Saturday flat race meeting, first race at 12 midday

Do come for the Saturday flat race meeting, first race at 12 midday. I will not bother with tips for the first three races. Others know much more than I do about Category IV hurdles races for amateur riders (12.00), about Category IV races for women riders (12.30), though I hope Linda wins, and about 2-y-os that are still new to the game (12.55). Bet on the name that you like best, or just watch.

1.25 Talar won the Thousand Guineas, 2^nd in the Derby, is running at his best distance. However, there are plenty of other good horses in this race over 1900 m.

1.55 There are plenty of good runners in this 1100 m. sprint, too. Bright Sand has the inside draw, which could be a big advantage in this sprint with a full bend and the other good sprinters have outside draws.

2.30 Trip to Rhodos will be a hot favourite. He is our best stayer, and should win the Pardubice St Leger against only moderately good opposition.

3.00 Four of today’s seven races are sponsored by the Charvat group. The owner or his wife should have won something by this time. The last race is a bumper over 3 200 metres. Jiri Charvat’s Celadon is a racehorse among plodders, and must win here.

Sunday, steeplechase festival, first race at 11.30

11.30 Lumpik beat most of these easily last time out, and those that were not in the field that day do not have any impressive form.

12.10 Skarabeus is the tip, though Pepperous and Maltamo might be a threat. Of course, Taro is also a good hurdler.

12.50 Reaper’s mum is the wonderful Registana, and he is a decent novice crosscountry chaser.

1.30 The Vltava Prize is difficult. There are plenty of good horses in this big field, and none that is outstanding. Zarif might be the one. Frasini, Ohio and Jam Taki are just three others that might win on the day.

2.10 Love the Win will attempt to make all the running. He will be leading half way round, and may hold on to be first past the post this time. Cardam, rather than Kyshanty, is the threat.

2.50 Silver Regent will be a very hot favourite for the Labe Prize on the basis of his good win in the September qualification race, but Moula is a promising young chaser from a small stable, and could be a better-value bet. Lorain is also promising.

3.30 This is an oval-track steeplechase, with easy fences and a couple of water jumps. Two greys, Sokol and Khalshani, are the best rated. Cariray is not to be ignored. Sokol is the one for me.

4.30 There are a lot of moderate horses in this large field, and a number of foreign jockeys. Large fields, moderate horses, inexperienced jockeys, plus all the unpredictable elements in any VP, mean that a mare that takes the lead and is first over the Taxis, the Irish Bank and round the Popkovice Turn has an advantage over those that are in the middle of the melee, especially if she is in any case a phenomenon. Orphee des Blins is therefore confidently tipped. If we assume that the foreign horses are not good enough, we are left with only four others that are good enough to contend, if something were to happen to Orphee. They are Trezor (above all), Tiumen, Budapest and Klaus. Of the other Czech-trained horses, only Broker might be good enough to beat some of the above-named, and this 6-y-o will be better in years to come than he is now.

To win: Orphee des Blins - 2^nd Trezor – 3^rd Tiumen or Budapest.

Best outsider: none, forget about it.