Posted 1 July 2008
Updated 2 July 2008

Despite the presence of three foreign runners Peace Royale is set to start as favourite for the G.3 Preis der Spielbank at Hamburg this evening when three year-old fillies will have the chance to race against their older counterparts.

Despite throwing a shoe Peace Royale was an impressive winner of the Group 3 Schwarzgold-Rennen in May and due to a related muscle injury was deprived of a run in the German 1,000 Guineas for which she would have been highly fancied. Of the other three year-olds in the eleven-runner field none looks especially threatening.

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Now Forever won a race in Dortmund in May before running a good second in a nine-furlong race at Baden-Baden three weeks later. She was however well outclassed when taking on the Swiss-trained Vinea Federspiel two weeks ago at San Siro.

Themelie Island claimed the scalp of subsequent German 1,000 Guineas winner Briseida as a juvenile but has failed to hit the board yet this term, while Waldmar Hickst’s Masako won over a mile at Hanover in April before placing an average fourth behind Now Forever at Baden-Baden on her only other start to date.

Three of the seven four year-olds come from abroad and Vinea Federspiel looks a strong threat after winning a Listed race over a mile at San Siro just a fortnight ago.

Marco Botti will saddle Nolas Lolly, previously in training in Germany, and who returns for a second crack at black-type success. She put in a fine run just three weeks ago to finish runner-up to Another World in the Listed Krefelder Stutenpreis.

Eamon Tyrrell must be expecting a big run from Impetious to send her over from Ireland. She has consistently run in company that has been too tough for her and despite winning a Listed race at Hanover last September, her subsequent outings, most notably in Dubai, have been uninspiring.

Of the local competition Waky Love is sure to put up a good fight. She was second in this race last year and ended her season with a strong second-place finish behind Mharadono in a G.3 at Hanover. Twice third from two starts in good company already this season, trainer Jutta Mayer will be looking to get a black-type win on her pedigree page.

Jens Hirschberger runs the lightly-raced Flashing Colour whose seasonal debut saw her narrowly beaten over a Listed mile race at Frankfurt. She returned to Dusseldorf just eleven days ago and set the record straight by running out a facile Listed winner over seven furlongs.

Peter Rau’s Ledicea was ¾-length behind Flashing Colour at Frankfurt and comes into this race solely on the merit of that run. It is unlikely she will break her maiden status today.

Completing the field is the Andreas Löwe-trained New Fee, also a maiden and who has finished bridesmaid on three of her last four starts. Not once has she looked threatening and her first foray into black-type company will not be an easy one.

If Peace Royale shows the ability she has suggested then a big campaign awaits her. However Gestüt Schlenderhan’s Flashing Colour looks the most likely filly, with perhaps the exception of Vinea Federspiel, to upset her future plans.
RacingNewswire