The World Pool returns to Baden-Baden and includes once again Germany’s premier weight-for-age race over the classic trip of 2400m, the Grosser Preis von Baden.

A small but select field assembles on Sunday with international flavour added by Dubai Honour, trained at Newmarket by William Haggas and with star jockey and regular rider Tom Marquand travelling to southwestern Germany for the big-race ride.

Dubai Honour is a true globetrotter. His G1 wins came in France and Australia, landing the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m) two starts ago. He also ran really eye-catching races in defeat when beaten 2.5 and 4 lengths respectively by superstar Romantic Warrior in Sha Tin’s 2023 and 2024 FWD QEII Cup.

This form alone must give him a favourite’s chance here. Fantastic Moon, last year´s German Derby hero, and a couple of smart three-year-olds are the main German contingent; choosing between them is largely a matter of taste.

Whilst very solid, Fantastic Moon has been found wanting in top international company and would prefer slightly softer conditions; both Narrativo and Spanish Eye are among the top of their age-group but have to prove their worth against elders.

Tunnes and Mr Hollywood, regulars in this sort of race, are likely to be outsiders. The latter would like slow conditions but that is extremely unlikely with no rain predicted and a heatwave forecast.

The Oettingen Rennen, a G2 contest over 1600m, will also see a very select field, with French raider Elamaz a fascinating contender. Unbeaten this season and a four-time winner in only six lifetime starts, Elamaz couldn’t come here in better form.

His latest win came at Listed level and whilst it was only by a narrow margin, he was always doing enough. He is still learning about his job and moreover has the scope to be even more than progressive. Rene Piechulek’s mount is the logical favourite.

Five domestic runners take him on. Penalty, largely improving and well-bred, found 2000m in soft ground a step too far last time and drops back to a much more favourable trip. Geography left two lesser runs well behind when running away with a domestic G3 latest. Both these colts should give the Elamaz most to think about.

Three handicaps over trips from 1400 to 2400m, complete Baden-Baden’s World Pool Sunday package. Prizemoney has been boosted for all the handicaps due to the World Pool participation, so the fields have filled up with 18 runners set to start in the 1400m HKJC World Pool Handicap.

Donna Helma already scored in a World Pool Handicap earlier this month and has a good claimer booked, albeit with a slight overweight. Top German jockey Andrasch Starke is riding at what is his lowest weight of 121lb, maybe a signal that Ready To Rumble is expected to run a big race.

The 1800m World Pool Stadt Baden-Baden Cup sees less runners (12) but is fiercely competitive all the same whilst the last of the handicaps is the HKJC World Pool Handicapover 2400m, with 12 declared runners. Whilst three-year-olds are hard to assess in handicaps at this time of the year, Witcher of Lips was impressive in a conditions race last time having started the season in a Derby trial. He could have a class edge in this.