IT was very much an Irish weekend in German racing, with the Group 3 Comer Group International Oleander-Rennen over two miles at Hoppegarten the main event last Sunday, followed a day later by the victory of the Newmarket-trained but Irish-owned Knife Edge in the German 2000 Guineas (Mehl-Mülhens-Rennen) at Cologne on Monday.

Hoppegarten, on the outskirts of Berlin, had made a huge effort to emphasise the Irish nature of the meeting. There was Guinness (of course), but also hurling, Irish bands and dancing, and racegoers dressed in green were given free entry to the racecourse.

Luke and Brian Comer were there to present the trophies for their race, as were representatives of the Curragh and Leopardstown racecourses.

The race itself was dominated by trainer Andreas Wöhler, who had three runners in the field of nine and almost landed the tricast, with his second string Wasir (Rafael Schistl) making all to win by two lengths from the main hope Alex My Boy, under stable jockey Eduardo Pedroza, and his other hope Rock Of Romance losing third in a photo-finish.

Wasir paid 16/1 on the course tote (20/1 with British bookmakers) although he had run in much stronger company on his two previous starts. The son of Rail Link stays really well and this was by far the best performance of his career so far.

He was bred by Gestüt Röttgen from a strong family, but runs in the colours of Darius Racing, who have made an excellent start to the season, winning three of the seven German group races run so far.

The arrangement with the Comer Group includes the fact that the three placed horses at Hoppegarten are automatically given a free entry for the Irish St Leger, which they also sponsor.

In the meantime Wöhler’s thoughts are concentrated on Royal Ascot; Wasir and Alex My Boy are the only two German entries in the Gold Cup. Alex My Boy found the ground too fast at Hoppegarten and will only run at Ascot if the ground is suitably soft (better still, heavy) but that of course is not likely.

However Wasir, who in any case prefers it fast and “stays forever” is an intended runner. Neither of this pair is likely to be seen in Germany again this year, there are simply no suitable races.

2000 GUINEAS

A day later the action had moved to the Rhine and the German 2000 Guineas at Cologne, a race sponsored by the Mehl-Mülhens-Stiftung (Foundation), one of the biggest benefactors in German racing and also the owner of Gestüt Röttgen, situated near Cologne airport.

Newmarket raider Knife Edge, a son of Zoffany in the colours of Sue Magnier, was all the rage here, stating at 8/5. This support was justified less by his form - he had been second of three in the Greenham Stakes at Chelmsford City on his previous start – than by the fact that he is trained by Marco Botti, whose two previous runners had been 2011 winner Excelebration and last year’s runner-up Fanciful Angel, and ridden by Ryan Moore, who can do no wrong at present.

Moore duly delivered the goods, but Knife Edge lived up to his name by winning by a nose. The expected pacemaker missed the break, and Moore quickly took the initiative, leading at a decent pace with the field closely bunched.

He still led two furlongs out, where his main dangers appeared to be Wöhler’s first string Noor Al Hawa, putting in a strong challenge on his inside, and Markus Klug’s Millowitsch, winner of the main trial and generally regarded as the best German hope.

However, Knife Edge saw off these two and kept on well, with Klug’s other runner, the Röttgen-owned Degas making rapid progress from last place to finish fastest of all.

“I thought I had him for sure,” said jockey Adrie de Vries afterwards, but Degas just failed as Knife Edge kept on pulling out a bit extra to score by a nose.

“He was idling in front,” reported Moore, “I think he will improve a lot for that.” Where the winner goes next is unclear. He is entered all over, including in the St James’s Palace Stakes, and apparently the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park is also a possibility.