BAD HARZBURG: FIVE LINE UP IN SECOND SEEJAGDRENNEN

BAD HARZBURG: FIVE LINE UP IN SECOND SEEJAGDRENNEN

The final day of the ‘Harzburger Rennwoche’ racing festival at Bad Harzburg on Sunday sees the second of two ‘Seejagdrennen’ lake steeplechases during the festival, undoubtedly one of the highlights of the meeting where horses have to negotiate a lake as part of the course. Five runners, three from the stable of top trainer Christian von der Recke, are set to line up, including three horses who took part in the first Seejagdrennen at the festival last Sunday.

On that occasion, the von der Recke-trained GUIRI got the better of lake race veteran WUTZELMANN by a length. Widely regarded as Germany’s top steeplechaser over the last few years, Wutzelmann was the winner of both Seejagdrennen at the Bad Harzburg festival last year, and was third in last month’s Swedish Grand National at Strömsholm, but had to give second best to former smart flat performer Guiri last Sunday. Although Wutzelmann is better off at the weights this time around, it should be noted that last Sunday’s race marked Guiri’s debut in this unique discipline, and the eight year old, who will be ridden on Sunday as her was in last week’s Seejagdrennen by top lady jockey Sonja Daroszewski, could be open to further improvement here.

Besides Guiri, trainer von der Recke also runs EVANDER here, who parted company with his jockey on the flat in the early stages of last Sunday’s Seejagdrennen. Having won a flat race at Zweibrücken and a steeplechase at Strömsholm since joining new connections last month, the loose Evander proceeded to hamper Wutzelmann entering the late, and then veered to the left of the water, looking none too keen to go for a swim. Although there is a question mark regarding the lake element of the race, Evander had been in fine form prior last Sunday’s contest, so should not be discounted.

The von der Recke trio is completed by DOTIE BOY, who faces a tough task on his steeplechasing debut after finishing well down the field in three hurdle races for Irish trainer Denis Cullen, before coming home a well beaten fourth in a Listed hurdle race at Bad Harzburg on Thursday.

Kamila Harms only has the one horse in training, but ROXALAGU has done his owner/trainer proud, and won a hurdle race at last year’s Bad Harzburg festival before finishing third (Wutzelmann second) in a lake steeplechase at Quakenbrück a couple of months later. Having been campaigned exclusively over hurdles this year, Roxalagu has failed to finish in two of his last three runs. However, it should be noted that between those races, Roxalagu was an excellent second in a hurdle race at Wissembourg, and that form gives the six year old gelding a chance here. However, recent jumping errors must be a concern around Bad Harzburg’s demanding and challenging steeplechase course.

The raceday is being broadcast LIVE on YouTube at the following link:

The first race starts at 13:45 CET / 12:45 pm UK time, the Seejagdrennen is due off at 18:30 CET / 5:30 pm UK time, and a racecard can be found here:

https://www.deutscher-galopp.de/gr/renntage/34011291

Photo: The field navigate the lake in the second Seejagdrennen at the 2018 Bad Harzburg festival. This year’s renewal of the race takes place on Sunday (Photo copyright Stefanie Ihlenburg / Anglo German Racing).