Deutschland-Preis set for Sunday

A quiet week of European racing reaches its conclusion Sunday at Dusseldorf with the running of the 1 1/2-mile Group 1 Deutschland-Preis.

Won last year by Godolphin's Mutafaweq, the race should return to the German fold. In 1998 and 1999 the race was won by the Hans Blume-trained Ungaro.

Blume will send out 1 3/8-mile Group 2 Idee-Hansa-Preis winner Aeskulap, but Sabiango, who defeated subsequent German Derby winner Boreal in the 1 3/8-mile Group 2 Oppenheim-Union-Rennen on June 10, is the probable choice. A half-brother to multiple group race winner Silvano, the improving Sabiango, trained by Andreas Wohler, rates a slight edge over his main older rival Subiaco, the winner of three group races in Germany this season.

Little Rock, second for Michael Stoute to Mutamam in the Group 2 Princess of Wales's Stakes on July 10, is the best of three foreign invaders. The 7-year-old world traveler Caitano, unplaced in his last three starts, no longer seems up to Group 1 competition.

Soumillon new rider for Aga Khan

Christophe Soumillon has been named to replace Gerald Mosse as the Aga Khan's contract rider in France. The young Belgian is a rising star, having won this year's Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) aboard Anabaa Blue on the day before his 20th birthday.

Soumillon will take up his new duties for the Aga after Arc weekend (Oct. 6-7), when Mosse leaves to ride in Hong Kong.

Childs appeals Singapore decision

Leading Australian rider Greg Childs has received a stay of his one-year suspension incurred at Kranji Racecourse in Singapore. Childs has appealed the Singapore Jockey Club's sentence for having failed to ride the fifth-place Cyber Power to the best possible advantage in a race at Kranji on June 23. No date has been set for hearing the appeal.

Childs was previously in hot water with the Hong Kong Jockey Club after having ridden Sunline to victory in the Hong Kong Mile in December. After a report published in an Australian newspaper stated that he had suggested to a rival rider not to press the front-running Sunline too hard in the race, he was fined $37,000 by the Hong Kong racing authorities.