Tunnes

Stall Hanse's Geography will fly the flag for Germany in the G3 Diomed Stakes at Epsom on Derby Day this coming Saturday, according to trainer Peter Schiergen. A multiple group winner in his native land, the 4-year-old most recently won the G3 Kalkmann-Fruhjahrs-Meile in mid-April and was gelded last month. The son of Holy Roman Emperor will face Archie Watson trainee Brave Emperor (Sioux Nation) in that contest. "He's coming over to run, Derby day is a big day, so we will be coming," said Schiergen, who won the G1...

Group 1 winner Tunnes, a half-brother to Arc hero and sire Torquator Tasso, has joined the BBAG Spring Sale as a wildcard. Set for May 30, the catalogue now features 59 lots. The son of Guiliani was sold for €38,000 during the BBAG September Yearling Sale in 2020. Racing for Holger Renz, the chestnut showed group form at two with a win at Group 3 level, and progressed at three to take the G3 Deutsches St. Leger and the G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern. He is out of the Toylsome...

We can harness Thoroughbreds to our best and worst, to our altruism or avarice--but thankfully we will never alter the essential, inherent wonder of the breed, nor maintain the illusion that we are ever truly in control of its destiny. There's a genuine possibility, this weekend, that a German colt could elevate himself to the top of the global sophomore crop by winning the G1 Japan Cup. Yet Tünnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}) was a wholly inadvertent acquisition at the Baden-Baden yearling sales, his purchaser having dropped out at €20,000 only...

In the first 11 runnings of the G1 Longines Japan Cup, foreign raiders were successful no fewer than nine times, with winners from America, Australia, France, Ireland and New Zealand. But not since Alkaased (Kingmambo) defeated Heart's Cry (Jpn) (Sunday Silence) in 2005 for Frankie Dettori and Luca Cumani has any overseas-based galloper managed to land a winning blow. The locals will be favoured to take that current streak to 17 when a full field loads the gate at Tokyo Sunday afternoon, but Europe has strength in numbers--and class--to make...

It has been another banner week for the breeze-up sector, not to mention the burgeoning Bahraini participation in European racing.  Following Classic victories for Cachet (Ire), Native Trail (GB) and Eldar Eldarov (GB), more graduates of the two-year-old sales scene lifted one of last weekend's major races in Britain, the G2 Mill Reef Stakes, and also the G3 Stockholm Cup.  Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) was imperious in the Mill Reef, and was the standout in a magnificent seven winners on Saturday for Roger Varian, which also included landing a Group...

BADEN-BADEN, Germany--There has been much for German racing and breeding to celebrate since its premier yearling sale of 12 months ago. That same weekend, Torquator Tasso (Ger), a graduate of the 2018 sale, landed the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden just across the road from the auction house before going on to his memorable victory in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. A reminder, if one were needed, that German bloodlines can mix it with the very best in the world, as also exemplified recently by the GI Beverly...

"I can't say I'm not fine because I'm such a lucky man in the last two years with my hobby of breeding horses. It's not a normal position to be in." So says Paul Vandeberg, breeder not only of the reigning Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) but also of Tünnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), who as a 2-year-old last season won the G3 Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen. The colts are half-brothers and, remarkably, their dam Tijuana (Ger) (Toylsome {GB}) is the only mare owned by the Dutch breeder. It is...

In the absence of lone filly Nastaria (GB) (Outstrip {GB}), seven colts will head postward for Sunday's Grosser Preis der Wohnstatte Krefeld Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen at Krefeld, Germany's final pattern race of the year and won last year by subsequent G2 German 2000 Guineas hero Mythico (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Holger Renz's Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}) went straight to the top of ante-post lists for next term's G1 Deutsches Derby in the aftermath of a three-length victory at Cologne last month and the €38,000 BBAG yearling is a half-brother to MG1SW...