It could well have been the finish of a stakes race at Hoppegarten as four imports, led home by the German-bred Lucas Cranach (GER), fought out the finish of Saturday's Group 2 Carlton Draught Peter Young Stakes (St George Stakes) (1800m) at Caulfield.
The Anthony Freedman-trained entire opened his Australian account when he came from last to overpower fellow German-bred Illo (GER) (Tertullian) by one and a half lengths with Manighar (FR) (Linamix) a nose back in third and the free running Glass Harmonium (IRE) (Verglas) back in fourth.
Lucas Cranach made his first Australian start last spring in the Caulfield Cup (G1) where he finished fifth before an excellent third in the Melbourne Cup (G1) made even more meritorious through his well publicised hoof problems.
The 5yo entire takes his overall record to 5 wins, 1 second and 1 third for earnings of just short of $700,000.
"I think it was important that he came here today and maybe not win, but run particularly well given he was going to run in weight-for-age races, Freedman said
" You don't know that they are weight-for-age horses until they do it so I was pretty impressed with his acceleration.
"It was a very impressive win and we'll go to the Australian Cup with a bit of confidence."
A Group 2 winner in Germany, Lucas Cranach was acquired by Australian interests after finishing fifth behind subsequent Arc winner Danedream in a Group 1 contest at Hoppegarten.
His sire Mamool arrived for the 2003 Melbourne Cup off the strength of a pair of Group 1 wins in Germany but finished last of the 23 runners. He came back the following year, faring better with a seventh placed finish behind the unstoppable Makybe Diva who won the second of her three Melbourne Cups.
Bred by Sheikh Mohamed, Mamool is a son of the Sadler's Wells stallion In The Wings, best known through the deeds of his champion son Singspiel.
Lucas Cranach is the fifth foal of the German stakes-winner Lots Of Love a daughter of Paul Melon's champion Java Gold (Key To The Mint) who sired the Eclipse Award winning sprinting Kona Gold in the US before standing his later years at stud in Germany.