Tornado goes down a storm in Munich

Tornado Alert claimed German Group One glory for Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy with a clear-cut success in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Munich.

Although without a victory in three previous starts this season, the Too Darn Hot colt had performed admirably in finishing fourth in the 2000 Guineas and sixth in the Derby, before chasing home subsequent Grand Prix de Paris runner-up Trinity College in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Having been sent across Europe in pursuit of top-level success, in a race Bin Suroor and Murphy won with Benbatl in 2018, Tornado Alert was never too far off the pace and quickened up smartly to lead halfway up the home straight.

Map Of Stars, bidding to provide his trainer Francis-Henri Graffard with a second Group One success in as many days following Calandagan’s triumph in the King George at Ascot on Saturday, came from further back to throw down his challenge under James Doyle in the Wathnan Racing silks. But try as he might he could not get on terms with Tornado Alert, who was ultimately well on top at the line.

Bin Suroor said: “He won well, the ground was heavy and he’s never run before on this ground, but he handled it well.

“I said to Oisin before the race ‘just keep him happy and give him a chance’, but he was travelling good all the way and when he came off the bridle he saw it out well.”

Tornado Alert holds big-race entries in the Juddmonte International at York and the Celebration Mile at Goodwood next month, but Bin Suroor is in no rush to firm up future plans, adding: “We’ll see how he comes back after the race and then we’ll make a decision.

“He’s a horse who is improving all the time. He ran well at Royal Ascot, his form is very good and he has improved every time he has run.

“Physically he looks better now than when he finished fourth in the Guineas, but with time and age that is what you would expect.

“He has plenty of speed, but I think a mile and a quarter is his best trip at the moment.”