Please note that this weekend’s meeting at Prague Velká Chuchle is on Friday, and the first race is at 11.10 a.m. This is the first of two PMU race meetings in the Czech Republic this year. The timing has nothing to do with the convenience of Czech racegoers. The purpose is presumably to provide betting opportunites for those who need an on-line betting fix as soon as they struggle out of bed on Friday morning. PMU are sponsoring some of the races, and Czech racing will get a share of the money that PMU will generate.

The meeting at Pardubice on Saturday features the Speaker of the Czech Parliament’s Gold Cup, a classical steeplechase over 4400 metres, Listed, with prize money of CzK 500 000 (EUR 18 000). This is good money by Czech standards, but Czech-trained steeplechasers have been frequently winning races with greater prizemoney in recent years, in Italy and in France. The Pardubice Gold Cup has attracted 7 declared runners, including last year’s winner, Nos Galan, trained by Josef Váňa snr, ridden by champion jockey Jan Kratochvíl. Kifaaya, Monsieur Bachir, Mustamir and Trim will ensure that this is a contested race on a good level. Dangerous Gleam should also not be ignored.

The speaker of the Czech parliament, 38-year-old Jan Hamáček, represents the Central Bohemian region for the ČSSD party, the left-of-centre party that leads the governing coalition.

The first race is at Pardubice on Saturday is at 1 p.m., and there are eight races on the card, all of which are classical steeplechases, crosscountry steeplechases, or over hurdles.