FIFTEEN runners have been declared for the Group 2 Comer Group International 50th Oleander-Rennen over two miles at Hoppegarten tomorrow, Germany’s top race for stayers.

It has been sponsored by the Comer Group since 2015 and is the centrepiece of the populat Irish Race Day at the Berlin track, although this year alas without the usual crowds and razzmatazz.

Luke Comer won the race himself with Raa Atoll in 2019 and will make another attempt to win back his own money when he has two runners, Aircraft Carrier and Questionare.

Both ran last year, when the race had to be run in November because of the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it is now back to its usual May date and, thanks to the generosity of the sponsor, has €100,000 in prize -money, making it easily the richest race of the season so far in Germany.

Aircraft Carrier finished third last year and Questionare seventh, but they are meeting most of the same horses again and in fact the first five from last November all return, including the winner Quian, who now has a penalty but is likely to start favourite again.

However, the race looks wide open and local bookies are going 4/1 the field. The danger could be Praetorius, who won the main trial a month ago and whose trainer Andreas Wöhler has an excellent record here.

The winner receives a free entry for the Belmont Gold Cup (all expenses paid) and the first three are all automatically entered in the Irish St. Leger, also sponsored by the Comer Group, whose European HQ is in Berlin.