On Friday March 11th, at 9 o’clock, talks were held in the grandstand at Prague Velká Chuchle racecourse [where the offices of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic are located] between the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic and representatives of all racecourses. The talks were called by Dr Jiří Charvát, president of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic. Dr Charvát opened the event with an address, in which he explained the reasons for the talks. He expressed the standpoint of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic on the Agreements on Providing Horserace Meetings and on the total amount of 3.5% [of the prizemoney to be charged] for entry and declaration to run.

Mr [František] Hrubý, on behalf of the Prague Velká Chuchle organisers, was<!--[if !supportAnnotations]-->[RAH1]<!--[endif]-->  the first to respond to Dr Charvát’s words, stating that they insist on 5% [of the prizemoney to be charged] for entry and declaration to run. He did not raise any other problem or shortcomings emerging from the Agreement and that would prevent it being signed. His standpoint was supported by the representatives of other racecourses: Lysá nad Labem, Světlá Hora, Pardubice, Slušovice and Karlovy Vary. In addition, as Mr Hrubý pointed out, these matters were being discussed at a time when the agreements should already have been signed. He went on to declare that, due to the as yet unsigned Agreement on Providing Horserace Meetings, the Prague [Velká Chuchle racecourse] organisers were cancelling the first race day [of the 2016 season], together with the planned Gomba Handicap as the main race.

However, the Agreement on Providing Horserace Meetings with the set amount of 3.5% [of the prizemoney to be charged] for entry and declaration to run was signed on Friday, March 11th by Mr Vrlíčký from Mimoň [racecourse] and by Mr Vymazal from Brno [racecourse]. An agreeement with this wording will also be signed by Mr Sůra from Kolesa, who was not able to attend the meeting today.

Dr Charvát stressed that the belated discussion on agreements and percentages to be paid for entry and declaration to run is not a mistake made by the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic. At the meeting of the Council of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic on 13 November 2015, the amount of 3.5% [of the prizemoney to be charged] for entry and declaration to run was approved as the limit for negotiations with the organisers. On 3 December 2015, a draft agreement was sent to each organiser. In addition, on 16 December 2015, an urgent message was sent by Dr Charvát for comments to be submitted on the agreements, none of which the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic had received at that time. In addition, the general secretary of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic had had direct meetings at the end of November and the beginning of December with representatives of the organisers from Prague, Karlovy Vary, Most, Pardubice and Lysá nad Labem [racecourses].

A key and important point was a proposal presented by Jiří Trávníček, president of the Union of Breeders of Thoroughbreds and Owners of Racehorses, who guaranteed to cover the organisers’ loss in the amount of CzK 4.1 millon (the difference between 5% and 3.5%) through a contribution from the Support Fund in the amount of CzK 3.0 million (i.e. covering 73% of the organisers‘ loss) and in addition the marginal amount for all organisers of 5% of CzK 3.0 million (i.e. CzK 150 thousand). He went on to propose the establishment of a working commission that will have as its task to prepare a five-year agreement between the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic and the organisers. The aim of signing this long-term agreement is to make it possible to sign long-term agreements with sponsors, betting offices (PMU), etc.

Finally, it should be stated that, after this proposal by the Union of Breeders of Thoroughbreds and Owners of Racehorses, the organisers, (with the exception of Mimoň, Brno and Kolesa) continue to insist on their standpoint and to demand 5% [of the prizemoney to be charged] for entry and declaration to run. 

Martina Krejčí  

[General Secretary of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic]

 **

This press release is a typical expression of the uncompromising megaphone diplomacy of the leadership of the Jockey Club that I have referred to in the March 2016 newsletter and in my recent announcement of the cancellation of the first race meeting of the season. The Jockey Club should take a neutral position between owners and organizers, and should have as its only priority to get the 2016 horseracing season started on time.

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