As usual, there is some controversy about the horses that have got places in the field for the Czech Derby. Qualification is on the basis of the ratings awarded by the official handicappers. Two horses, Saul and Top One, which had finished 1^st and 3^rd in the June Grand Prix at Prague Velká Chuchle, 2200 metres, were supplemented for the Derby, as expected. Higher ratings were awarded to beaten horses in the Starohajské kriterium, 2000 m, run at Bratislava on June 3^rd, than to the winner of Frankenberger Memorial, run over 2 000 metres at Most on May 12th. As the Frankenberger Memorial is referred to as a trial for the Czech Derby, it is debatable whether the winner, Be Master, should be eliminated from the Derby when a couple of horses that he beat at Most are now rated above him on the basis of the ratings awarded for the race at Bratislava (presumably by the Slovak handicapper).

Eighteen horses were left in the race after yesterday’s supplementary entries. Mount Q and Be Master are below the line. None of the Czech-trained horses has yet shown any form over the full Derby distance, and it can be predicted that several of the horses that run in the Czech Derby will never again run over a distance greater than 2 000 metres.

Rating

90,5      Poldi's Liebling

79,0       Mon Cheri

76,5       Dragon

76,5       Darkolva

76,0       Black Bard

76,0       Thisisthekey

75,0       Res Judicata

75,0       Saul

74,0       Blessed Kiss

74,0       Golden Alighieri

74,0       King Heart

73,5       Forever Dry

73,5       Oriental Glory

73,5       Top One

73,0       Carmella

72,5       Cape Freedom

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72,0      Mount Q

71,0      Be Master

Runners and riders will be declared on Monday, June 18th. The Derby will be run at Prague Velká Chuchle racecourse on Sunday, June 24th.