DONALDSON STEALS IT FROM THE FRONT

No horse should be allowed to get away with the kind of pace Donaldson (12) was allowed to set in the Group 1 Deutschland Preis at Düsseldorf. It's hardly surprising that he was able to hold off the late runs of the three year old Schiaparelli (11) and the Fabre raider Salutino (10). It's almost impossible to peg back a front runner that's been allowed to run so slow. Basically this race told us nothing.

ARACADIO PROVES VERSATILITY

The Group 2 pferdewetten.de Trophy at Cologne was one of the oddest races of the year. It's supposed to be Germany's top mile race but it developed into a two furlong sprint between the country's two best middle distance horses ARCADIO (11) and SOLDIER HOLLOW (11).

Arcadio won the dash to the line and extended his unbeaten run this year to three races. He's now won Group races on soft ground and firm, at a mile and 11 furlongs and off a fast pace and a slow one. Clearly he's very versatile and is almost certainly a serious Group 1 horse. But until he runs in a race where they go a decent early pace I won't be able to award him a speed rating that reflects his true ability. Hopefully that will happen in next month's Grosser Dallmayr Preis at Munich.

Triple Group 1 winner Soldier Hollow seems to show a clear seasonal pattern to his form. So far he's won eight times out of twelve from July onwards but lost all but one of his eleven starts earlier in the year. He beat Arcadio into second in last year's Grosser Dallmayr Preis. The re-match promises to be another close run affair between the two horses.

HECTOR IS SUPER AT DRESDEN

There aren't many fast sprinters in Germany, so the fast time clocked by SUPER HECTOR (36) to win the valuable BBAG Auction race over six furlongs at Dresden is noteworthy. The three year old won by seven lengths the last time he ran at Dresden but has yet to show the same form anywhere else. It could well be he likes the tight turns since Dresden is the tightest course he's run on. In any event he should certainly win again in decent company.

DON'T WRITE OFF LATERAL

Imonso (28) won a slow run renewal of the Group 3 Bavarian Classic, which is often a strong pointer towards the German Derby. I'm not convinced he'll stay the extra two furlongs of the big race though as he's yet to run beyond ten furlongs and all the other eleven wins scored by the offspring of his dam have come over nine furlongs or less.

Similar stamina doubts exist about LATERAL (27), last year's Champion two year old in Germany, who finished third in a bunch finish. He did well to come so close as he was held up and was attempting to gain ground into an accelerating pace which is never easy.

Lateral may not have the stamina to win at Hamburg, but this run indicates he's on his way back and may be capable of winning another Group 1 race at around ten furlongs.

KUK IS SMART - BUT ONLY AT DUSSELDORF

KUK (38) won a class 1 handicap at Dusseldorf in Group class time. He seems to be a completely different horse at this particular course - presumably because it is the only German track that gives him two turns to race around at seven furlongs. The seven year old has now won four of his last six starts at Dusseldorf but lost his last eleven runs around courses that aren't as tight - four of them claiming contests. I harbor a little fantasy that he'll ship over to Britain for a Listed race at Chester. He'd have a great chance there, but I dare say he won't be winning anywhere but Dusseldorf.

NOT A GREAT GERMAN OAKS

Almerita (34) earned a pretty ho hum speed rating from me when two lengths second to Lolita in the German 1000 Guineas. She ran no faster when taking the German Oaks. Perhaps she can run faster in a more strongly run race. Only time will tell.