Weltstar follows up a year on from brother Windstoss for Derby master Klug

IDEE 149th Deutsches Derby (Group 1) 3yo colts & fillies | 1m4f

Trainer Markus Klug dominated the finish of the German Derby just as he had 12 months ago, with Weltstar and the experienced Adrie de Vries wearing down stablemate Destino and Martin Seidl to score by a neck, with favourite Royal Youmzain staying on from third having never quite got on terms with the leaders.

In 2017 it was Weltstar's brother Windstoss and Maxime Pecheur who had carried the same old gold and blue silks of Gestut Rottgen to glory, but the finish here recalled more recent events.

Weltstar and Destino both came across to the stands' rail to fight out the finish, just as they had in their final trial at Cologne, and with the same result.

Deutsches Derby result

Paddy Power installed Weltstar at 33-1 for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, a race for which he would need to be supplemented.

Klug – who also landed the Derby in 2014 with the exceptional Sea The Moon – was not making any predictions about where the son of Soldier Hollow would go next but was determined to enjoy this just as much as when he had secured Rottgen's first Derby triumph last year.

Klug told GaloppOnline.de: "Of course I'm overjoyed and I just said to Frank Dorff [of Gestut Rottgen] that I think I have written turf history right now.

"On the other hand I'm sorry for Martin and Helmut [von Finck, the owner/breeder of Destino] that they went so close. Both are great horses and if they stay healthy they will win some more races."

Read exclusive previews from 6pm daily on racingpost.com