Hotazhell back to his best in G1

MUNICH – Hotazhell returned to winning ways when narrowly landing the €155,000 (S$225,000) Group 1 Grand Dallmayr Prize (2,000m) in Munich on July 26.

Trained in Ireland by 78-year-old Jessica Harrington, the Too Darn Hot four-year-old colt emerged victorious after a battle against trainer Charlie Johnston’s three-year-old filly Timeforshowcasing in the feature also known as Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen.

Breaking from stall two, Hotazhell raced keenly during the opening stages before jockey Shane Foley allowed him to stride to the front.

Timeforshowcasing (Jack Mitchell) settled immediately behind the leader and the pair established a strong tempo approaching the final bend, while favourite Wimbledon Hawkeye (Oisin Murphy) remained near the rear.

Hotazhell ($40) continued to travel strongly in front and was asked to quicken upon entering the straight.

Timeforshowcasing moved alongside inside the final 200m and appeared briefly to gain a narrow advantage, but Hotazhell responded determinedly as the pair fought out the finish.

They crossed the line almost together, but it was Hotazhell who prevailed by a nose to hand Harrington and Foley their first victories in this race.

Wimbledon Hawkeye stormed home on the outside for third, another ½ length away.

While six of the 10 starters were from abroad, the best German runner was the three-year-old Seguro, trained by Andreas Suborics in Cologne.

Ridden by Benjamin Marie, Seguro finished fourth.

As the owners of Hotazhell, Silverton Hill Partnership collected €100,000 for winning the Germany showpiece.

Foley, who clinched his first Group 1 victory in Germany, said things did not go as planned in the race.

“It wasn’t the plan to be in front at all, but he had a good jump, and there was no pace,” he said.

The victory was Hotazhell’s second top-level success.

He last won the Group 1 Futurity Trophy Stakes (1,600m) at Doncaster on Oct 26, 2024 during his juvenile campaign.

He had previously won the Group 2 Beresford Stakes (1,600m) and the Group 3 Tyros Stakes (1,400m), before finishing third to Field Of Gold in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas (1,600m) as a three-year-old.

Hotazhell, who finished third in the Group 3 International Stakes (2,000m) at the Curragh on June 28, is now the first Irish-trained winner of the Munich contest since Timarida scored for John Oxx in 1996.

The Grand Dallmayr Prize kicks off the “Summer Festival of German horse racing” with three Group 1 races on three consecutive Sundays.

The two other Group 1 events are the 168th Preis der Diana, or the German Oaks. Open to three-year-old fillies, it is run over 2,200m and held on Aug 2.

The 136th Group 1 Grand Prix of Berlin (2,400m) will take place on Aug 9. DEUTSCHER GALOPP