Salomina to race in Australia

German Oaks winner Salomina will join other Australian Bloodstock European imports Mawingo and Lucas Cranach at Anthony Freedman’s Rye stables after she contests the  Group 1 €4m QATAR Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe (2400m) at Longchamp in France on October 7.

Australian Bloodstock were keen to return to Europe in pursuit of another first class stayer after Freedman was able to prepare German import Mawingo to win the Group 1 $500,000 Kirks Doomben Cup  (2000m) at Doomben on May 19 during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Freedman has already had success with Lucas Cranach and after the six year old was placed in the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington last Spring and was able to take out the Group 2 $200,000 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes  (1800m) at Caulfield on February 25 first up.

Australian Bloodstock’s Luke Murrell and Jamie Lovett were able to negotiate the purchase of Salomina and the filly was able to carry the colours of owner-breeder Gestut Bona for the last time in taking out the Group 1 €400,000 Henkel Preis der Diana (2200m), also known as the German Oaks, at Dusseldorf in Germany on August  5.

Murrell said that Salomina will now head to the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe and try to emulate stable mate Danedream, who went on the win the Arc last year after winning the German Oaks.

“You only really get one chance in a race like the Arc,” Murrell said.

“She’ll have to go there now.”

Murrell will rethink his original thoughts that Freedman would travel to Europe to prepare the Lomitas filly for the Arc, but that decision has been put on hold as Freedman has Australian Bloodstock owned Mawingo and Lucas Cranach’s Spring campaign to oversee.

“We have Lucas Cranach here and Mawingo as well so we have a couple of great Cups chances and we don’t really want her competing with them for the same prize,” Murrell said.

“The other thing to consider is whether Anthony goes over to Europe to traine her for the Arc of we leave her with the original trainer.”

“The main issue is timing. The Arc is at an awkward time for our spring so it might damage the other horse’s preparations if Anthony goes over there. We’ll have to weigh that all up.”

German trainer Peter Schiergen is having a good season and was able to take out the Group 1 £1m The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1 mile 4 furlongs) at Ascot on July 21 with Danedream as well as filling the quinella in the German Oaks with Nymphea running into second placing three and a half lengths behind Salomina.

Schiergen was reluctant to be brought into the debate if Salomina was as good as his stable star Danedream, who is also by Lomitas, and said the he would leave the decision if she is to run in the Arc up to her new owners, but he hopes that he is retained as her trainer for the rest of the season.

“It is up to the new owners to decide and she will probably later be trained by Antony Freedman. I hope that she stays with me for the rest of this season,” Schiergen said.

Salomina showed great staying potential in the German Oaks and when winning jockey Filip Minarik pushed the 12-5 favourite up along the fence at the 400m mark, the filly really extended and went to the line strongly.

“There was no pressure on me as we knew we had the best horse in the field and I was confident from a long way out that she was going to win,” said Minarik who replaced stable rider Andrasch Starke who on the sidelines through suspension.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.