12 May. GER. Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen-German Two Thousand Guineas. G2. Koln. 1.600 mts. Turf. 165.000 €
1.- PRECIOUS BOY (A.Vries)
2.- KONIG CONCORDE (W.Panov)
3.- LIANG KAY (T.Hellier)


Precious Boy (Big Shuffle) ran out the first German classic winner of the season, winning the G.2 Mehl-Mühlens Rennen, 2,000 Guineas, at Cologne this afternoon.

The winner came within a whisker of being withdrawn at the start after refusing to load. Eventually seven runners did get away and after a number of early exchanges it was English visitor Solent Ridge (Namid) who took up the running with the leading protagonists Precious Boy and Liang Kay (Dai Jin), opting to stay towards the rear.

Coming around the final turn Adrie de Vries made a move around the outside, wide enough to lose ground, and as they entered the straight had to get to work early to make his losses.

A gaping hole opened up for Terry Hellier and Liang Kay with 1½ furlongs to run and they soon took a small lead. Under a vigorous ride de Vries headed his old rival and went on to win comfortably.

It appeared that Liang Kay would take second but Konig Concorde (Big Shuffle) came from the wide outside under what could only be described as a frenetic ride, and clinched second spot.

After winning the G.3 Preis des Winterfavoriten last October, trainer Waldemar Hickst impressed that this race was his ultimate goal. He had won all three of his juvenile starts before going down by a short-head to Liang Kay in the G.3 Dr Busch Memorial three weeks ago.

Whether he has the stamina for the Deutsches Derby will be a up for discussion in the coming days but Hickst is tending towards keeping him at eight to ten furlongs.