‘The future is not bright in the Czech Republic and it would be silly to say otherwise’
Czech-based journalist Michaela Moricova reports on the horse racing community in Central Europe. Jump racing is more popular than the Flat but the sport is beset by internal struggles and lack of funds. Filip Minarik is a four-time champion jockey in Germany. Frankie Dettori called Filip's recovery from a coma a miracle. Subway Dancer and Nagano Gold are Czech-trained horses.
The sport of horse racing in the Czech Republic is under threat from lack of funds. The sport dates back more than two centuries. Ferdinand Kinsky brought horses of British origin to Bohemia in 1760. Octavian Kinksky initiated the first horse race in Císařská Louka in Prague in 19th century.
The Velká Pardubická took place for the first time in 1874 near the city of Pardsubice. Octavian Kinsky was one of the initiators. Aristide Baltazzi established a stud in Napajedla and two other tracks were opened: one in Karlovy Vary and one near Prague. Czechoslovakia suffered some turbulent times in the 20th century. The Czech Jockey Club became the governing body of horse racing in Czech Republic after the Velvet Revolution.
The races themselves are the responsibility of the racecourses, allocated funds directly from government. The promotion of events goes to the races and the directors. There are few racing professionals and devotees in the Czech Republic. Jockey Club board member Ladislav Nagy believes the devoted community will be crucial for the future of Czech racing.
The future of racing in the Czech Republic is not bright. The sport is highly professional but wages are not matching the toil. There are few big crowds and prize-money levels compared to neighbouring Germany. However, the prestige of Czech racing is rising thanks to ambitious Flat trainers like Václav Luka, Ingrid Janáčková-Koplíkové and her father Zdeno Koplik. Developers are interested in turning the lands where the tracks lie into housing estates. Nagano Gold came second in G2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2019.
Czech owners prefer to spend their money on imports. Czech owner-breeders invest in breeding horses in France. European Jockey Cup is a competition between jockeys from Europe. It attracted horses from Slovakia, Poland, Austria and Germany. The organizers declined to hold the event in 2022 due to financial issues. Ladislav Nagy believes that the future of horse racing in the Czech Republic is bleak. He believes the sport's supporters are devoted to the sports.
