view raw text
Reports From Foreign Racing Centers Germany * Champion Orsini In 57 Bow Sunday By PHILIP SI WALL Our Frankfurt Correspondent FRANKFURT. Germany.— During the months of May and June, the German three-year-olds make their appearance in five classics which serve to determine the leaders in the colt and filly divisions. Contrary to the English pattern the ladies receive first asking and debut in the ,000 Schwa rzgold Mile at the stylish Dusseldorf-Grafenberg undulating course. The classic, decided last Sunday, was increased this year from ,700 to ,000 as were nearly all classics in the Rhine-Ruhr cartel. One month following the Schwarzgold. the cream of the filly crop meets again at Mul-heim-Raffelberg in the Preis der Diana ,150 over a mile and one-quarter. Both fillies and colts are eligible for the three other classics decided during May and June. These are the Horst Emscher Hen-ckel Mile to be renewed Saturday afternoon and worth ,150*. Colognes 0,-000 Union Rennen at a mile and three furlongs which comes a full month after the Henckel and exactly 20 days prior to the supreme test, the 4,000 Hamburg Blue Ribbon Derby at a mile and one-half. The glorious Hamburg event is Germanys richest turf event, the only 100.000 mark offering. Three months later in September, the German Saint Leger at a mile and three-quarters is decided at the Dortmund-Wam-bel course. This is the final and most elusive leg to the German version of the Triple Crown, the first two jewels being the Henckel and the Derby. Almost always, the Dortmund Saint Leger is annexed by a late developing sophomore who ended among the also-rans during May and June. The two most recent St. Leger champions, Masetto and Bernardus, did not reach their top form until the period after Hamburgs four-day meeting in June. Gestuet Astas international crack Kilometer who returns to the races on May 19 in Colognes Anniversary Stakes did not train kindly after his triple sweep in May and June and couldnt even be readied for the St. Leger in September. German climatic conditions, not particularly favorable in relation to France, England or Italy, is generally considered the explanation for the German-breds tardy development. No German three-three-year-old has ever accounted for the Triple Crown which takes in a four-month span over sharply graduated distances and requires a thoroughbreds all. This year, the task will again be attempted by Gestuet Erlenhof through their crack Ticino-Oranian colt Orsini. This six-fold winner at two will make a long-awaited seasonal debut Sunday afternoon in the Henckel and it is the opinion of your correspondent that Orsini will lead the field into the finishing post. Last Sunday at Dusseldorf. a brilliant nine-horse field representing this countrys best, fillies of the 1954 generation assembled in the Schwarzgold classic. The Schwarzgold is Germanys equivalent to Englands 1.000 Guineas, the French Poule DEssaidesPouliches and the Italian Premio , Elena. It was founded in 1919. Formerly a Berlin-Hoppegarten fixture, the classic was originally known as Kisasszony-Rennen. but was renamed during World War II to honor Germanys greatest filly. Schwarzgold. ; This incomparable hussy outdistanced her own sex in the Preis der Diana and cantered home by 10 lengths in the 1940 Hamburg Derby before the colt Samurai, who is now a stallion in Florida. Unfortunately, the Schwarzgold renewal, was decided this year in a sudden driving hail storm which made for confusion at the start and in the early running. The ultimate winner, Thila, profited greatly by a quick beginning and she never surrendered her great advantage while scoring a front-running victory around Dusseldorfs sharp-turned, hilly course. Thila was bred by her owner W. Eichholz who maintains a privately-trained string of 12 horses on the Dus-• seldorf grounds. Thila is by the Schlen-derhan stallion Magnat and the first produce from the gallant distance-run-ing 1 mare Thilde, who also raced under j . the Eicholz blue and white banner. A large rangy black miss, Thila is the hope of her stable in the coming season and she is nominated for all the rich classic*. Runner-up was H. Pferdemenges Nuvolari daughter Fointainebleau, a length , ; 1 j . and one-half behind the winner. In third position was Gestuet Erlenhof s classy miss Solotaenzerin who closed strongly after a poor start. Solotaenzerin is trained by Adrian von Borcke and is by Ticino from the Italian Niccolo dellArca mare Sanso-vina. Time of the Schwarzgold was a disappointing 1:47. The same ladies will clash again on the first June Sunday in Mulheim-Raffelbergs Preis der Diana at a mile and a quarter. The Schwarzgold winner willl encounter far sterner opposition in that classic from Adrian von Borckes Solotaenzerin who will have profited many lengths from her run at Dusseldorf. Every considered factor spoke against the chances of Gestuet Rosters plucky four-year-colt Bernardus as he faced 10 others in Horst Emschers Ernst Bischoff Rennen at a mile and one-half. The small compact colt was asked to carry topweight of 133 pounds in his first 1957 outing, he was spotting the favorite Traumgeist 13 pounds and he represented a stable which had two successes in the last 21 attempts. | Still, the courageous "all-round" brown colt quickly established an early advantage, led by five lengths into the far turn, repulsed one attack after another through- out Horst Emschers sprawling 2.000-foot stretch and was sprinting away from the favorite Traumgeist at the finish. Ridden by Hans Hiller, Bernardus scored by a daylight length in the remarkable time of 2:32, establishing himself as the best older horse . in training. His next engagement is in Co- lognes ,000 Anniversary Stakes at a mile and three furlongs. He will take up 127 pounds against such as Kilometer, Franc Tireux II.. Kaiserjaeger, Traumgeist, An- j faenger and others. Ever-improving, Bernardus won six races at three including the St. Leger, Krefeld Paul Doering Rennen and the Grosser Preis von Frankfurt. His most recent triumph at | Horst Emscher stamps him as Germanys most eligible and most dangerous candi-1 date for the Washington, D. C. International since its inauguration. Bernardus, a small, light colt boasts an effortless ground devouring stride. He is effective at seven furlongs or two miles and is impossible to head ax-ouno j running tAt t f 1 1 ,. ; n ,
