Trainers ? 2. Janikowski, Olkowski and Wyrzyk measured high
The main rivals in the competition with Andrzej Walicki were Maciej Janikowski, Wojciech Olkowski and Adam Wyrzyk this year.
The first one gained most spectacular success in the first half of the season. First, the Golejewko Award was easily won by Lucky Peter, and then the Iwno Award was impressively won by Pillar, afterwards called a safe bet in the Derby race. He only took third place because he was not in its top form as he was undergoing the infection. During the St. Leger, in which he took also a third place, he suffered an injury which meant that he could no longer start that year. Lucky Peter, which was second in the race for the Award of the President of the Totalisator, took a little advantage of this calamity, then winning awards of Kozienice and Korabia. However, he was only fifth in the Great Warsaw Race. A weak consolation was that he was ranked a notch above the favourite Camerun. On the last day of the season, an important selection Neman Award for two-year-olds was won by Predator, trained by Janikowski, and perhaps he will achieve what his brother Pillar did not manage, that is to win the Derby.
Wojciech Olkowski had one ace this year – Star Poker, however, not in the hole, but on the view. Apart from the three spectacular victories in the races for Awards of Fryderyk Jurjewicz, Syrena and Moszna (he established track records in the first two: 1’34.3 and 1’22.7), he also suffered two unexpected losses (Awards of: Deer Leap – 3, Criterium – 5). Moreover, such horses form the stable of Olkowski ran well as: sprinter Inheritor (won the Jaroszówka Award), Issachar (Sac-and-paper), Espadon (first in the Memorial of Jerzy Jednaszewski, fifth in the Derby), Musical Parade (Novara), and group horses: Aischylos, Jałta, Dżusticja and others. Tow-year-old horses of Olkowski did not sparkle this year, however one victory was gained by each of Cymbergaj, Mkeefa and Strateg. Olkowski, training only thoroughbreds, took the sixth place (29 victories) in the trainer championship.
Adam Wyrzyk traditionally discovered the cards during pre-season review of the horses in his stables in Podbiela, near Warsaw. As compared with the previous season, when he won the Ruler Stakes, Derby and Oaks, the natural course of things is that this season could be weaker. His most spectacular victory was in the run for the Spring Award, in which the first three places were taken by his mares. Endorphin, Mary Gara and Mahari. Then the horses of Wyrzyk won only two outside-group races (Hard Work – Przedświta and two-year-old Rosalka – Cardei). In addition, apart from Endorphin and Mary Gary, the two-year old Zielona Herbatka ran well. The four-year-old Frenchie Lebec, which was chasing with the best horses, recorded its best results (second places) in chase for the Award of Golejewko and Konstelacja (in Wrocław). Wyrzyk took third place in the championship (35 wins).
Małgorzata ?Łojek coped bravely, although she only had good three-year-old thoroughbreds of the Polish breeding. Her greatest achievement is the victory of Nechius in the running for the Ruten Award (Cat. A) in Wroclaw and the third place of Suo in the Great Warsaw Race, he also won the the End-of-Season Award. She was fifth in the championship (30 wins). Michał Romanowski (34 wins) was ranked in this classification ahead of Małgorzata Łojek?, winning one outside-group race of category A (Criterium – sensational Kalahari Dream). Marek Nowakowski had only one strong advantage – Camerun whose achievements we described in the preceding material. Józef Siwonia won only one outside-group race (Deer Leap – Samareto). He put most his hopes in Young Boy, but after first very successful starts, he got injured, after which he failed to go back to his old form. Krzysztof Ziemiański did not have this time in his stable any horses that could fight with the leading top. He had to be satisfied only with the victory of Simka in the race for the Pink Pearl Award and second places of his Arabians: Impacta in the race for the Europe Award and Wierzbina in the Derby. The secret weapon of Emil Zahariev appeared to be the 4-year-old Kara, which made one of the biggest sensations of the season, winning the Krasne Award in great style. Moreover, Striking Oaks was at a good level, taking the fifth position in the Oaks in Austria. Dorota Kałuba had only one good horse, undefeated in four starts 3-year-old Arabian Westima. Janusz Kozłowski won two outside-group awards (Magic Sunday – Aschabada, Ziko – Amurath), but traditionally, along with his wife Katarzyna, they were best in training horses for hurdle races. They had six victories in this competition (27 in the championship). Good results were also achieved by Maciej Jodłowski (he received the highest percentage of wins – 23, his best horses were six-year-old Invisible Dubai, two-year-old Dżerald and Arabian mare Esponna), however a positive doping test of the mare Mahari, taken after the hurdle race, has left them in a shadow. It should be mentioned that the trainer immediately admitted to his fault (administered drug contained an illegal measure), which was taken into account by the Committee of Appeals and his punishment to suspend the licence was shortened to the end of March next year. Kazimierz Rogowski, having the largest stable in Służewiec, also faced such event. ‘This has, unfortunately, happened. A sample taken from Poranny Blask, after his victory on the Arabian Day, also proved to contain an illegal agent, but I had nothing to do with it. The owner of the horse and I could not agree with it, therefore, we decided to have the sample B examined. The case has not been resolved yet, but I’m prepared for all the consequences,’ stresses Rogowski. Except for the acute episode described above, Kazimierz Rogowski was a revelation of the season. His two-year-old Sopran Tamo won the Award of Mokotów and became the winter candidate to the Derby, which was super sensation because he beat a great favourite Atlanta, owned by Konstantin Zgara. In addition, the mare Morfina won the Great Partynicka (hurdle). From among Arabian trainers, the most distinguished was the duet of the Głowacki Family, i.e. father Jan and son Bartosz, from Nowa Mała Wieś, located on the edge of Kampinos. He was the first to gain 10 wins (outside-group races: Kabaret – Wielki Damati, Sabellina – Wilga Fata and Oaks – Wielka Damir). The son proved to be better than his father in terms of victory rank, because he won the following awards: Derby, Michałów and Comparative, and additionally, Muzahim won the Czort Award. Bartosz achieved the best winning percentage (40) of all trainers – 6 in 15 starts. A successful debut was marked by Bogdan Strójwąs, Arabian trainer from Janów Podlaski, although he took over the stable after the sudden resignation of Daria Gutowska not earlier than in April. The horses he prepared won 13 times. Close to sensation in the Derby was Etard, losing in a battle with Wares and Wierzbin. Maciej Malinowski, leading the family stud farm and training centre near Grójec, made a significant progress compared to the previous season . His horses had 11 wins (best were Via Verdi Kossack, Ganima and Manga).
Islander
