Henk Grewe has a new big goal in mind: Instead of the Prize of Europe, it is now the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for two of his best horses, and instead of a prize of 100,000 euros, there is now the prospect of 2.857 million euros. Mr Hollywood and Sisfahan, trained by Grewe in Cologne-Weidenpesch, were withdrawn from the Grand Prix highlight on their home track last Sunday in order to reach for the stars in Europe’s most important horse race next Sunday in Paris.
For the three-year-old current Derby runner-up Mr Hollywood, the decision was made a good week ago. The Arc sponsor, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani from Qatar, secured a fifty percent share in the stallion. “We kept getting offers for Mr Hollywood, but we always rejected them and explained that a complete sale was out of the question for us,” said Sebastian Weiss, who, together with co-owner Wanja Oberhof, retained half of the thoroughbred, the specialist portal “ gallop online”.
Good running in Paris
“Now we have found a way to live the Arc dream and ensure that Mr Hollywood remains in training in Germany.” The deal is very similar to the agreement reached at Danedream in 2011. The Burg Eberstein stud farm of the Baden furniture entrepreneur Volz sold a share to Japan, but the mare remained in training with Peter Schiergen and won the Arc as the second horse prepared in Germany after Star Appeal in the 1970s.
For the five-year-old Sisfahan, jointly owned by Darius Racing, the racing team of former Merck CEO Stefan Oschmann, and Michael Motschmann, the president of the Munich racing club, the change of plans only came on Sunday morning. The team found the ground in Cologne to be too soft, but the prospects of a sunny week and good running in Paris were too tempting for the 2021 Derby winner.
“Forecast sounds tempting”
Those responsible for the ownership group of Liberty Racing 2021 are also studying the movement of the rain clouds very closely. Contrary to contrary ideas, which were aimed more at races in Japan or the USA, the current derby winner Fantastic Moon could be named for the Arc for 120,000 euros. The decision on this should be made this Wednesday. “Fantastic Moon coped well with the Prix Niel and the weather forecast sounds tempting,” said Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten from Liberty Racing, explaining the possible change of heart.
So there could still be a derby rematch between Fantastic Moon and Mr Hollywood at the Paris luxury racecourse Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne, which was canceled at short notice in the Baden Grand Prix. Mr Hollywood started there and came somewhat unluckily in second place. But his competitor avoided Paris because of the soft and loose terrain in Baden-Baden and won the Prix Niel, which, like the Baden Grand Prix, is considered an important preparation race for the Arc.
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Everyday life of a gallop trainer: Bet that…? Image: Daniel Pilar
The experts certified that Rene Piechulek had a great ride on the three-year-old stallion, which is being trained by his partner Sarah Steinberg in Munich. The 36-year-old jockey from Dessau received similar praise on Sunday when he held the 61st European Prize in the country with the five-year-old mare India for the Ittlingen Stud. “It was a really strong ride from Rene,” praised Waldemar Hickst from Kyrgyzstan, who has been working in Germany for more than three decades, first as a rider and then as a trainer.
India flew past Trevaunance of Ireland and Siskany of England in the home straight to win the Group I race after 2,400 metres. “I have a lot of trust in the mare, but the fact that it was enough today on not even suitable soft ground is really world-class of her,” said Piechulek in front of around 13,000 enthusiastic spectators. Piechulek is now only missing two from his collection of the “Big Seven” in Germany.
Peter Mühlfeit Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 5 Peter Mühlfeit, Hamburg Published/Updated: , Published/Updated: Recommendations: 20
He won the Bavarian Grand Prix in 2020, the Dallmayr Prize and Baden Grand Prix in 2022 and the Derby this year. Only the Diana Prize and the Berlin Grand Prix are still missing. However, he achieved the greatest triumph of his career in 2021 – with Torquator Tasso and his sensational victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
