Liason second in German dash

John Dunlop’s Red Liason finished an honourable second in the 132nd Jacobs Goldene Peitsche, one of Germany’s most prestigious six furlong races at Baden Baden.

Red Liason, who was the odds-on favourite at 7-5, was beaten five lengths by Noble Prize, trained by Jago Lowther in Sweden.

Noble Prize had travelled in fourth position on the outside while Richard Quinn kept Red Liason closer to the pace in the middle of the track that had been changed to soft going after heavy rainfall during the night.

At the two-furlong pole Richard Quinn kicked clear but the three-year-old filly was quickly headed and even though she held on convincingly to land second place she could never come close to the winner.

“She was on her toes before the race and ran a bit flat,” Quinn commented after the race.

And Robert Allcock, representing the Dunlop yard added: “Red Liason got a bit agitated before the race but that was not the reason why she finished second.

“In fact she settled nicely with the lead and there were no hard luck stories. She was just beaten by a very good horse.”

Noble Prize will now go either to Munich or to Ascot to run in the Group Two Diadem Stakes.

His trainer Jago Lowther, who is actually from Argentina, said: “I have always believed in him and he is very tough. He broke the track record in his last race in Sweden only last week and every race he’s in he shows me more.

“This race here in Germany is very attractive and prestigious and I really believed he would win. Ascot is a very good possibility now.”