Convergent moving closer to Group One honours in Germany

Convergent gets a late-season opportunity to add a Group One victory to his CV in Saturday’s Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern in Munich.

Beaten a short head when runner-up in the German Derby during the summer, Karl Burke’s charge has looked every inch a smart middle-distance horse in the making when winning his next two starts at Group Three and Group Two level in Ireland and France respectively.

In the immediate aftermath of the most recent of those, the Spigot Lodge handler suggested Convergent would be given a break until next season, but this weekend’s mile-and-a-half contest in Munich is viewed as too good an opportunity to pass up.

Burke said: “We gave him a very easy week after France and in my mind we were going to put him away.

“But Maurice Regan, his owner, has got the mare and the family and didn’t want to give up the chance of winning a Group One if I thought the horse was well and I couldn’t put him off running as he is really well.

“He’s bounced out of the French race and he goes there with a great chance if he travels over well.”

He added: “I think he’s a proper Group One horse for next year, that was always in my mind, and we’ll give it a go. He’ll love the track and the ground and he’s been in great form the last week or so here. I’m looking forward to seeing him run.”

With stable jockey Clifford Lee sidelined after a motorbike accident while on a break in Scotland, William Buick comes in for the ride on Convergent in Germany.

He renews rivalry with George Scott’s Bay City Roller, who was three lengths and three places behind him at ParisLongchamp three weeks ago, while Sir Mark Prescott saddles last year’s runner-up Tiffany in a race he won with his subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe heroine Alpinista four years ago.