Andreas Wohler: secured another Group win courtesy of Empire Storm
PICTURE: Getty ImagesEmpire Storm another Group winner for Wöhler
Report: Germany, Sunday
Hanover: Grosser Preis der VGH Versicherungen (Group 3) 1m, 3yo+
TRAINER Andreas Wöhler's excellent season continued when Empire Storm, partnered by stable jockey Eduardo Pedroza, made all the running to win the Grosser Preis der VGH Versicherungen at Hanover on Sunday.
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Although usual front-runner Alianthus was expected to make the running, Pedroza sent Empire Storm straight into the lead, while Alianthus ran a very sluggish race and finishing last.
German 2,000 Guineas runner-up Amarillo, who was backed into favouritism just before the start, was the only challenger in the straight but he was soon seen off by the winner, who galloped on strongly in the rain to score by three and a half lengths.
Shane Kelly's mount Nafar finished third, seven lengths further back.
Wöhler said: "I am pleasantly surprised by that as I thought we would be third. But I told Eddie to jump out and try to grab the lead and it worked out perfectly. There is a Group 2 over this course and distance in three weeks and Empire Storm will probably there next."
Trainer Jens Hirschberger had no explanation for Alianthus's poor performance after a sequence of 13 successive first or second places.
He added: "He has done that once before - when things don't go his own way, he tends to sulk. I could see at halfway that he was not in the right mood to win."
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