Czech 1000 Guineas goes to Germany... again
Ganz international
As usual, plenty of Czech-trained horses ran abroad last weekend, with pleasing results at Merano, where Kirasjer and Berbec won over hurdles, and Diktys was only narrowly beaten by Sharstar, Italy*s outstanding young chaser, in the Premio Val di Non. In this race, Belmont finished 3rd, Aspirant 5th, Masini was pulled up and Terracon fell. Kirasjer is trained by Jan Demele, and Berbec by Radek Holcak. British-based Czech jockey Jan Faltejsek rode at Pardubice on Friday, at Most on Saturday and at Merano on Sunday. Over the weekend, our top trainers fought over his services * he rode for Cestmir Olehla, Josef Van*a, Frantisek Holcak, Radek Holcak and, I think, for top Italian trainer Paolo Favero.
A rarer but welcome occurrence was the victory of a German runner at Velka Chuchle. With the open borders, the strengthening of the Czech crown, the proximity of Prague to many parts of Germany, and the difficulties of German racing, our top races are becoming attractive to some German owners and trainers. We should be happy when good German horses win our races * let us hope that Butterfly Lady will turn out to be more successful than other recent German winners of our One Thousand Guineas and will provide a good international advertisement for Czech racing.
German filly wins the One Thousand Guineas
The Czech One Thousand Guineas (Listed, 1600 m, CzK 800 000), sponsored by Alavis, was run at Prague Velka Chuchle on May 10th on yet another in a series of warm sunny Sunday afternoons, in front of a good crowd. For the third year in the last four, the winner of this race was trained in Germany. Butterfly Lady, owned by Stall Titan, trained by Andreas Wöhler and ridden by Eugen Frank, started as favourite and beat Oniris and Rabbit Zamindar quite comfortably. Andreas Wöhler had also trained last year*s winner, Picobella. British-bred Butterfly Lady is by Royal Dragon (USA), out of Balleteuse (GB) (Hadeer (GB)). The trainer is hopeful that Butterfly Lady will turn out to be a really good filly.
Second-placed Oniris, owned by Wrbna Racing and trained by Cestmir Olehla, looked as if she may be better over a longer distance.
Janacek adds three more wins
Champion jockey Vaclav Janacek rode three more winners at the weekend.
He has now ridden 19 winners, plus two in Austria, since our season began at the beginning of April. Four jockeys share second place, with 5 winners each. In the second race at Prague Velka Chuchle on May 10th, Janacek drove home on Dekolt, but would have won much more easily on either the second or third placed horse. He is currently the best jockey, riding the best horses. He characteristically brings his horses with a run down the centre of the course at Velka Chuchle, where he seems to find some good ground. However, away from the rail the horses he rides, and rides against, are less likely to run in a straight line, and his vigorous path through the traffic can please owners and trainers more than it pleases the stewards.
Racing at Pardubice on Saturday, May 15th
The second meeting of the season at Pardubice will be on Saturday. The first race is at 1 p.m., and there are nine races on the card. There numbers of entries are satisfactory, but we hope there will not be too many withdrawals from the main races at the declaration stage. The main race is a Cat I oval track chase over 3900 metres. Color Man will be favoured to beat Terebesz. There is also a Cat II oval track chase, over 3200 metres that has attracted a small but good-quality field, including Ignacio and Welldancer, who impressed last year, and Archea and Gernia who impressed in 2007.
The third meeting of the season at Pardubice is on Saturday, May 22nd, first race at 1 p.m., when the feature will be first qualification race for the 119th Ceska Pojistovna Velka Pardubicka.
Two Thousand Guineas on Sunday, May 16th
The feature race next Sunday at Prague Velka Chuchle is the Czech Two Thousand Guineas, sponsored by Rabbit Holding. Prior to the declaration stage on Tuesday, there are still over 40 entries, including 6 owned by the sponsor. Iryklon, from a small stable, has won both of his races this year, including the main Guineas trial, but he will be up against some expensive purchases this time. Caerleon Wind is a German entry, with the same connections as the recent Czech One Thousand Guineas winner, Butterfly Lady. Watergate, trained in Britain by Mark Prescott, is also among the entries. Maribor, part-owned by Zoltan Mikoczy, majority owner of Overdose, was our best 2-y-o last year, but finished only 6th in the Guineas trial at Bratislava on April 26th, which was won by Age of Jape, who is also among the entries for Sunday. As usual, the first race on Sunday will be at 2 p.m. As I write, it is raining hard in
Prague.
Ten to follow over fences in 2009
Trainer Cestmir Olehla has been building up a strong team of chasers for Wrbna Racing, owners of Registana, and seems sure to do well this year. Trainer Josef Vana has over 60 horses in his stable, including plenty of potential champions of 2009. Vana is pretty certain to be champion trainer again, as we calculate on the basis of numbers of winners. However, Olehla has a very strong hand. He is represented four times in this list, and he has a three or four others that I considered seriously. Frantisek Holcak and Radek Holcak have had stronger teams in the past. Vaclav Luka junior has moved to fine new stables, but only one of his horses seems to be particularly promising. Milan Theimer should be optimistic about the chances of Amant Gris, voted Czech chaser of the year for 2008.
MONING LET (Wrbna/Olehla) impressed with 4 wins at Pardubice in 2007, and won the June VP qualification race in 2008. He then had a setback and was not ready for the VP in October 2008. He is in everybody*s Ten to Follow.
SIXTEEN (BUC Film/Vana) is considered by many to be less than a great champion, though she won the VP in 2007 and 2008, both times by a margin. She might win again this year, though there is likely to be plenty of strong opposition.
AMANT GRIS (Albertovec Stud/Theimer) was most unfortunate to have to be disqualified after being first past the post on merit in VP 2008. He must have a good chance of winning this year.
ROYAL MOUGINS (Charvat/F. Holcak) has been the best hurdler and oval track chaser in Central Europe for the last two seasons. Owner and trainer badly want to win the VP again, and may decide to try this talented horse out on the crosscountry course for VP 2009.
DIKTYS (Wrbna/Olehla) has gone from strength to strength as an oval track chaser in the last two seasons in Slovakia and Italy. On May 10th 2009, he tested Italian star juvenile Sharstar, and showed terrific form.
BABIE LATO (Wrbna/Olehla) was a top flat horse and won the Velka Mostecka at Most last summer. One of many good horses belonging to these connections.
ASPIRANT (Charvat/F. Holcak) won very well at the VP meeting in 2008, and will run in Jiri Charvat*s colours this year. This 6-y-o has been running well in Italy for some time.
GILMOUR (Conseq/Luka) won three good hurdles races in Italy in 2008, and I want to put forward a horse trained by a younger trainer.
DANDYS (Zamecky vrh/Kabelkova) was quite useful on the flat, and seemed to jump for fun in his first two crosscountry races. His lady trainer trains in Pardubice, and I am afraid this grey is my only recommendation
from a small stable.
IGNACIO (Wrbna/Olehla) is yet another promising young Wrbna/Olehla jumper. He was the best 4-y-o novice crosscountry chaser at Pardubice last year, winning the 4-y-o crosscountry on VP day.