For Czech-based racegoers, the big event this weekend will be the European Jockeys’ Cup, at Prague Velká Chuchle on Saturday. However, Merano racecourse in northern Italy is also putting on a big event this weekend, over fences, with plenty of Czech participants. On two days, there will be a number of major races, headed by the 77^th running of the Gran Premio Merano Alto Adige, with prize money of EUR 250 000.

Czech jockey Josef Bartoš, who is again comfortably leading the jumps jockeys championship in Italy, with 31 winners already, and who has won EUR 300 000 for owners in Italy this year, shares his views on the Gran Premio, the Velka Pardubicka, and other topics.

Earlier in the summer, you told me that your horse for the Gran Premio would be Little Bruv, winner of the Grande Steeple Chase di Milano. Is that still true?
Unfortunately, Little Bruv is out injured. Trainer Paolo Favero will now have only one horse in the race. I’ll be on High Master, which won for me in a Group 3 race at the beginning of September. Originally, I was going to be on Company of Ring, which finished second to us with Dominik Pastuzska riding, but he came back from the race lame.

The runners and riders for the Gran Premio have not been published yet, but you probably have some idea about the competition. Which one is the favourite, in your view?
Le Costaud, trained in France by Guillaume Macaire, no doubt. In July, he won the Grande Steeplechase d’Europa by 14 lengths. Josef Váňa senior is expected to send four horses for the Gran Premio – Fafintadenient, Mazhilis, Alpha Two and Alcydon Fan. They’ll be tough competition for us.

What do you think of your chances on High Master?
I’d like to win the Gran Premio, of course, even though I’m not on the best horse in the field. Luck plays a role in racing, so the best horse doesn’t have to win. A minus point for my High Master is that he’s never run over five kilometres. However, he has quite a bit of class, and Mr Favero knows what he’s doing in sending him out for the Gran Premio. The competition is strong, and I’ll be pleased if we finish in the first three.

Do you have some horses with a chance in the other major races?
In the Crystal Cup I have high hopes for Allycat. I think he’ll manage the distance of 6 kilometres. He won a 5-kilometre crosscountry race at the beginning of September with something in hand. I also think we have some chance with our horses in the race for 3-y-os. And I’m looking forward to the ride on Sol Invictus, on which I won the Gran Corsa Siepi d’Italia. I’m looking forward to the meeting – it will be a big event. There will be plenty of racegoers and an excellent atmosphere. Mr Martone, the owner of the racecourse, and his team have done their very best to advertise the two-day meeting.

When we last spoke, the delayed payments of prize money in Italy had taken a turn for the worse. What is the current situation as regards payments of prizes, jockeys’ fees and percentages?
It’s pretty bad, unfortunately. No racecourse has been paying out this year. This has unfortunately led to less competition in the races here. Among the Czechs, only Mr [Josef] Váňa comes here on a regular basis with his horses. Because of the difficulties with the payments, other Czech trainers and ownersseem to prefer to travel elsewhere. They’ve been going to Wroclaw, and they’ve been trying out jumps races in France.

The final qualification race for the Velka Pardubicka has now been run . Which horses do you consider to be the strongest contenders?

It’s really a big pity that no one is coming from abroad. I think the organizers should make a greater effort. The Velka Pardubicka will only have status when foreign horses run in it. A new star is Charme Look, which showed in the qualification race that there’s a lot in him. Hegnus should do very well, too, and we must reckon with Josef Váňa’s horses.I’ll be on Zarif, then here are the two Rabbit Trhový Štěpánov horses [Rabbit Well and Rabbit Hawk Wing], and also Ange Guardian. Ange Guardian could be a dark horse for the Velka Pardubicka. He’s a horse with powerful physical attributes. If he can make good use of his strength, he can be a powerful contender. He’s in the form of his life, but overall he is not really the best in the field.

What do you think about the horses that finished at the front last year, for example Nikas and Ribelino?
Last time out, Nikas finally showed some good form, and I certainly wouldn’t write him off. Especially if there is some rain and the going is soft. Until now, Pardubice has been firm, and the qualification races were run on hard ground. Soft ground would be an advantage for horses that have experience from the Velka Pardubicka.  Nikas, Ribelino and Zarif are good on that kind of ground..

At the most recent meeting at Pardubice, you won on Talent in a Category II race. Will you be riding this horse in one of the major races on October 8^th and 9th?
The race that we won was over the course for the Vltava Stakes, and it should be a trial for that race on October 9^th. The field that we beat was not very competitive, but it was a good preparatory race, and I should be riding Talent in the Vltava Stakes.

Can you reveal some other horses that you’ll be riding in the big races?
I’ll also be on two horses trained by Pavlína Baštová: Dalmacio in the Labe Stakes, and Amfora in the Popler Memorial.

What is coming along for you in the near future, apart from Merano?
On the Wednesday after the Gran Premio I should be going to France, where we’ll be trying to get a better result out of Adventurer, trained by Jiří Michal.  Last time out at Auteuil was a disappointment. We fell at the first, and now we’ll be trying to put things right.

This article by Michaela Zemanová originally appeared on the Fitmin &TURF Magazin website. Translated by Robin Healey