Czech trainers set out with high hopes of winning all three feature races at the Wielka Wroclawska meeting at Wroclaw Partynice racecourse on September 7th and 8th, but came away with only one winner, and that was in a less well sponsored hurdles race.

On Saturday, the Wielka Partynicka, over hurdles,  went to 4-y-o mare Morfina, an outsider trained in Poland by K. Rogowski and ridden by D. Pastuszka. Strongly fancied Skarabeus, trained in the Czech Republic by Polish-born Greg Wroblewski, was beaten by a head.

On Sunday, Habana, trained by trainer Borkowski and ridden by Andrii Chopyk, won the Wielka Wroclawska comfortably. The Czech challenge was weakened when Ursan did not start, and then early in the race well-fancied Olehla-trained Demon Magic unseated his rider, Gerard Tumelty, brought out specially from the UK. Vana-trained Wyona did her best for the Czech cause, but could only finish in a well-beaten 2nd place.

The Nagroda Rutena, flat, 2600 metres, went to 3-y-o Nechius, trained in Poland by Malgorzata Lojek and ridden by Anton Turgajev. 2012 Czech Derby winner Kadyny never showed.

Despite the disappointments for the Czech contingent, this was a good weekend for Michal Kubík, a young jumps jockey who has been learning his trade at Josef Vana’s yard. He rode a total of three winners, and was also on Wyona. Two of his winners were for Polish trainers, but he also rode the sole Czech-trained winner at the meeting, Fairy World, owned by Vasury Kolesa. Fairy World is Polish-bred.

Well done, the Poles. Enjoy this well-earned triumph.