Germany’s most important race, the Group One Deutsches Derby (2,400m) at Hamburg racecourse, headlines a brilliant day of top-level action that will be simulcast on Sunday.

A field of 18 will go to post for the German Derby, which has been won by the likes of Shirocco, Sea The Moon, Adlerflug and most recently Palladium.

Trainer Andreas Wöhler has won the race five times and has a pair of chances, the headline act being the unbeaten Lady Charlotte, the only filly in the field.

She won one of the key Group One Preis der Diana (2,200m) trials, the Group Three Diana-Trial der Best Place Immobilien (2,000m), in impressive fashion, quickening to the front in the final 100m.

Wöhler could have opted to run in the German Oaks but has instead decided to take on the boys. The 63-year-old also runs Delgardo, who won the Listed Merkur Spielbanken Derby Trial (2,200m) in May.

The leading trial for the race – the Group Two Union-Rennen (2,200m) at Cologne – was won by the Peter Schiergen-trained Zuckerhut.

In France there is also Group One action in the form of the Prix Jean Prat (1,400m), where Group One 2,000 Guineas third Shadow Of Light looks to get back to winning ways.

He was a Group One-winning juvenile and was last seen finishing fifth in the Group One Commonwealth Cup (1,200m) at Royal Ascot and should benefit from a step up in distance.

“The drop back in trip and quick ground caught out Shadow Of Light in the Commonwealth Cup, but he came out of the race in great nick,” said Appleby on Godolphin’s website.

“Stepping back up to seven furlongs is a positive, and hopefully the ground at Deauville will be a bit more forgiving.

“I can’t fault his preparation going into this and feel he is the horse to beat if he can run up to anywhere near the form of his Guineas third.”

Cosmic Year, second to impressive Royal Ascot winner Field Of Gold in the Group One Irish 2,000 Guineas (2,400m), is another with a key chance alongside leading French hope Maranoa Charlie.

Trained by Christopher Head, he was devastating in the Group Three Prix Paul de Moussac (1,400m) at Longchamp last time and could be hard to pass if able to grab a soft lead.