Rocchigiani proving a thoroughbred star for German-based Stall Domstadt

Much has been made of the overachieving German bloodstock scene but the country’s latest export to make an impact overseas boasts a truly international background.

Rocchigiani, who needed to clear a stewards’ inquiry to make his visit to Goodwood a successful one in the Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes, is a home product for Dr Till Grewe and the Cologne-based Stall Domstadt partners but is officially a British-bred colt and a son of National Stud resident Time Test.

Domstadt also raced the three-year-old’s dam, Ronja, but acquired her from America as a $50,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A daughter of the smart dirt miler El Corredor and the Royal Academy mare Royal Sanction, she is from the family of several other US Graded winners.

Ronja provided a Listed success early in her three-year-old career in Germany but has achieved even better things from the paddocks.

Her very first foal was the Acclamation-sired Ross, who took his owners right around the world, with a Listed win in the Prix Luthier at Deauville, a hatful of placed efforts in Dubai including a neck second in the Godolphin mile, and several appearances in America.

He is now a stallion at Gestut Ralf Paulick near Berlin and should not be far off having his first runners.

Rocchigiani, who was Time Test’s first ever Group winner when taking the Renate und Albrecht Woeste Zukunftsrennen at Baden-Baden last September, has arguably accomplished more than his half-brother already as a German Guineas runner-up but is still a long way short of his prize-money earnings.

Orbaan and Silvestre de Sousa clear away in the Coral Golden MileCredit: Edward Whitaker

Ronja’s four other foals to have made the track have also won races while her most recent progeny was an Iffraaj filly born last year.

While victory in the Coral Golden Mile carries no black type, being a handicap, the result was not without interest.

David O'Meara's winner Orbaan was adding another £77,310 to the extraordinary prize-money haul of his dam, Contradict. The lion's share of this has been accrued by Orbaan's illustrious half-brother Mishriff, who is one of the leading earners in history after winning the Saudi Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic.

A Listed winner during his time with Andre Fabre, Orbaan is also a sibling of Momkin, who took third in the 2019 renewal of the Thoroughbred Stakes.

A member of Prince Faisal's breeding dynasty, Contradict had proved tricky to keep in foal but now has a yearling colt by Frankel named Reliant and on April 20 produced a Make Believe full-brother to Mishriff.

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