A sole French runner takes on eight domestic runners in a competitive edition of the G1 Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (2000m) at Munich on Sunday (28 July).

Calif, previously German-trained and now based in France, comes fresh from a Group 3 victory in last month’s La Coupe (2000m) at ParisLongchamp. The booking of Adrie de Vries, based in Germany during the summer, is an added bonus.

Henk Grewe, fresh from winning this month’s G1 Deutsches Derby (2400m) in Hamburg with Palladium, has two runners in the Munich race. Penalty, one of two three-year-olds in the line-up, is a hugely interesting contender but Grewe is on weather watch regarding this talented colt.

With the ground currently soft, good-to-soft in places, and an unclear forecast, the trainer says: “Penalty goes on any ground but this is his absolute maximum trip so any “heavy” in the going would stretch his stamina.”

Cologne-based Grewe adds of Thore Hammer-Hansen’s mount: “It is paramount that he gets a smooth race with a good pace so he can settle and relax.” Yet to finish out of the first two in four lifetime starts, the son of Frankel has already come out on top against older rivals when winning last month’s G3 Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft (1800m) at Dortmund.

Fantastic Moon is trained at the track by Sarah Steinberg and is best known for winning last year’s Deutsches Derby. He is the highest-rated horse in the field and Steinberg is more than hopeful of a good run: “This looks a lovely race and the right race for him, and the slow ground will suit. He has been pleasing me at home and has been so relaxed lately, which I like. We have a good draw (5), and naturally a lot depends on how the race is run as it is paramount that Fantastic Moon gets a decent pace and can relax.”

Regarding rivals Steinberg says: “I do fear Calif, whose French form is very good, while Penalty has a pacemaker, so connections clearly have a plan, and he has already beaten older horses. But if Fantastic Moon runs up to his best form, we expect to see him in a top position, and his jockey Rene (Piechulek) is very positive too.”

Quantanamera is the sole filly in the line-up and needs to recapture the smart form she showed as a two-year-old. Always held in high regards by trainer Andreas Suborics, fresh from winning a Group race at Hoppegarten in Berlin, Suborics is adamant that the left-hand-track is what the filly needs and expects a much improved performance. But that is certainly required based on all her recent form.

Wintertraum represents Deutsches Derby form, having started favourite when finishing sixth of 18 three weeks ago. Now back down in trip and with a new jockey (Bauyrzhan Murzabayev) he is an interesting contender to reach the frame at the very least.

Meanwhile Grewe saddles Paris Mon Amour in the HKJC World Pool Handicap (2000m). “With the very good prizemoney it made sense to come here. We are coming back down in trip as she didn’t seem to stay in her last two runs. We are quite hopeful,” says the trainer.

Ashianas King is another runner representing powerful connections. Lightly raced, the Waldemar Hickst-trained Thore Hammer-Hansen-ridden colt is a fascinating contender even with a challenging handicap mark.

Top weight Queen’s Harry as well as Elmos Fire and Heshima are trained by in-form local trainer Karoly Kerekes and are all expected to put in a big show.