Hi there, Joseph, you and the other 15 horses in the Czech Derby really made fools of the experts, didn’t you?

Neigh!

No seriously, tell us how you saw the race.

Jiří Palík did a great job. We tucked in at the rear of the field, went along calmly, and then, when the others started dropping back, in the finishing straight, he found a good way through, and some good ground all the way up the straight. I thought to myself, I can win this race, and I went for it.

The jockey was fined and suspended for overuse of the whip. That’s the biggest amount a Czech jockey has ever been fined!

We geegees don’t get excited about money like you humans. He did hit me a bit didn’t he! And then he congratulated me and claimed I’m his best friend. Interesting behavior. I don’t understand it, but it’s all right.

You started at 50:1. Did you feel like an outsider?

I always thought I was quite good, and I won quite well at Most in May, didn’t I. But it’s true, Derby day was the first time I really showed what I can do. To tell you the truth, I surprised myself a bit. The expensive foreign-bred colts were very confident in the starting gates.

Your trainer, Pavel Tůma, told everyone the owner should only run two of his horses, and he wanted the owner to scratch you from the race. Any comments on that?

Nothing against the trainer. He treats me fine, but I will say one thing. It was cold all winter up there at the training centre, and we are only now getting some warmth into our bones.

Does that mean you’re going to keep on improving, and perhaps win the St Leger?

I’ve no idea. It just depends how I feel on the day. On Derby day, I did it for the owner’s wife and kids, and I’m glad. They’re always sweet to me!

How do you see your longer term future? Will you go jumping, or would you like to be a stallion?

We horses don’t think about the future as much as you humans do. But I must say, being a stallion sounds all right. Jumpers are mainly geldings, aren’t they? So I guess being a stallion is the thing for me.