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| Staff Writer |
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When it comes to competing in the best horse races in the world, horses and trainers from Great Britain, France, America and Japan are often seen as leading contenders, but in 2024, Dr Eva Nieslanikova will be hoping to boost the profile of the Czech racing scene as she sends her star horse, Ponntos, into battle for this year’s Blue Point Sprint.
Trained by her father Miroslav, optimism is high heading into the Gr.2 contest following Ponntos’s superb victory in the 2023 Dubai Dash.
Ponntos’ brilliant success marked the first time that a Czech-trained horse had ever won a race in the UAE, and the determined nature of his victory suggests that there could be even more to come.
Following a restful Christmas break, Nieslanikova is keen to build on that success and will be hoping that this year’s renewal of the Blue Point could be just the start of a brilliant year to come.
DUBAI DASH REDEMPTION: PONNTOS BATTLES TO VICTORY!
In the case of sprinters, time and experience can often be a horse’s most valuable commodity, and for Dr Eva Nieslanikova and Ponntos, that certainly seems to be the case.
Having travelled and competed all over the world, Ponntos is a consistent horse but was never seemingly able to compete alongside some of the world’s fastest horses.
Just one of a handful of Czech-trained horses to have ever run at Royal Ascot. For a short time, it looked like Ponntos would land the spoils of the 2022 King’s Stand Stakes before finding the pace too tough and eventually being only able to finish back in the thirteenth.
Further heavy defeats would follow in the 2022 Qatar Stakes, 2022 Prix de l’Abbaye and 2023 Blue Point.
Although a vastly experienced horse, it seemed that Ponntos would be destined for a career where the sport’s major prizes would forever elude him. However, that would all change in the 2023 Dubai Dash.
Heading into the race with an outside chance, Nieslanikova decided to partner Ponntos with the excellent Antonio Fresu.
Clearly able to get him to settle quickly, Fresu got Pontos to break well, and the pair quickly found themselves at the head of affairs.
Usually a consistent front runner, it’s towards the business end of races where Ponntos usually becomes unstuck, but it wouldn’t prove to be the case this time.
With the Michael Costa-trained Bilhayl closing fast and threatening to snatch victory away, Fresu got Pontos to dig deep, and inside the final furlong was able to find plenty to stretch clear of the chasing pack.
Despite landing the biggest prize of her career as an owner, Ponntos’ success didn’t come as a major surprise for Dr Eva Nieslanikova, and she quickly put his victory down to an increase in his maturity. Speaking after his win, she stated, “Ponntos is definitely showing more calmness. We made some changes to his usual training routine. He has a strong personality. The jockey needs to be a partner for him, not the boss of him. We were very happy to have Antonio Fresu. He is a great jockey and a very nice person.”
Although only a listed contest, Ponntos was able to beat some high-quality horses, which included former Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint Champion Mischief Magic, former Meydan Sprint Champion Equilateral, and Irish graded winner Ladies Church. All of whom are likely to line up in the 2024 Blue Point.
Ominously for all his rivals, Ponntos seems to have found life in Dubai to his liking, with his trainer remarking, “he is in good shape. He seems to enjoy his stay in Dubai. Usually, he does not like to travel long distances.”
Whilst there is no doubt that all of these horses will come again, the nature of Ponntos’ Dubai Dash victory raised some serious eyebrows, and he will head into the Blue Point holding a serious chance of repeating the feat.
With Ponntos continuing to enjoy life in Dubai and with his confidence at an all-time high, there certainly doesn’t seem to be any reason for excuses. A victory would be huge not only for Nieslanikova and her growing stability but also for the entire Czech Republic as a whole.
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DUBAI WIN: LAUNCHPAD FOR AMBITIOUS TRAINER’S PONNTOS REIGN?
Dr Eva Nieslanikova’s love affair with horses started at a young age, and it isn’t a surprise that she has gone on to forge a successful career in the industry.
“Love for horses is a disease that has no cure. I started to ride when I was four, and that never really left me. Life brings you different obstacles, but it will always bring me back to the stables. From early childhood, I knew I would become a doctor, and I would have a racehorse…On some dreams, you should just never give up”.
Ponntos’ memorable Dubai Dash victory was a serious reward for all her dedication and patience for a horse that the whole Nieslanikova team clearly loves.
“We started from absolute zero back in 2012. I got my first racehorse as a student in medical school. And that was how the whole family started to go to races. Now, we get a chance to travel with our horses, meet new people, and experience new racing cultures. So, it’s definitely exciting. Ponntos is a very good horse. Easy to feed, easy to take care of. Every family member has a favourite horse at the stables. From day one Ponntos has been the favourite horse of my brother. He believed in his talent from the very beginning. He accompanies him on all his racing journeys.”
With Ponntos’ talents starting to shine, Nieslanikova has already started to plot out an ambitious 2024 for her star. “His next race is planned for January 26, Gr.2 Blue Point Sprint, and we will see how that goes and plan more after. Hopefully, he stays in good shape so we can bring him back to France, maybe Goodwood, England.”
NIESLANIKOVA STARTING TO PUT CZECH RACING ON THE MAP
Despite the superstar profile of Ponntos, Nieslanikova is starting to generate a talented stable, and one horse to keep an eye on is the talented filly Beauty Approach.
Having won two of her first three career starts - including the Czech version of the Oaks, Nieslanikova was keen to pitch her fledgling star into the graded company, where she finished a respectable seventh in the 2023 Prix Belle de Nuit.
Despite finishing down the field, Nieslanikova won’t be deterred and appears to be more than happy to play a waiting game with her potential new star.
“We know she is a good horse. When she won the Czech version of Oaks and surprised the whole audience, no one really counted on her that time. The plan (for 2024) is not ready yet. The weather in the Czech Republic is not ideal right now. It rains a lot. We will see during February and March. If she stays healthy, hopefully, she will run in Germany and France again.”
With the status of Nieslanikova’s barn rising at a rapid rate, she is keen to heap praise on others within her operation and recognises that it has been a real team effort to get this far. “My brother, Petr Nieslanik, is the chief. He does all the research, purchases, racing plans. We already have some new faces at the stables. Promising yearlings from Zarak, Mehmas and more.”
The future looks exceptionally bright for the Nieslanikova team and despite the obvious challenges that the Czech winter weather can bring, it’s clear that she is determined to achieve more success all over the world.
When asked what motivates her, Nieslanikova’s answer was simple - “The process of training an unexpected champion.”
With a budget that is vastly inferior to her main European rivals, this seems like a sensible motto to live by. Nielanikova has already proved that she can create one unlikely champion in the shape of Ponntos, and few would bet against her training even more in 2024 and beyond.