INAUGURATION OF THE NEW RACING SEASON AT SŁUŻEWIEC ON SUNDAY

This Sunday, 23 April, at 14.00, the new 73rd season will be inaugurated, and this year it will last until 19 November. On the first day 8 races will take place, for which 64 horses have been entered. Traditionally before the first race the famous „Ruuuszyły…” [„And off they go…..”] will be heard, and the spectators will hear the evergreen hit by Jarema Stempowski, „Bomba w górę”. After that the spectators’ attention will concentrate only on the main actors of the show, that is the horses and the jockeys riding them.

After the winter break the enthusiasts of this royal sport will have full 54 emotional racing days in front of them at the Warsaw race course, Służewiec. A total of 452 races have been planned for 2017: 268 races for thoroughbreds, 163 for Arabians and 20 for French trotters. The total prize money will slightly exceed PLN 8 million. The most interesting events of the 2017 season will certainly be the Opening (23 April), Ruler’s Prize (21 May), Derby Gala (2 July), Lira/Oaks Prize (30 July), the Arabian Day (20 August), St. Leger (28 August) and Wielka Warszawska [Warsaw Grand Prix] (24 September).

What are we going to see at the Służewiec Race Course on 23 April?

First of all, in the first race of the season, older thoroughbreds will compete in a handicap for the Dandolo Prize. An interesting fact is that this will be the third time in a row that Szamet, trained by Maciej Jodłowski, will run in this race. Apart from him Bowie, Suvenir and Novitor, which made a good appearance before the Służewiec audience last season, have also been entered for the race.

The third Sunday race, Tomasz Dul Memorial, also looks interesting with seven three year old stallions entered. The greatest weight in the general handicap will be carried by the Irish Blue Connoisseur and Freddyisready and the Polish Magnetic. Umberto Caro and Strzelin also seem quite worthy.

The fifth race with three year olds also seems promising. Although this is a III group race, it will include horses for which their trainers have considerable hopes, such as Eluzzam, Chant Soldier, Piemont, Polish Spirit, Meltimo, Illdowhatican and Almenar.

The last race of the first day of the season will be the Skowronek Prize race. The young trainer from Służewiec, Maciej Kacprzyk, entered as many as three very strong „Alkhalediahs”: Shadwan, Burkan and Salman. Other strong Arabians, Szakur, Etorio, Estarion and Horacy, should also be in a position to put up a fight for the prize money.

A special zone has been prepared for the youngest audience, where children will be able to jump on a minibungee, go for a pony ride, have a souvenir photo taken in the photo booth, and after spending all their energy at the playground get their share of free of charge candy floss. A food court with catering will await the hungry public during intervals between the races.

Press information, Służewiec Race Track