The Czech Derby meeting was held on June 23rd, the first really hot day of the summer. Even at 7.30 p.m., when the race was run, the temperature was well above 30°C. In spite of heavy rain in Prague the previous weekend, the going was 3,2 – good. A reasonable early pace was set by Sedmikraska. By the midway point, Albe Back took over. As the horses entered the finishing straight, most of them seemed to be well enough placed, and the question was, Which horses would stay, and which would show have most class. Krasava led them into the last 200 metres, and looked as if she could win, until Czech champion jockey Bauyrzhan Muzabayev brought the second favourite, Gontchar with a perfectly-timed late run.

Gontchar won impressively by a length from Krasava and Bonys, with Sedmikraska and Grace of Gracie in 4^th and 5^th place.

French-bred Gontchar is by Champs Elysées (GB), out of Gontcharova (IRE) (Zafonic (USA)). He is owned by Valentin Buchtoyarov, and is trained at Krabčice by Arslangirej Šavujev, whose fourth Derby winner this was. Gontchar is entered for the Grand Prix de Paris in July. After that, the connections will decide between aiming him at the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, or perhaps the Czech St Leger at Prague Velká Chuchle on August 28^th.