The emphatic G1 German Derby (2400m) winner Fantastic Moon has been supplemented into Sunday’s (3 September) Grosser Preis von Baden and looks to have significant chances in this Group 1 for trainer Sarah Steinberg and Arc winning jockey Rene Piechulek.

He is the highest rated horse in this 2400m Baden-Baden spectacular and, with a weight-for-age allowance from the older horses, mathematically has a few pounds in hand. According to Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten – founder of Liberty Racing who owns the colt – it was Piechulek who maintained that this – rather than possible alternatives – was the best option for this talented son of Sea The Moon who survived a wide trip to surge clear of 19 rivals in that 2400m Hamburg Classic in early July.

“We want to reach for the stars with Fantastic Moon,” says Baumgarten who adds a tribute to trainer Steinberg: “Sarah is very patient with her horses and they usually get better with age.”

Dropped to 2000m a month after the Derby Fantastic Moon couldn’t quite cope with the older Nations Pride in the Grosser Preis Bayerisches Zuchtrenne (2000m) at Munich but was far from disgraced that day and the return to 2400m is expected to  give him more of an edge.

Red-hot G1 competition has not prevented French challenger Zagreyrun terrific races when third to Japanese superstar Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic (2410m) at Meydan in March and then second to Westover in July’s Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m). Ridden by Christophe Soumillon again, he sets a high standard.

Like Fantastic Moon Mr Hollywood (second) and Straight (a very disappointing 15th as favourite) both represent German Derby form while the two fillies – Kassada and Quantanamera – ran in the German Oaks. Always close up Kassada showed great bravery to rally, only failing by a neck in that 2200m G1 at Dusseldorf last month. Quantanamera is yet to reproduce her high-class form shown as a 2yo but her fifth at Dusseldorf was a step in the right direction.

Sisfahan is the mount of bang in-form UK based rider Jack Mitchell and will be well suited by the anticipated good surface. The Henk Grewe-trained five-year-old was a close second in this race in 2021 and was again at the top of his game when a staying-on second in last month’s G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin (2400m).

The G2 Oettingen-Rennen (1600m) has a strong international challenge this year. French-trained Angers (Christophe Soumillon) was a runaway 6L winner of the G2 German 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Koln in May whilst English-trained Brave Emperor (Luke Morris) arrives fresh off a victory in the G3 Prix Daphnis (1600m) at Deauville last month.

Best of the German contenders could be the consistent See Hector (Lukas Delozier) who won the G3 Henkel Preis on soft ground at Dusseldorf last month, and Parol (Szczepan Mazur). He is a favourite with the crowds after rising from humble beginnings, most recently accelerating clear in 1600m Listed event at Dusseldorf last month.