by Karsten Bønsdorf, USTA Senior Newsroom Correspondent

Dutch trained and owned trotters are very dominant in German trotting races and on Saturday afternoon (Aug. 4) Avalon Mists, who is sired by Pastor Stephen, won the German Filly Derby. She is trained by Paul Hagoort and had Robin Bakker in the bike – a powerful Dutch team.

Avalon Mists won the 1-3/16 mile event in 1.58.1f (mile rate) – the purse for the winner was S50,000.

On Sunday (Aug. 5) Hagoort and Bakker can get another big win in Germany, as they have the favorite in the German Trotting Derby, Mister F Daag, who is sired by Conway Hall.

Hagoort and Bakker has a very excellent strike rate in the Derby – within the last five years they have won the race four times.

Hagoort has won the Derby as a trainer a total of five times within the last 10 years.

Nine of the 12 starters in the Derby are trained by Dutch trainers.

The total purse in the 123. Deutsches Traber-Derby is $250,000.

The richest trotting race in Belgium is the Grand Prix de Wallonie raced over 1-7/16 mile at the track in Mons.

The purse is $250,000 and the race was easily won by the French gelding, Aubrion du Gers, driven by Jos. Verbeeck in 1.54.4f (mile rate).