July 2017 newsletter

The biggest topic in Czech racing in June was How to make sense of the Czech Derby? It was a weird race. There were 16 runners, and 7 of the first 8 were total outsiders, offered at 20:1 or more by our miserly on-course bookmaker! Of the first 6 horses at the halfway point, none finished higher than 10th! Of course, there is no clear logical explanation for a result like this, and there is no need to expect one.

Goscater wins the 2nd VP qualification race

Race days at Pardubice have had a habit of coinciding with very hot weather in recent years, and last Saturday was no exception. It was a bit testing for us racegoers, tough for the horses, and probably worst of all for our top jockeys. There were nine races on the card. That is a lot of riding when it is well over 30°C in the shade, and there is not a lot of shade out on the racecourse.

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