Miloslav Vlček, long-term editor of the Fitmin-Turf webpages, and before that of the Fitmin-Turf printed magazine, is one of our leading writers on horseracing. His special field is racehorse breeding in the Czech Republic and abroad, which he writes about extensively and expertly.

After the 2019 Velka Pardubicka, he compiled a list of the Czech handicap ratings and the Racing Post ratings (RPR) of the last ten winners of the Velka. It will be seen that this year’s winner, Theophilos, is the lowest-rated of all of them, by the Czech handicapper.  

Note that the Czech ratings until 2014 were done by a different handicapper. New joint handicappers came into action in 2015, and they have generally worked on coordinating our handicaps with the handicaps in neighbouring countries, under the leadership of the German handicapper. This has led to lowering of the ratings of our best horses and some compression of the ratings. An important outcome, not often taken advantage of, is that Czech horses can now much more easily run in handicaps in neighbouring countries on the basis of their Czech handicap.

Handicap ratings of Velka Pardubicka winners in the last 10 years, and a comparison with their Racing Post ratings (RPR)

* Czech ratings before 2014 were done by a different handicapper