The February 2016 newsletter is a bit delayed. I have been unwell, but am now much better, and I have been busy, but now have a bit of time. A five-day delay to this newsletter is no problem for me, and I hope it is also no problem for you – nevertheless, thank you for reading at least this far.

I have posted quite a lot of items since the end of December, mainly in connection with the disqualification of Nikas, first past the post in the Velka Pardubicka. The explanation that the caffeine and theobromine found in Nikas’ urine samples - in the A sample, and now confirmed in the B sample - came from contaminated food supplements was accepted by the Disciplinary Committee. I think this explanation has also been totally accepted by opinion in the racing community and above all by the popular press and its readers.

A petition for Nikas and jockey Marek Stromský to keep the race was signed by 5 618 people. It has been pointed out that 5 618 would be a good day’s attendance for a race meeting here, and such a lot of interest and such a lack of malice indicates that there is plenty of goodwill towards racing and, in particular, the Velka Pardubicka. Of course, it is not possible for a horse with banned substances discovered in his urine to retain the race, and the Disciplinary Committee’s verdict was the most lenient possible. The evidence of great interest in the Velka Pardubicka and in the race, and above all the sympathy for jockey, trainer and owner, were perhaps the best things to come out of this wretched affair.

It would have been nice to be able to say that the affair is now over. However, the owner and trainer say that they are suing the supplier of the alleged contaminated supplements. I hope they can settle out of court, and quickly. No-one should believe too much that a law case will lead to justice, to a quick and acceptable settlement, or to reconciliation.

Marek Stromský has announced his retirement from race riding, and indeed from racing altogether, declaring that he does not want to put a jinx on any more horses. His bitter disappointment is sad, especially since he is a particularly well-liked jockey. Nevertheless, he is well past his 40th birthday, and has had a good long career. In addition, he will always have his place in the history of the Velka Pardubicka - not as a winning jockey, but as the unluckiest in the history of the race. And who knows, Marek Stromský might re-emerge from retirement when spring returns, just as Josef Váňa does every year. The prospect of riding Nikas again at Pardubice in October 2016 could be attractive, and Stromskýwould certainly get the ride!

January began and ended with very mild weather, but in the middle of the month there was a two-week period of real winter, with snow and really cold temperatures. Up in the Šumava mountains, near the border with Bavaria, temperatures as low as -30°C were recorded.

In early February, here in Prague, it now feels like spring. However, it is far too early to declare that winter is over and think about putting our winter coats away. Anywhere in the Czech Republic, a sharp frost is not unusual (used not to be unusual) as late as mid May.

Bits of the racing calendar for 2016 have been published on the Jockey Club website http://www.dostihyjc.cz/dostihy.php. Readers who would like to combine some horseracing with a visit to the Czech Republic, for business or for pleasure, might consider the weekend of May 21st/May 22nd, when the May qualification race for the Velka Pardubicka will be run at Pardubice on the Saturday, and a Derby trial will be the main race at Prague Velka Chuchle on the Sunday. Alternatively, the Czech Derby is to be run at Prague Velká Chuchle on Thursday, June 23rd, while on Saturday, June 25th there is a meeting at Pardubice, where the main event will be the June qualification race for the Velka Pardubicka. Almost every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday between the beginning of April and the end of October there will be racing somewhere in the Czech Republic. Visitors from abroad are made very welcome at any racecourse anywhere, and the Czech Republic is no exception.

The Thursday evening date for the Czech Derby has been set because the main sponsor, Mercedes-Benz, requires the race to be on television. On the Sunday afternoon, when the Derby would normally have been run, Czech televison will be showing matches between the 16 teams left in the European Nations Cup (football). Both the Czech Republic and Slovakia will be hoping not to have been eliminated in the opening round. The Czechs are in a strong group, with Spain, Croatia and Turkey, while the Slovaks face weaker opposition - Russia, Wales and England.

I hope a huge crowd will come to Prague Velká Chuchle for the Thursday evening Derby meeting, and will demonstrate the viability of midsummer evening racing in the Prague suburbs, on an evening with no football on TV. I would personally like to be able to go racing in Prague after work on a summer evening, and I think others would too. However, the management at Prague Velká Chuchle racecourse has made it known that it has no plans for midweek racing.

Another interesting date is Sunday, July 24th, when the Czech Oaks will be run at Karlovy Vary. In recent years, the Oaks has been run at Most, which is a funny, non-standard course with a downhill finish and a short finishing straight. Karlovy Vary has a standard track, and is a good location for a major race. Nevertheless, Karlovy Vary is 130 km west of Prague, making it a long journey for the many trainers whose yards are located in Moravia.

Running the Oaks at Karlovy Vary is fine; what is less pleasing is that the number of meetings at Most is to be reduced. Despite its regrettable shortcomings as a course for top class flat racing, Most racecourse, which opened in 1997 on the reclaimed site of a vast opencast brown coal mine, puts on attractive racing. Sadly, the management has been showing some disenchantment with horseracing, and with the efforts needed to find sponsors and organize everything. I understand that as few as three meetings are planned for Most in 2016.

You may have noticed that there is not much content in this February 2016 newsletter. The midwinter period is like that. Some racing fans turn their interest to foals being born in the Czech Republic and elsewhere, and to plans for next year’s foals. White turf racing in Arosa fascinates some others This year I think no Czech-trained horses are being prepared to race on snow, and it is not sure that there will be enough snow this year for the events to be held. Some turn their interest to skiing or to ice-hockey and perhaps, like me, to what Arsenal can achieve in the premiership with the aid of Petr Čech and Tomáš Rosický - sadly injured again. Basically, however, there is a five-month slack period before our flat racing season begins on the first Sunday in April.

I think there will be a certain amount to tell you about in the months before April. I will try to make time to write and translate about aspects of Czech racing that I find interesting and hope you will find interesting too.