The Andreas Wohler-trained Majestic Colt has landed the first Listed race of the European season at Hanover which signalled the return of German racing.
Action had been on hold in the country since March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but under blue skies and glorious sunshine, racing resumed with a 12-race card featuring three Listed events.
The Grosser Hannoverscher Sprintpreis was the first of that trio of highlights and the six-and-a-half-furlong (1300m) race produced a thrilling finish.
Tosen Shauna appeared to have done enough to take the honours, only for Majestic Colt, saddled by the 2014 Melbourne Cup-winning trainer, to find an impressive change of gear in the final furlong.
He zipped down the outside in the hands of Bauyrzhan Murzabayev to prevail by a neck in the colours of well-known owner Jaber Abdullah.
The meeting was staged behind closed doors, as will be the case for all fixtures in the immediate future, with participants required to adhere to strict hygiene policies and social distancing.
Racing is scheduled to resume in France next week while a date has not yet been set for the sport’s return in Britain.
