The Rabbit CZ Czech Oaks, 2400 metres, CZK 550 000, was run at Karlovy Vary on Sunday, July 21^st. In the Oaks trial on Derby day at Prague Velka Chuchle, there had been pandemonium in the starting boxes, and it was fortunate that fillies and jockeys did not suffer serious injury. In the Oaks itself, the connections of more than half of the field had asked for an outside draw, and numerous trainers had permission to be at the start. Happily, there were no problems this time.   

Motivator Lady went into the lead, but was well beaten a long way out. In the finishing straight, two horses trained by Helena Vocásková, Gold Memory and Falcon Baby, drew away from the field and were nver challenged. Gold Memory, ridden by Michal Hrouda, had won the Czech 1 000 Guineas, but Falcon Baby showed that she was the better stayer, and won by a margin of one and three quarter lengths.

Irish-bred Falcon Baby, by Sir Percy (GB) out of Ballerina Blue (IRE) (High Chaparral (IRE)), owned by 3 Hearts, was ridden by David Liška, who has recently celebrated his 19th birthday and has now graduated from the School for Apprentices at Prague Velká Chuchle. This was already David Liška’s third win in a Czech Classic. He won the St Leger on Nagano Gold two years ago, and he had already won this year’s 2 000 Guineas on Ignaceus Reilly. Falcon Baby was Helena Vocásková’s third winner in the Oaks, following Mary Yeats and 2018 winner Dylanka.

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Photo of Falcon Baby and David Liška, by Petr Guth