Picture: Nicoreni after winning the Carla Kellner Zukunftsrennen - Preis der Winterkönigin; www.marcruehl.com / The use of the picture is free of charge in connection with the coverage of Baden Galopp
PRESS RELEASE
Sales & Racing Festival from October 18 - 20, 2024 in Baden-Baden - Iffezheim:
11,450 spectators, over 800,000 euros in betting turnover once again and an impressive Winter Queen Nicoreni
Baden-Baden-Iffezheim, October 21, 2024 (MH) - 11,450 spectators, another total turnover of over 800,000 euros and a new and impressive Winter Queen Nicoreni - the Sales & Racing Festival, which came to an end on Sunday at Baden-Baden-Iffezheim racecourse, was a worthy conclusion to the 2024 season at Germany's most important racecourse under the direction of Baden Galopp.
16 races with total prize money of 661,635 euros (including breeders' premiums) were held over the two racing days, which was a further increase on the approximately 650,000 euros in 2023. In cloudy weather, 3,350 spectators came to the racecourse on Friday, and in overcast, dry weather there were 8,100 spectators on the grand finale Sunday. The total number of 11,450 visitors was a slight increase on the previous year.
The main event, the Carla Kellner Zukunftsrennen - Preis der Winterkönigin (Group III, 155,000 euros, 1,600 m), the most important race for two-year-old mares in Germany, was held under the patronage of the Kellner family for the first time. There was a very impressive winner here with Gestüt Ebbesloh's Nicoreni. After the 2023 battle, it was now a solo performance by the outsider ridden by Germany's best Amazon Sibylle Vogt from Peter Schiergen's successful Cologne stable in Germany's most important race for two-year-old fillies. France's La Guapisima had to settle for second place ahead of Bella Sinfonia from Fährhof. The favored Goldaue was beaten in fourth place after an unfortunate race.
"A dream come true"
"It's a dream come true for me, because I've never won the Winter Queen before," said Sibylle Vogt, who was not only on cloud nine on Sunday. Understandably so, as she and Peter Schiergen had already won the first highlight of the Sales & Racing Festival on Friday. The most valuable race of the meeting, the €200,000 Ferdinand Leisten Memorial, was a triumph for Schiergen anyway, with Square Carnot (Sibylle Vogt) and Dhitjari taking the top two places. 100,000 euros was the prize money for the three-man owner syndicate around Munich racing club president Michael Motschmann, former soccer star Klaus Allofs (who won this race for the third time as co-owner) and Peter Schiergen. Square Carnot had been a lucky buy at the BBAG auction.
Schiergen dominates with four goals
Logically, Peter Schiergen was also the most successful trainer at the meeting with four wins (three of them on Friday). His stable jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev won the jockeys' title. His three wins on Friday were enough for this, as he did not get into the saddle in Iffezheim on Sunday, but in Milan, where he won a top race with the Gran Criterium on Lazio. Stefan Hahne (two-time winner on Friday, including with Daydream Express in the level I) and The Dutch Master Stables were delighted with two wins each for the owners.
Thore Hammer-Hansen on the road to success with assistant
But let's get back to the sporting highlights. The Baden Galopp Herbst Trophy (Group III, 55,000 euros, 2,400 m) was also a special event. With Assistent, the favored multiple group winner from Henk Grewe's stables in Cologne won in grand style for Cologne Racing Association President Eckhard Sauren. In the saddle was Thore Hammer-Hansen, the son of the former class jockey and former Iffezheim trainer Lennart Hammer-Hansen. "Assistent is a horse close to my heart, this victory means a lot to me," said the jockey, who is making great strides towards his first championship in Germany. Assistent's next target is the Allianz Grand Prix of Bavaria (Group I) in Munich on November 10th.
Iffezheim mare Tanami Starlet with career highlight
But the Baden Galopp Herbst Trophy was also a memorable race for the Iffezheim training center. The mare Tanami Starlet, trained by Gerald Geisler for El Sur Racing, ran the race of her life in second place. "We feel like winners, we hadn't expected that," said the overjoyed coach.
The only negative aspect of the Sales & Racing Festival was an unusual disqualification of the winner Caravanserai in the last race. The red ear caps should have been removed before the start, which unfortunately was not the case. As a result, the race organizers had no choice but to remove the mare from the classification in accordance with the race regulations.
Another increase in sales
At EUR 845,978.29, the total betting turnover exceeded the previous year's result by around EUR 10,000, although one less race was held than in 2023. Friday stood out with €321,458.97 compared to €274,514.20 last year, which corresponds to an increase of 17 percent. Sunday's €524,519.32 was on a par with the previous year, as the €561,236.52 in 2023 had been generated from one more race.
The BBAG Autumn Auction, which took place on Friday after the races and on Saturday, was once again a very international affair. In 18 countries, 207 of the 296 horses on offer were sold for a total of 2,261,500 euros.
Stephan Buchner, Managing Partner of Baden Galopp, in an initial review of the Sales & Racing Festival: "We are very satisfied with the Sales & Racing Festival after a sometimes turbulent and challenging season. The atmosphere, especially on Sunday, was outstanding and we saw some great sport. Of course, the disqualification in the last race is a downer and I'm sorry for everyone involved and the weather, but there was no alternative to the decision made by the race organizers."
Looking forward to the 2025 racing year
The 2025 racing season in Iffezheim will open with the spring meeting from May 29 to June 1. You will find the expected dates at the end of this press release.
Dates of race events Baden Galopp 2025
Spring Meeting:
Thursday, May 29
Saturday, May 31
Sunday, June 01
Big week:
Saturday, August 30
Sunday, August 31
Wednesday, September 03
Saturday, September 06
Sunday, September 07
Sales & Racing Festival:
Friday, October 17
Sunday, October 19
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Andre Lott
Press contact
Baden Galopp GmbH & Co. KG
Rennbahnstr. 16
76473 Iffezheim
Tel: +49 1736755151
