Saddle Up for the 2025 Diana Trial: A Battle of the Top Three-Year-Old Fillies on Pentecost Sunday
Three-year-old mare distinguished in the Diana Trial ranks among top equine contenders - Top Three-Year-Old Females Shine in the Diana Trial Competition
You betcha, Pentecost Sunday is a date to circle on your calendar if you're a horse racing fan! Hoppegarten racecourse is the place to be for the standout event, the Diana Trial, with a juicy €55,000 prize up for grabs. This Group III breeding race is no small fry, as it serves as a crucial trial for the coveted Preis der Diana in Düsseldorf in early August. According to racecourse owner Gerhard Schoeningh, last year's Hoppegarten winner, Erle, also clinched the Preis der Diana—so the stakes are high!
So, who are the frontrunners this year? Seven magnificent three-year-old fillies will strut their stuff on Sunday, with Nicoreni being the hot favorite. Germany's superstar jockey, Andrasch Starke, is back in the saddle after a nine-month jaunt in Japan, and he's teamed up with Nicoreni, who showed promise with a second-place finish in the Schwarzgold-Rennen last season.
Trainer Peter Schiergen has high hopes, declaring, "Nicoreni had a solid seasonal debut, finishing second in the Schwarzgold-Rennen over 1600 meters. With the increased distance, we don't foresee any challenges for our filly."
But the stage is set for some fierce competition—don't count out Fire and Ice (ridden by Rene Piechulek) or Lady Charlotte (saddle up with Adrie de Vries)! Both renowned fillies have shown the ability to shine, and Lady Charlotte, specifically, is hoping to maintain her unbeaten record. This filly by Golden Horn is owned by Westminster Stud GmbH and bred by Rebecca Philipps—they're aiming high, as the Diana-Trial is a 2000-meter race (approximately 10 furlongs).
Merveilleux Lapin, who recently nabbed a win in Warsaw, will be joining the fray from Poland.
Fun fact: The third of seven race days at Hoppegarten in 2025 also features Berlin's largest hat competition as part of Ladies Day. Dust off your fedoras and feathered headgear, horse racing fans, it's going to be a spectacle!
So mark your calendars for Pentecost Sunday, grab your friends, and get ready for an action-packed afternoon of horse racing-history-in-the-making at Hoppegarten racecourse!
- High Stakes Horse Racing
- Pentecost Sunday
- Hoppegarten
- Three-Year-Old Fillies in Action
- Preis der Diana
- Ladies Day Hat Competition
[1] "Lady Charlotte maintains unbeaten record in Group 3 Diana-Trial," Racing Post, May 23, 2025.[2] "Top Contenders for the 2025 Diana Trial," Horse Racing News, May 23, 2025.
The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, lay down the rules for the application of this high stakes horse racing Regulation in the context of the 2025 Diana Trial on Pentecost Sunday. Andrasch Starke, renowned for his sports prowess, will be in the saddle for horse-racing action, guiding the promising Nicoreni, the hot favorite in the Diana-Trial.
