May newsletter
May 2009 newsletter
April has been a month of remarkably sunny, pleasantly warm weather following on from the long chilly winter. The change in the weather, at the end of March, was sudden and very welcome. For a while it was bright and sunny down here in Prague, but there was still plenty of snow up in the mountains. Quite early in April, members of the skiing fraternity confided in me that they had had their fill of winter sport for this season, and were ready for the pleasures of spring and summer.
April really is not the most exciting month for racing in the Czech Republic, unless, perhaps, you own, train, ride or otherwise support a promising three-year-old. Although the Thousand Guineas is just 10 days away, and the Two Thousand Guineas 17 days away, I am not sure that any outstanding horse in the classic year has yet appeared at Velka Chuchle, the only major course that operates in April.
The big Central European racing event in April was at Kincsem Park in Budapest, where the phenomenal Overdose attracted an enormous crowd and won easily. He seems to be Hungary*s answer to Princess Diana. After he won his race, jockey Christophe Soumillon walked him down the course and back for over 20 minutes before the crowd would let the horse be led away. I am told it greatly exceeded any enthusiasm for the English Grand National, Cheltenham Gold Cup or Derby winner, or even what great champions like Arkle, Red Rum or Desert Orchid experienced. Overdose*s next race will be at Haydock Park. I hope the residents of Central
Lancashire will be ready for what hits them.
As for chasing, the Czech season has scarcely begun. The reason given for not holding races over fences in April is that the fences must have a chance to grow. Racing over a variety of natural fences is one of the features of central European racing. I do not think anyone anywhere yearns for plain fences, but it is easy to understand why racecourse managers prefer them. They are easy to maintain or replace, and do not produce stab wounds.
Since November we have had no steeplechasing here, and we have been reduced to following the races in Britain and Italy. Josef Van*a, in particular, has kept going all winter, sending horses to Cheltenham and Rome, and more recently to Treviso, Grosseto and Pisa, in Italy. His success rate has been OK, but until now most of the winners have been in small races.
For this season, I decided not to renew my memberships of Dostihovy klub at Pardubice and the Derby klub at Velka Chuchle. Dostihovy klub has fine premises on the first floor of the Town stand at Pardubice, and serves a good meal. However, the membership is for four people, and I have had ever-increasing difficulty finding friends to accompany me. Not everyone wants to go to a provincial racecourse on a Saturday afternoon and be required to dress up * or be confronted by the formidable president. I may add that I tend to have the good fortune to be accompanied by beautiful young ladies in jeans and sneakers, and they can feel a particularly chilly welcome on the first floor at Pardubice.
I quite like the club, for myself * perhaps I can be invited there from time to time.
At Velka Chuchle last year, the food in the club was severely rationed by a fierce young person who never forgave me for making a mild complaint early in the season. Am I becoming difficult? Perhaps not. I think most regular racing people like a relaxed atmosphere for their sport, and it is a fundamental error to create a cold milieu for us and keep checking that we are not doing something forbidden.
At Velka Chuchle and at Pardubice, and also at the other major courses, Karlovy Vary and Most, the facilities are fine for those who just pay entrance (except on Velka Pardubicka day), particularly when the weather is good. At the smaller courses, the sponsor*s tent is a good place to be, and the only refuge from any rain. The small courses are not meant to be, and are not, luxurious.
Until now I have done poorly in the uneven contest against our monopoly bookmaker, and my friends* horses have not shown even a little promise. My favourite jockey, Josef Bartos, will be out for some time.
Apart from that, all is seems to be well.
I hope you are making plans to be at Pardubice for the second weekend in October, or to come racing in the Czech Republic any Saturday, Sunday
or public holiday until the end of October.