Dream double

Sunday 22 July 2012

Danedream continued a landmark season for German racing by catching Nathaniel right on the line in a thrilling finish to the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Danedream, centre, squeezes past Nathaniel, left and St Nicholas Abbey to win at Ascot Photograph: Getty

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The triumph added a maiden victory in the leading midsummer distance event to Energizer's historic first win for a German horse at the Royal meeting last month.

Despite odds of 9-1, Danedream was hardly an unknown quantity after smashing the record time in last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but Peter Schiergen's diminutive filly was required to prove herself again after a less than impressive recent performance in France.

Her accomplished rider Andrasch Starke described yesterday's last-ditch win as the finest moment of his career after a finish befitting one of the strongest fields seen in the race in years. He said: "It was very tight, but I had a good feeling. This was most definitely one of the best [King George] races in the last few years, with so many class horses. It's an unbelievable moment for Germany."Nathaniel (5-2), out again just a fortnight after his gritty triumph in the Coral-Eclipse, has established himself as a near-impossible obstacle to pass once in front, and jockey William Buick must have thought a remarkable double had been secured passing the one-furlong marker.Starke was more than a length behind when Danedream was loosened for her challenge but she came through to win by a nose, although her jockey, in the heat of the moment, used the whip more times than was permissible and received a six-day ban (August 4-9).Joseph O'Brien, who seemed to have left St Nicholas Abbey (5-1) a considerable amount to do after sitting at the back of the field, managed to muster enough momentum to finish a length and a half back in third, but was given a seven-day whip ban (August 4-10) and will miss the final day of Glorious Goodwood.Buick was also handed two days (August 5-6) for the same offence.Starke went on: "I said before never to forget a horse's best performance and she had won the Arc. We don't really know what went wrong last time, but with animals it is going to happen."She fought hard today and it's definitely the biggest moment in my life."It's tough for her as a filly with the jump from three to four [years old], and this was going to be a difficult track with ups and downs. I think this was the most difficult race, so today is a historic win for her."Trainer Schiergen said: "I thought we were [going to finish] second but now it's better as we are first. In [Danedream's] last race there was no pace, but today there was a good pace. It's very important for Germany and it's very good for German racing."Looking ahead, Schiergen said: "If everything is all right, we'll go to Baden-Baden [Grosser Preis Von Baden] next and after that we'll go to the Arc. She will probably end her career in the Japan Cup."

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