'Ich liebe Deutschland!' - Oisin Murphy times it right on Tornado Alert for Saeed bin Suroor in German Group 1

Tornado Alert banished pre-race fears about his ability to handle rain-softened ground with an impressive success under Oisin Murphy in the Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich. 

After ultimately having to play second fiddle to one horse trained by Francis Graffard when partnering Kalpana to the runner-up spot in Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Murphy similarly took the advantage early in the straight.

Unlike Calandagan 24 hours earlier, the Graffard-trained favourite Map Of Stars never looked like getting to Tornado Alert, who won by two and a half lengths. 

Saeed bin Suroor has not spared Tornado Alert high-class assignments this season, having run fourth in the 2,000 Guineas, sixth in the Derby and, most recently, chasing home Trinity College in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot. 

Murphy took both the Munich crowds and interviewer Thorsten Castle by surprise by giving his initial reaction in German.

Murphy said: "It's unbelievable, he's a super horse. Thanks go to Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor. I love Germany and it's fantastic to win on this horse."

Reverting to English, Murphy added: "We were uncertain [about the soft ground] but he loved it. He's by Too Darn Hot out of a Kingmambo mare. He ran very well in the Derby, he was second at Royal Ascot; today he came to Munich and he was brilliant."

With the stalls in front of the stands and only a relatively short run to the first bend, there were several horses who were shuffled back early on, and James Doyle found himself in the rear-third of the field on Map Of Stars, whose odds tumbled in the minutes before the off under the weight of World Pool money. 

Doyle went to pull wide turning into the straight but, as the field shunned the inside rail to come down the centre of the track, it was Murphy who committed first and was not for catching. 

Oisin Murphy and Saeed Bin Suroor with Tornado Alert after his Group 1 win in MunichCredit: Marc Ruhl/Deutscher Galopp

Ladbrokes pushed Map Of Stars out to 40-1 (from 16) for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, while the same firm cut Tornado Alert to 20-1 (from 50) for the Juddmonte International.  

Bin Suroor landed the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup in April but was visiting the Group/Grade 1 winner's circle for the first time since Murphy guided Mawj to success at Keeneland in October 2023.

The trainer had won this race twice before, courtesy of the Murphy-ridden Benbatl in 2018 and the Frankie Dettori-partnered Kutub in 2001. 

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