Local betting suggests Sunday's G2 Mehl Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) at Cologne may go abroad again, with China Horse Club International's Lockheed (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) favoured over the domestic brigade. On his third placings in the G3 Acomb S. at York in August and in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh in September, he is worthy of that status and it is likely that his last outing when fifth in the G3 Autumn S. represented one run too many at Newmarket in October.
Of the home team, Stall Lintec's Dragon Lips (Ger) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) put the smart Langtang (Ger) (Campanologist) firmly in his place when taking the G3 Dr. Busch-Memorial over 8 1/2 furlongs at Krefeld on Apr. 23 and has strong form claims. One who is not proven in this kind of company is the Andreas Wohler trainee Empire of the Star (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), but he beat Oshayger (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a son of Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune), in a mile conditions race at Chantilly on May 7 and that form links closely to 'TDN Rising Star' Ratiocination (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}).
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