Race Conditions for the 124th running of the Velka Pardubicka with Česká pojišťovna
Submitted by Robin on 28. April 2014 - 22:00PARDUBICE
PARDUBICE
Following the misfortune that befell three horses in the second VP qualification race in 2013, there is no mention of "turning aside" in the race conditions for VP 2014.
Following the recent resignation of Aleša Jakub from the position of president of the Czech Jockey Club, Jiří Charvát was elected to the post at a meeting held at Prague Velka Chuchle racecourse on April 14th.
(Press release from Pardubice racecourse)
The Czech horseracing season begins on Sunday, April 6th, first race at 2 p.m. There will be eight flat races on the card, and the main race of the day is the Category I Gomba Handicap, over 1200 metres. There are seven runners in the Gomba - a six-furlong handicap with a full curve on the opening day of the season is always a lottery.
March 2014 has been dominated by the escalating dispute between the Jockey Club and the organizers of race meetings about “owner’s prizes”. The trouble is that this dispute is not - or no longer is - about owner’s prizes. I think noone any longer has a clear idea of what it is really about, and I do not wish to make guesses that will be only partly correct and will not help to resolve the dispute. The fact seems to be that the dispute is out of control, and has been taking on a life of its own.
Recently-elected president of the Czech Jockey Club Aleša Jakub seems likely to be a victim of the escalating dispute over the payment of Owners Prizes to owners of Czech-bred horses that win or are placed in medium- and high-category races.
“We try to have a good relationship with the Jockey Club”
The Velka Chuchle racecourse Facebook site states that the race conditions for the opening meeting of the 2014 season, to be held on Sunday April 6th, will be published today on the Jockey Club website. The horseracing season will therefore be able to start on the originally planned date, The 1200 metres Gomba Handicap will be the feature race on April 6th.