Somehow this weekend was a historic one for northern Germany: First, with Holstein Kiel becoming the first Schleswig-Holstein club to enter the Bundesliga, then a young rider wins the Hamburg Spring Derby for the second time in a row, with a perfect zero score.
Last year, when he achieved his first success, Marvin Jüngel was little known to many, but he became the second youngest Derby winner of all time, behind Alwin Schockemöhle. This year he was the defending champion, confidently formulating his goal to achieve this, and said after his success: „I actually have to thank Frederic Tillmann, because if he hadn’t made a mistake, I wouldn’t have won. Balou’s heir is not that fast and I wouldn’t have broken his time,“ admitted Marvin Jüngel to spring-reiter.de
Frederic Tillmann was the first to start the Derby with DSP Comanche (v. Cellestial) as the 22nd starter to finish the race without a single fault. He himself had started the Derby with a big handicap. Two weeks ago, he suffered four broken ribs at work. But „in the course, that adrenaline helps. A week ago, I didn’t even know if I could even start here. But I clenched my teeth, for me the Hamburg Derby is the most beautiful tournament of the whole year.“
As the first rider to finish, he also had to be the first to take the plunge. As Frederic Tillmann later recounted, in the steeplechase he „risked everything: towards the end I thought I would keep going; I had a lead, but in the end I got too close, which resulted in the fall. I wanted to put pressure on Marvin; unfortunately, the wall collapsed. Marvin did everything right today; he rode flat out and deserved to win.“
Even winner Marvin Jüngel, who managed to make it into the final round without a single mistake, after Frederic Tillmann, was unable to do so twice in the final round. „I heard that myself,“ said Trodzem, the 22-year-old calmly. He clearly has nerves of steel, as he showed everyone when he calmly rode into the course on the long reins almost at the end of the final round.
„Yes,“ Marvin chuckles. „It was clear that I needed to stay calm in order to make everything possible for Balou’s heir. Any restlessness would only have transferred to her. Of course, the fact that it all worked out like that is fantastic.“ Actually, he had considered sending his 15-year-old Balou’s heir to retirement after this Derby. But that was probably a bit premature. „She is in top shape. I never would have thought that I could win this Derby again so quickly. A third victory is the new goal!“
In order for that to work, Marvin Jüngel continues to train with Richard Vogel, David Will and Sophie Hinners. He was with them in the stable for a few months to learn, but has been back home for a few weeks now. “That has really given me a lot.„
Behind the two who shared the victory in the steeplechase, followed by one throw each in the toughest course in the world – which in many years has already been enough to secure victory – were the Frenchman Emeric George on Dune du Ru (v. Vagabond de la Pomme), Thilo Schulz on Zeppelin (v. Zinedine), Simon Heineke on Cordillo (v. Corrido) and Alexander Butler on Pico (v. Chekhov PZK).
The ninth, Sandra Auffarth, had collected eight penalty points with Nupafeed’s La Vista (v. Lordanos), but in addition to the prize money for placing, she also received an extra check: the audience had given her the most points for the Harmonie & Fairness Prize, which is being offered by Anrecht Investment.
A total of 32 rider-horse pairs had gone into the 93rd race for the Blue Band of the Derby at the Derbys Park in Hamburg Kleinflottbek. It was Volker Wulff’s 25th as tournament director – and at the same time his last. He was able to close the chapter with a flourish: a total of 104,000 spectators had come to celebrate and enjoy horse racing this weekend – for the first time in the history of the Derby, the 100,000 mark was reached. Volker Wulff had the final word: „I wish the Derby all the best for the future; the Derby deserves it.“