Category Archives: Archive

September 4th, 2016

This Sunday we have 5 (well, 6) horses running in two different tracks – in Budapest and (finally again!) at our home Magna racetrack in Ebreichsdorf.

According to expectations and predictions it could be the “day of the chestnuts”, namely three of my direct protégées have good chance to score. PRETORIAN (GB) and ZWEGAT (GER) in two Listed races in Budapest, and MATIDIA (GB) will hopefully fend off the competition in the 148. running of the Austrian Derby.  The race is not going to be “just another race”, but could be described even as the “battle of sexes”, because MATIDIA is the only filly in the field and the race it is not going to be “just the race” to prove which horse is better, but will prove if the colts are really that much superior over the fillies over the Classical distances.

But that does not end the string of chestnuts. As I already announced, we are helping our friends from Slovenia to put their LIBANON (GB) back on track and as far as now it looks he is headed in the right direction. If he proves himself, he will stay in training in my yard, so fingers crossed that another good horse joins my string.

Beside the chestnuts, we are going to run two bays as well. BRUCE FRENKY (FR) had real bad luck the last time out, so I think we should not be misled with the result of his last race, and VALOROUS INFLUENCE (SVK)… well, this is our little experiment, so the Sunday’s race will be a kind of an experiment as well.

Two representatives from my yard in Bratislava this Sunday

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Photo: Zsanett Berta

VIVA LEA (CZE) will run in Cena Whisky (I. kat, 1.800 m), where Slovak stewards already brought controversial decisions in the past, so I just hope this time the race is going to pass “clean”, without the need to intervene with the appeal. VIVA worked well so I hope she will be able to perform at her best. They rate her as “unpredictable” – and that is the description that suits her really well! 🙂

BRUCE FRENKY (FR) will start for the first time after a more than 2 months layoff, when he was down with the respiratory infection. He will start in Memorial MVDr. Pavla Šarišskeho (II. kat, 1.200 m) and even though he will face some very good horses, proven on the Graded or Listed level (so, much above Kat II), I still believe that he can surprise.

A busy beginning of September

MATIDIA (GB) is going to face her generation of Classic contenders in Austrian Derby at our home Magna Racino track in Ebreichsdorf (yes, the races STILL DO happen there!). In addition to this historic race there will be three other galop races, where we plan to race BRUCE FRANKY (FR), VALOROUS INFLUENCE (SVK) and we will help to “break the ice” to our dear friends, brothers Gerbec, who are bringing their LIBANON (GB) back to the business.

But there will be an evenly important event for my yard going on in Budapest, where ZWEGAT (GER) and PRETORIAN (GB) are going to start in 1.600 m Imperial Dij (L) and 1.000 m Overdose Dij (L) respectively.

With some luck 4. 9. could go down as another successful day for my horses.

Looking forward to it!

 

PRETORIAN (GB) succsessful at Kincsem Park

Pretorian Zoran Pretorian

The bookies did not favour him as the potential favourite (the story is repeating), only to face a headache when Pretorian stuck his head over the finish line ahead of all the other horses. He proved that his 4th place in Turf Gala was in fact the consequence of (too) deep running and the result in that race would be completely different if the sky did not literary open up just before the race.

We are really looking forward for his next races and we are confident that he is going to confirm his abilities again soon. Maybe this time the bookies will learn to respect more the Pretorian/Zdenko Smida tandem. Zdenko’s fall at the start of Pretorian’s previous race was just an unfortunate event and not something to joke about.

valorous Influence

Valorous Influence (SVK), on the other hand, had his own ideas about the race and gave Zdenko Smida no chance to use his jockey skills. He finished on the 8th place and we have to rethink the plans about his further racing activities.

(All photos by: Zsanett Berta)

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It is going to be a fine race day in Budapest. It is the Derby day and the people at Kincsem Park really give their best to organize a real racing experience for the visitors and the contestants as well. We are happy that we can attend, but, unfortunately, no Derby entries for my horses this year.

Pretorian (GB) will run in category I., 1200 m, hopefully with more luck at the start this time, and Valorous Influence (SVK) will run in category II., 2000 m, where he will try the feeling of the all-weather for the first time in his life.

Zwegat remains at home this time

With our horses we enforce strict politics not to race them if they do not feel absolutely comfortable with it.

After the last pipe-opener Zwegat’s left fore filled up a bit, so we were monitoring the condition closely and yesterday evening decided not to go forward with today’s race. The swelling was almost gone, but was not gone completely. He is not lame but we decided not to expose him to the rigors of a race yet.

We apologize to all of Zwegat’s fans, but we will make sure you see him soon (and often 🙂 ).

(photo: Zsanett Berta)

Zlaty Bičik, Bratislava, 26.6.2016

On the upcoming Sunday ZWEGAT (GER) will try to win the prestigious Zlaty Bičik in Bratislava for the third time. Even though this is a 1400m race, where he should not have too many rivals, somehow this race is not meant to be. He ALWAYS finishes third, what is probably the result of the shorter finishing straight of the Bratislava racetrack. This year we have managed to secure the ride of Zdenko Šmida, ZWEGAT feels great and had a nice preparatory gallop on Magna Racino two weeks ago, so we hope for the best. They forecast a huge thunderstorm again for the raceday, so we can just hope that the sky does not open up the same way as it had opened on Turf gala day. Swimming is somehow not a featured domain of a racing thoroughbred 🙂

Hope to see you there. We should have some spare ZWEGAT caps for our fans, so look up for any of our team members and feel free to ask.

Unlucky race day for us on Kincsem park-Budapest

Pretorian (GB) and Zdenko Šmida were unlucky yesterday…after the start Zdenko got cought in the starting gate doors and he and Pretorian went seperate ways… Luckily both are fine and soon they will have the opportunity to finish what they have started yesterday… Look forward no further than 3.7.2016!