Germany: Meandre seeks repeat in Grosser Preis Von Berlin

Meandre, sixth in the Dubai World Cup behind Animal Kingdom in March, faces a stern test in an attempt to defend his title in Sunday’s Group 1 Grosser Preis Von Berlin at Hoppegarten Racecourse in Germany.

Meandre was trained by Andre Fabre when he won the 2012 Grosser Preis Von Berlin. He has since been transferred to trainer Doug Watson after being acquired in the spring by Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic in southeast Europe.

Meandre, a 5-year-old French-bred by Slickly, was 12th in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris last October and ninth in the Group 1 Singapore Airlines International Cup in Singapore in May.

The Grosser Preis Von Berlin drew a field of seven and is run over 1 1/2 miles on turf. The field includes Berlin Berlin, winner of the Group 2 Idee Hansa Preis over 1 1/2 miles at Hamburg on June 30; Nordvulkan, third in the German Derby at Hamburg on July 7; and Temida, who won the Grosser Preis Von Bayern at Munich last August.

In Sunday’s Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes over 1 1/8 miles at The Curragh in Ireland, the 4-year-old filly Fiesolana can win her fourth consecutive start. Fiesolana won Group 3 races in June and early July in Ireland.

The $131,000 Kilboy Estate Stakes is run for fillies and mares who have not won a Group 1. Fiesolana will be opposed by the stakes winners Aloof, Bible Belt, Caponata, and Dank.