Older route experts gather at Dusseldorf

All of Germany's best mile-and-a-half older horses will be on display at Dusseldorf on Sunday in the Group 1, $219,000 Deutschland-Preis, a race whose roll of honor includes Acatenango, Ibn Bey, and Platini, as well as subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Marienbard.

The winners of the two Deutschland-Preis preps, Flamingo Fantasy and Ambassador, will line up. Flamingo Fantasy cut back from his win in the two-mile, Group 3 Betty Barclay-Rennen to take the 1 1/2-mile, Group 2 Hansa-Preis last time. Ambassador was awarded the 1 3/8-mile, Group 2 Grosser Preis von Badischen but could only manage 10th in the Hansa-Preis. Kamsin, a three-time Group 1 winner last year, among them the 1 1/2-mile Grosser Preis von Baden, landed the 1 1/2-mile, Group 2 Gerling-Preis earlier this spring but was only fifth in the Badischen and fourth in the Hansa-Preis.

Two horses who have done much of their racing in France add an international touch.

Getaway won the 1 9/16-mile, Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville last August when trained by Andre Fabre and was fourth in the 2007 Arc. Owned by Baron Georg von Ullmann, he has returned to Germany under the care of Jens Hirschberger, for whom he finished two lengths second to Flamingo Fantasy in the Hansa-Preis off an eight-month layoff.

Tres Rapide, a 4-year-old filly trained in France by Henri-Alex Pantall for Horst Rapp, crossed the line first in the Grosser Preis von Badischen but was disqualified and placed third before an appeal placed her in second.

Getaway is likely to improve for his recent effort and rates a narrow edge with Stefan Hellyn aboard.