Warring States continues on road to Deutsches Derby

Qatar Racing's Warring States puts his Deutsches Derby claims on the line in the Gr.2 Oppenheim Union Rennen over a mile and three furlongs at Cologne on Sunday.

Warring States (pictured) has won two of his three starts so far, with his defeat coming when down the field in the Gr. 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud last October where he finished one place behind the subsequent Derby winner Wings of Eagles!

Warring States made a pleasing return in the Gr. 3 Bavarian Classic over a mile and a quarter at Munich in early-May, getting the better of Enjoy Vijay in the closing stages, and the Oppenheim Union Rennen looks the natural stepping stone to the Gr. 1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg on July 2. Warring States' trainer Andreas Wohler has trained trained the winner of the Deutsches Derby four times, including Isfahan in 2016 - Isfahan has also ran in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud and won the Bavarian Classic on his return at three.

Warring States was bred in Japan and is by the country's Dubai World Cup winner Victoire Pisa. He's also a half-brother to multiple Japanese stakes winner Hakusan Moon.

Pearl Bloodstock actually has a runner in Japan this weekend as King Pearl goes in a 12-furlong conditions event at Hanshin on Saturday. King Pearl has been lightly raced since winning his maiden in 2015, but he ran well when third at Kytoto last time and is reported in good shape by his trainer Mitsu Nakauchida, who saddled another Pearl Bloodstock-owned son of King Kamehameha, Great Pearl, to win a Gr. 3 three weeks ago.

Representing Qatar Racing in Britain and Ireland this weekend will be Scorching Heat (Newmarket handicap) and Subatomic (Chester handicap) on Saturday, and Evil Spell (Gr. 3 Ballyogan Stakes) and Bold Knight (maiden) who both run at the Curragh on Sunday.