Murzabayev back on top in Grosser Preis von Bayern

MUNICH – Santagada rushed home late in the €155,000 (S$221,000) Grosser Preis von Bayern (2,400m) to take out the last of seven Group 1 races in Germany at the Munich-Riem racecourse’s season finale meeting on Nov 7.

Trained by Peter Schiergen in Cologne, the four-year-old mare has claimed her first top-level victory under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev in Europe’s final Group 1 race of 2026.

At her two previous tries at Group 1 level, Santagada finished sixth behind Soreanga in the 2025 Henkel-Preis der Diana – German Oaks (2,200m) before producing a fifth to Hotazhell in the Grosser Dallmayr-preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen (2,000m) on July 26.

The daughter of Soldier Hollow arrived at Munich following her last-start confidence-boosting success in the Group 2 T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis (2,400m) at Baden-Baden on Sept 5.

Murzabayev rode a patient race from a prominent position, and Santagada ($24) responded well when urged for a finishing effort in the straight.

She produced a burst of acceleration from the 300m to gradually wear down the Fabian Xaver Weissmeier-trained front runner Global Health (Rene Piechulek) before getting up by half a length.

Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, French challenger Tajlina (Pierre-Charles Boudot) took third spot another two lengths away.

Two highly regarded English visitors Consent (Luke Morris) and Gethin (James Doyle), however, disappointed, finishing eighth and ninth respectively.

The victory was Murzabayev’s third success in the Group 1 showpiece, after he won aboard Tunnes in 2022 and Junko the following year.

Born in Kazakhstan, the multiple German champion jockey sustained a horror fall two years ago in a race in Doha, Qatar which has severely disrupted his career.

He spent 16 months on the sidelines and returned to race-riding only this year.

The Grosser Preis von Bayern marked a first top-level success for him since Junko’s triumph in 2023, and he was evidently relieved after Santagada’s win.

“Many said Bauyrzhan wasn’t as good as he used to be. Today, I’m very happy to be winning a Group 1 again after my injury,” the 34-year-old Kazakh said.

“I feel very good. I worked very hard with her.”

Schiergen, who is winning the race for the fourth time after Catella (2000), Kamsin (2008) and Tunnes (2023), briefly shed a few tears of joy.

“She’s a classy mare who is always a joy to watch,” he said.

With Santagada’s win in the Grosser Preis von Bayern, German trainers have won three of seven German Group 1 events this year.

Besides the German Oaks won by the Andreas Wohler-trained Soreanga at Dusseldorf on Aug 2, Dardanos – also trained by Wohler – landed the Deutsches Derby (2,400m) in Hamburg on July 5. DEUTSCHER GALOPP