Trainer Charlie Appleby has had the Nov. 10 Grosser Preis von Bayern (G1) in mind for some time for last year’s Futurity Trophy Stakes (G1) winner, Ancient Wisdom , who was last seen winning the Bahrain Trophy Stakes (G3) at Newmarket in July.
Before that, the son of Dubawi had finished runner-up to subsequent Irish Champion Stakes (G1) winner Economics in the Dante Stakes (G2) at York before failing to handle the undulations of Epsom when eighth in the Derby (G1).
Appleby swerved a tilt at the St Leger (G1) to wait for proper autumn ground for his 3-year-old, who, despite a four-month absence, should be cherry-ripe for his first overseas assignment after two racecourse gallops on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile in recent weeks.
“We had this race penciled in for Ancient Wisdom for some time, hoping that the ground would be on the soft side,” said Appleby.
“It’s a very competitive event and we are coming up against some solid older horses, so he needs to step forward from his Bahrain Trophy win. The ground is the key with him and he stays a mile and a half well. He looks great and I can’t fault his preparation.”
Unlike Ancient Wisdom, fellow Newmarket runner Tiffany will be on familiar territory in Germany, where she is unbeaten in three starts, most recently a career-best win in the Stutenpreis (G2) at Baden Baden in August.
The 4-year-old has big shoes to fill for trainer Sir Mark Prescott as he last won the feature with subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Alpinista in 2021.
Since her latest win, Tiffany performed creditably in her first group 1 assignment when third to Kalpana in the British Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) at Ascot last month.
Her jockey Luke Morris said: “She’s a fantastic year, winning a group 2 and a group 3 in Germany. She ran very well in the group 1 at Ascot and still seems in good form at home.”
“It looks quite a deep race compared to previous renewals, but she goes there with a solid chance as she goes on the surface and should be suited by the galloping track.
“Obviously, we won it with Alpinista a few years ago, so we know what it’s about. I think the long-term plan is to keep her in training next year with a view to winning a group 1.”
Other fillies having a crack at some black type are the David Menuisier-trained pair, Panthera and War Chimes .
Panthera has been plying her trade in France this year, finishing second in a group 3 race at Saint-Cloud last time, while War Chimes is bidding to bounce back from a disappointing effort at this level at Ascot last time.
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