What do the Derby winners Sea The Moon, Laccario, Weltstar and Sanmarco have in common? They all previously won the Cologne Union Race. Founded in 1834 in Berlin-Tempelhof, “die Union” is not only the oldest gallop race still run in Germany today. The 2,200-metre test, with prize money of 70,000 euros, which has been held under the title “Sparkasse KölnBonn - Union-Rennen” since 2019, has been probably the most important preliminary test on the way to the Derby in Hamburg for decades. It would come as no great surprise that the winner on Sunday will come from a Cologne training base. Five of the current six protagonists are being prepared in Weidenpescher Park.