German Derby winner Fantastic Moon Prix Niel bound

German Derby winner and Arc hopeful Fantastic Moon will take up his engagement in the Prix Niel at Longchamp on Sunday.

Racecourse : Longchamp (France).
Racecourse : Longchamp (France). Picture: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

The son of Sea The Moon created a taking impression when landing the German Derby at Hamburg earlier in the season before bumping into the Charlie Appleby-trained Nations Pride in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich.

Fantastic Moon was due to take on Zagrey in the 153rd Wettstar.de Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden on Sunday but connections decided to withdraw the colt just hours before the contest due to unsuitable ground.

Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, of owners Liberty Racing, said: "It [ground] was too dead, they watered overnight, and we need good ground for him.

"The ground was too soft for him, so we decided in the morning that we would come out of the race.

"We will go to the Prix Niel in Paris on Sunday instead.

"Rene Piechulek will ride him in that."

Sarah Steinberg's Fantastic Moon is a current 33/1 chance with Paddy Power to land the middle-distance showpiece at Longchamp next month.


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