Image: Loucas; www.marcruehl.com / Use of this image is free of charge in connection with reporting on Baden Galopp
Press release
Sales & Racing Festival, October 17–19, 2025, in Baden-Baden • Iffezheim:
Nobody knocks over the Loucas - 100,000 euro payday for Ittlingen ace in the Ferdinand Leisten Memorial
Baden-Baden-Iffezheim, October 17, 2025 (MH) – A worthy winner of 100,000 euros in prize money in Germany’s highest-purse race for two-year-olds on Friday, at the start of the Sales & Racing Festival, in front of 3,700 spectators at the racetrack in Baden-Baden-Iffezheim: Loucas, a son of Best Solution trained by Waldemar Hickst in Cologne for Gestüt Ittlingen, owned by furniture entrepreneur Manfred Ostermann, won the Ferdinand Leisten Memorial – BBAG Auction Race (200,000 euros, 1,400 m) in impressive fashion as a heavily underestimated 12:1 longshot. The memorial race honoring the unforgettable Ferdinand Leisten—an official, auctioneer, owner, and breeder who passed away in 1995—turned into a triumphant victory for the stallion, who had not been sold here at the BBAG as a yearling.
Ridden by Andrasch Starke, Loucas—after an early move in a race from the front—kept finding new reserves of energy to fend off the fiercely pursuing English favorite Bella Lyra, the relentless front-runner Avyaan, and the highly touted Nardos. In the end, Loucas won by one and a quarter lengths; following his debut victory in Krefeld, he had also finished second in a Listed race in Hanover.
Heavily Underrated on Toto
“I didn’t understand at all why Loucas was so underestimated in the Toto, because his form had improved significantly in the Winter Favorites Stakes. He’s now heading into the winter break, and we’re very optimistic about next year,” said owner and breeder Manfred Ostermann.
Jockey Andrasch Starke commented: “We were in a good position right from the start. On the home stretch, I waited briefly for an opening; then the inside lane cleared, and Loucas picked up the pace right away. In the final 200 meters, he glanced briefly at the video screen, but he won easily. The best horses were up front.”
Trainer Waldemar Hickst added: “Andrasch Starke gave him a fantastic race. Loucas had already run well in Hanover. I had told the owner he should bet on his horse.”
English favorite in second place
Bella Lyra finished well, and Avyaan, who came in third (trainer Andreas Wöhler: “He showed a lot of spirit carrying that weight”), also performed very well. Nardos, in fourth place, looked for a long time as though she might achieve more. “With a better post position, we would have finished third,” said trainer Henk Grewe. Behind them, the gap to Coco Soleil in fifth place was already significant. Endorphin, trained by Gerald Geisler in Iffezheim, could not finish any higher than second-to-last.
2025 Baden Galopp Race Schedule
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
www.badengalopp.de
