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The 2002 running of the Baden Baden looks
pretty much liked a home affair. From a selected small field of
eight, only two were trained outside of Germany, and this included
the English trained Marienbard, from the powerful Godolphin
stable and the French Group 2 winner Califet, victor of the
Prix Jean de Chaudenay over 12 furlongs back in May.
The race was ran in a snail liked pace
and saw outside Auenteufel and German Derby and English Group
1 winner Boreal assumed the lead off the jump until they
reached the top of the lane. The race turned into a straight course
sprint home, and Kieran Fallon on Boreal first pushed the
button to ask his classic winner to go on, the pair found very little
under pressure and fell away tamely with 200m to go. The early co-leader
Auentuefel was being ridden before reaching the home bend and
was soon beaten.
It was left to the English invader;
the dual Group 1 winner and top fit Marienbard to show his
true colours. Under an armchair liked ride, Frankie Dettori sat
quietly just behind the early leaders until straightening in the
home straight, the pair sprinted away with minimal effort to win
by an extended two-and-one-half lengths. Next came this year's German
Oaks heroine Salve Regina who put up a great fight but was
no match to the winner's kick home. Noroit, who was travelling
sweetly along the rail was found wanting under a hard drive but
still managed to keep third from the French trained Califet.
One of the most popular
racecourses in Germany Baden Baden held its first meeting in 1858.
This beautiful and historic left-handed racetrack is 2000m in circumference
with a 3-furlong straight.
Baden Baden usually hosts two top-quality
meetings each year, the Spring and Autumn meetings. The Group 1
Grosser Preis von Baden is for 3-year-olds and up run over 2400m,
a race that is dated back to the 19th century and is held near the
end of August each year, without any doubt the highlight of the
German racing calendar.
Last year, the youngest of the four
Maktoum brothers, Sheikh Ahmed brought his classic winning colt
of the Italian Derby Morshdi to Baden Baden and this Slip
Anchor colt came charging from behind to deny the home favourite
Boreal by one-and-a-quarter length to take the 129th running
of this historic German classic.
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TV Broadcast
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Hong Kong
racing fans will be able to watch this race, 6th leg of
the World Racing Championship Series 2002 on ATV World
Channel and Cable TV Channel 82 at the following
times:
ATV (World Channel) - 3rd of September 2002
Tuesday, in "Racing To Win" at 23:15
Cable TV (Channel 82) - 3rd of September 2002
Tuesday, in "Racing To Win" at 20:00.
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