Rough moments in the decisive phases of the Czech Derby led to some harsh words in the weighing room after the race. However, Vladimír Panov was far from joining in the complaints. On the contrary, he was all smiles. And why not! He had come to Prague for his first Derby winner.

As usual in Czech racing, the end of June marks the turning point between spring racing and summer racing. The second of the four qualification races for the 2018 Velka Pardubicka was run on June 23rd, and the following day was Czech Derby day.

The 98^th Czech Derby was run over 2 400 metres at Prague Velká Chuchle on June 24th, for prizemoney of CzK 2 500 000 (EUR 100 000) on a cool afternoon, on good ground. Even more than usual, this was a race of immature horses over a distance that was likely to be too far for most of the runners.

The Austrian Derby will be run at Ebreichsdorf on Sunday, September 16^th, for total prizemoney of EUR 30 000.

Race conditions, in English language

http://www.dostihyjc.cz/download/dostihy/Austrian_Derby_2018_conditions.pdf

The EJC race day is expected to be not just the richest day of flat racing ever offered in the Czech Republic, but also the highest quality day of flat racing in Czech history. Entries closed recently for the 4th European Jockeys’ Cup day, which will be run on Saturday, September 22nd at Velká Chuchle racecourse in the southern suburbs of Prague.

In recent years, the Velka Pardubicka qualification races have been run mainly on very hot, often extremely hot, days and on hard ground, with dust clouds rising off the ploughed fields. It was therefore comparatively pleasing that there was some rain on the day before this year’s May qualification race, and the temperature in the shade on Saturday, May 26^th was below 30 degrees.

Betino, the de-facto monopoly on-course bookmaker at the Czech racecourses quite often leaves me shaking my head. On Saturday, May 26^th the result of the seventh race at Pardubice was that no. 2 Anaking won, and no.4 Achsar deadheated with no. 6 Bouba Loup for second place. I was in the seemingly happy position of holding a winning tricast bet ticket (i.e. first three in the correct order) for both 2-4-6 and 2-6-4. I expected the tricast pool to be divided into two, and to receive a share for 2-4-6 and another share for 2-6-4.

There are three meetings in the Czech Republic in the next few days. On Thursday, May 23^rd, the first of the four PMU racedays to be organized this year in the Czech Republic will be held at Prague Velká Chuchle, first race at 11.35 a.m.

The Vocásek family, who train and breed racehorses just outside Pardubice, achieved remarkable success in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.