Dubai: Godolphin’s Pinzolo chases Classic glory in Hamburg, Germany when he lines up to contest the 145th running of the Group 1 Deutsches Derby (German Derby) on Sunday.
A German-bred by Monsun, Pinzolo is among a strong field of 20 runners that includes Irish hope Geoffrey Chaucer.
Both horses were supplemented to the €500,000 (Dh2.5 million) event which has consistently attracted large fields at a cost of €65,000 each.
Pinzolo, the mount of Danish-born William Buick, finished well behind Australia in the Epsom Derby (G1) last month where he did not appear to handle the track.
Godolphin are looking for a second success in the 2,400m German showpiece after Royston French powered Buzzword to a history-making maiden victory in race in 2010.
Trained at Newmarket, England by Charlie Appleby, Pinzolo comes into the race as a 12-1 outsider.
However, his handler remains quietly optimistic of his chances.
“He came out of Epsom well. He didn’t have a hard race because he was never really handling the track and James Doyle looked after him,” Appleby told the Racing Post.
“The trip will be right for him. The only other option he had over here was the Gordon Stakes and we could be meeting some nice horses there. Maybe this is a slightly easier opportunity.
“They are saying it’s good to soft ground at the moment, it’s likely to be a drying week but there are no worries even if they are testing conditions.”
Pinzolo will break from stall 11 while the Aidan O’Brien-trained Geoffrey Chaucer was drawn in five.
O’Brien has won Group One races at most major racecourses around the world but never before in Hamburg where the locally-trained Sea The Moon is the 7-5 favourite.
Geoffrey Chaucer also contested the Epsom Derby but was eased up after being hampered and came home last of the 16 runners behind stablemate Australia.
He was subsequently withdrawn from the Irish Derby (G1) when he was found to be coughing.
Ryan Moore, who was on board at Epsom, is once again expected to partner Geoffrey Chaucer.
Big-race Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon can land his first Deutsches Derby with Sea The Moon, an unbeaten son of Sea The Stars who is trained by Markus Klug.
Sea The Moon is bidding for a third Group victory and first at the top level following impressive performances in the Fruhjahrs-Preis Des Bankhauses Metzler (Group 3) in May and the Oppenheim-Union-Rennen (Group 2) last month.
Wild Chief, who finished fourth to The Grey Gatsby in the French Derby (G1), is another leading contender.