Czech Derby to be run this sunday

 Derby day at Prague Velka Chuchle racecourse is always an event to look forward to. The course is always specially prepared. At the end of June there is plenty of greenery, and every possibility of a sunny afternoon. Spring this year has provided plenty of warmth and a good amount of rain.

The big event of the afternoon is, of course, the 89th Czech Derby (Graded 3, CZK 3 000 000, 2400 metres, 3-y-o) sponsored by Fortuna. This year we have very little information on which to base a prediction of Sundays winner. The two main Derby trials at Prague Velka Chuchle were slowly run, on soft ground, and one of them was marred by three horses losing their riders. However, Age of Jape, purchased at what now looks like a bargain price in Poland last year, won the June Cup quite easily, following on his win in the Czech Two Thousand Guineas here, and he has won all his last six races. The most expensive colt in the field, Mariydi, showed some good form over shorter distances on the all-weather course in Dublin, but unseated his rider in his only race here. Other expensive purchases, intended for the Derby, did not even get into the field, which is limited to 16 runners. Derwish, trained by Andreas Wöhler in Germany, and Easy Tiger and Ramblin Scout, both trained in Slovakia by Zuzana Kubovicova, provide an international dimension. No British riders are coming this year, but Eduardo Pedroza will be on Derwisch, and Jean-Pierre Lopez rides Age of Jape. German-based Slovak jockey Rastislav Juracek will be on Honor of Gracie, and German-based Czech jockey Jiri Palik will be on Marl Bora. It will take a good horse that stays the distance to win this race. Age of Jape will probably start as favourite.

There are plenty of other major races to look forward to on Sunday. The Napajedla Stud Stakes, sponsored by KIA Seoul (National Listed, 2200 metres, 3-y-o fillies) is a trial for the Oaks. The 50th running of the Gold Cup, sponsored by Diner*s Club Czech (Listed, 2400 metres, older horses) puts last year*s Czech Derby winner, Tullamore, up against last year*s Czech Oaks winner, Determinacja, and also against 5-y-o Slovak-trained Camill, winner of this race last year. Camill will be defending his reputation as the best horse in Central Europe over a mile and a half. The Autocentr Bupi Stakes (Cat I, 1600 metres) could well be the race of the afternoon. Last year*s undisputed champion miler in Central Europe, Blue Coral, takes on Sharpour, who won two races very impressively earlier in the season here, and then took on a very high-class field at Longchamps, where he finished 7th, but was not far behind some outstanding French horses.

The first race on Sunday is at 2 p.m.