AMAZING GRACE by PROTECTIONIST gave her sire his second group win with a gala performance in today's G2 Diana Trial at Berlin-Hoppegarten and strongly recommended herself for this year's G1 German Oaks. AMAZING GRACE, bred by and racing in the colours of Dr. Christoph Berglar, ran a formidable race under René Piechulek in the 2000m challenge for three-year-old fillies and impressed with an amazing turn of foot in the final straight, taking six lengths off her opponents over six hundred meters. And this despit not having an ideal trip, since AMAZING GRACE and her partner could not find a hole for a long time once the field turned for home. Once the gap was found, however, there was no stopping them, and the filly kicked off like a rocket and blasted past the field to book her first group win with three quarters of a length advantage. After the race, her jockey was full of enthusiasm for his partner, whom he described as a true racehorse with a distinct fighting spirit.
With today's running, the Waldemar Hickst-trained PROTECTIONIST daughter may have catapulted herself into the circle of favorites for this year's German Oaks, which will be held on August 1. With LAMBO and AMAZING GRACE, Protectionist now has two contenders from his first crop amongst the favorites for this year's classics. What a success for our Melbourne Cup hero!
