Life on the road is always supposed to provide the liberty to do what you wish. So when Gunther Schmidt discovered the appealing colt he bred, Balzac, was making a first appearance of the year at Kempton recently, he knew he had to be there.

And it appears the German horse transporter can begin to get delighted about the opportunities of Balzac satisfying his engagement in the Betfred Derby, with trainer-owner Jane Chapple-Hyam now considering a run around Epsom in heaven Riband Trial and not planning to be postponed the Classic even if he went off at 100-1 as "everybody has a dream".

"I was taking some German mares over and I 'd seen he was running so I dropped them in Newmarket, had my rest and took my time to come across," stated Schmidt. "It's always a huge difference if it's live or just on the television.

"We bred him, we love him and we still have the mum, who's just foaled a filly by Erevann."

Schmidt now invests a great deal of his time lorry driving as he founded his company, Taxi4Horses, about twenty years back and has a fleet of vehicles under his control whisking horses all over Europe.

Previously, he ran a stud in Germany with his partner Elke and it remains in his blood, with the couple boarding a few mares in Germany and France.

Balzac's dam, Brit Wit, has actually currently provided a memorable high as she is accountable for Claymore, likewise trained by Chapple-Hyam and a winner of the 2022 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot after chasing after home Native Trail in the Craven Stakes.

The New Bay gelding has remained in training aged 7, hacking up when invited to a Hungarian local Group 1 at Kincsem Park last September and changing his attention to the Dubai Carnival, where he was second in a handicap in the middle of January.

Brit Wit is an unraced High Chaparral child of Brisk Breeze, who showed a great entertainer for Schmidt's compatriot Gerhard Schoeningh and his Ennismore Racing banner. The guy who has been trying to restore Hoppegarten racecourse back to its former splendor campaigned Brisk Breeze with Sir Henry Cecil, winning the Listed Harvest Stakes at Ascot and finishing a close 3rd in the Park Hill.

Balzac, who is from the first crop of Gestut Etzean's Japan, was chosen up by Chapple-Hyam herself at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and raced once as a two-year-old, finishing a close 3rd in a hot-looking maiden at Newmarket in the fall.

He went off at even-money under Hollie Doyle in a mile novice on the Polytrack, making all the running to hold back previous winners Winding Stream and Magic Trip.

"We offered him as a foal for 30,000 gns; Jane was on him because he was born due to the fact that we're buddies," said Schmidt. "She entered the ring, took a bet, and she got him, so we were thrilled.

"We also own a two-year-old sister [Meribah] from the first crop of Torquator Tasso. She remains in pre-training in Germany and we're eager to get her maybe to Jane, obviously, but she's French reproduced so we'll see."

Japan, the regally-bred Galileo stallion and winner of the Juddmonte International and Grand Prix de Paris with Aidan O'Brien, was considered as a crucial finalizing for the Germany reproducing industry when he relocated to Etzean upon retirement.

He knocked out 6 two-year-old winners from his very first crop, however there is most likely to be much better to come now his kids are three. They include the Danish-bred Taifuu, who won a conditions race in Dubai this winter.

Schmidt is a Japan fan, too, including: "He had a winner in Germany recently, Weekend Warrior, over 2,100 m and maybe the very best of them, Peace Of Japan, ran over 1,500 m and was ridden with just hands and heels however ended up a great second.

"He's entered in the French Derby, Balzac remains in entered the Derby, so Japan is absolutely on his way. And we need a horse like him in Germany; we require a tested stallion who kicks on German breeding."

Should Balzac get to Epsom we can be sure Schmidt will be there too, possibly pointing a Taxi4Horses taxi in the direction of the Downs while in his stovepipe hat and tails.

"I likewise bred Stingray, who ran for us in the German Derby and completed fifth; he then ran in Newmarket last November [sixth, James Seymour Stakes] with Hollie Doyle on and we've still got him," he stated.

"We have an interesting three-year-old ourselves called Strike [by Fearless King], a half bro to Stingray. So we're always dreaming. My family has actually had horses for 70 years, I was born with them.