Sternkranz won EŽ Praha Gold Cup for the third time

The second Sunday in September is traditionally the only date of the year when, in addition to flat races, fences races are held in Chuchle Arena Prague. The highlight of the program, the EŽ Praha Gold Cup (Class A, 2m 5f, 250 ths. CZK, 4yo and up), as the longest fences race in the Czech Republic, has already written its own this year the seventeenth chapter and for the first time in its history the same horse achieved a third triumph. Favorite Sternkranz showed rocket acceleration in the end and achieved a clean hat trick.

Capivari, the 2020 EŽ Gold Cup winner, set the pace for the slim field of four horses, Sternkranz tried to approach the finish line a kilometer before the finish line, but he did not keep contact with the leader and also well galloping Wilantos, so he entered the finish line after the last jump from third position. But then he accelerated sharply and within a few tens of meters there was no doubt about the winner. The nine-year-old gelding Sternkranz dominated by five lengths and with his twelfth career win followed up on wins from 2021 and 2022. Jockey Josef Bartoš also achieved his third win here (previously in 2020 with Capivari and last year with Sternkranz), owner Josef Aichner and trainer Josef Váňa jr. already has four cups in his collection from of the last four years (Váňa won also four time as a jockey). Wilantos then safely defended the second money from Capivari, Nordstrand finished the fourth.

Jockey Jiří Chaloupka won twice in the other flat races, achieved his first double this year, but already the 57th double in his career.

Results