-old filly Matilda (Soldier Hollow), one of three distaffers sent postward for Sunday's G2 Coolmore City Of Troy German 2000 Guineas at Cologne, turned the one-mile Classic into a procession, coming home clear of her rivals on black-type debut. The homebred bay had previously backed up a Mar. 30 debut sixth going one mile at Dusseldorf with a taking five-length tally over this course and distance last month and repeated the trick of swishing her tail in the closing stages of that contest to propel her to...

One of the lesser-exposed members of the line-up for the 100th renewal of Sunday's G2 Wempe German 1000 Guineas, Stall Raffelberg's Lancade (GB) (Areion {Ger}) was the one to hit the heights in the Dusseldorf Classic. Successful over 8 1/2 furlongs on her seasonal bow at this venue May 16, the 11-1 shot was settled in mid-division early against the rail by Adrie de Vries before being angled out in early straight. Swamping her rivals with 150 metres remaining, the Yasmin Almenrader-trained chestnut readily asserted for a comfortable 1 1/4-length...