Wunderbar Wellenspiel produces back-to-back German Derby winners

Gestut Rottgen had to wait nearly six decades between German Derby winners with homebred Windstoss breaking the duck last year by becoming the first horse since Uomo in 1959 to carry the blue, gold and red colours that evoke the 4711 eau de cologne bottle – from where stud founders the Mulhens family made their money – to victory in the Hamburg Classic.

The next wait for a German Derby was not nearly so long, with Windstoss's half-brother Weltstar defeating Destino by a neck in a thrilling finish to this year's renewal on Sunday.

While Windstoss is a son of Shirocco, Weltstar is by Soldier Hollow – as is Destino, so giving Gestut Auenquelle's domestic champion sire a one-two in the Classic.

A son of In The Wings who won two editions of the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis and also the Premio Roma, Soldier Hollow has now supplied five Group 1 winners as a stallion – joining another German Derby winner in Pastorius, as well as Dschingis Secret, Ivanhowe and Serienholde.

Rottgen have a mare of immense value on their hands as Weltstar and Windstoss – who also won the Preis von Europa last year and was third to Cracksman in the Coronation Cup last month – are the first two foals out of Wellenspiel, a winning daughter of Sternkoenig.

Sternkoenig was a superstar for Rottgen who ran third to Lando and Monsun in a famous renewal of the German Derby in 1993 and sired the organisation's Italian Derby winner Kallisto and was damsire of their Park Hill Stakes scorer Wild Coco.

Wellenspiel is out of the Listed-winning Konigsstuhl mare Well Known, who also took second in the Preis der Diana and also produced the Group 1 Europa-Preis winner Well Made, Listed scorer Weichsel and Group 3-placed Wellola, the dam of Hoppegarten Group 3 winner Wasir.

Wellenspiel also has a two-year-old colt by Reliable Man named Walerian and a year-younger colt by Kamsin called Worrick, who is heading to the BBAG Yearling Sale in Baden-Baden next month.

Remarkably, neither Windstoss nor Weltstar were in demand when they came under the hammer at that auction, both returning home to race for Rottgen after bidding went as far as €16,000 for the older sibling and €40,000 for the younger.

It was a day to remember for Rottgen at Hamburg on Sunday as another homebred – Alicante, also trained by Markus Klug and ridden by Adrie De Vries – took the Listed Stutencup.

Alicante is a Lando half-sister to German Oaks third Andrea and Listed winner Alaskakonigin.

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