Legendary ARVA

February 28th marks the 20th anniversary of the death of the exceptional racing mare ARVA (Scottish Rifle – Arnika).Ryška, born in 1985 in Napajedlá, was the biggest star of the Topolčany racing stable.She was trained by trainer František Vítek.During her career, she started in 12 races, of which she won 10 and placed 2nd twice.The three-year-old won four classic races – the Grand Spring Prix, the Czechoslovak Derby, the Oaks and the Saint Legér and won the “Triple Crown”.

Arva earned 685,000 SKK and 100,000 Polish zlotys during her racing career. The three-year-old triumphed in four classic races – the Grand Prix, the Derby, the Oaks and the Saint Leger. After the English mares Formose (Buccaneer – Eller) in 1868, Spectre (Persimmon – Ornament) in 1902 and the Czech mare Bosna (City – Berounka) in1949, she became the fourth horse in the history of world turf to win four classic races. However, unlike Arva, none of the aforementioned mares won the “Triple Crown”. In the entire history of Czech-Slovak turf, only three horses won the “Triple Crown” before her – in 1947 Panoš (Abendfrieden – Paliphae), in 1951 Symbol (Gradivo – Sydney) and in 1956 Blyskač (City – Bledule).

Arva achieved the most important victory in her career on Sunday, June 26, 1988, in Prague's Veľká Chuchla, where the Czechoslovak Derby was being run that day. An interesting situation occurred before it: Arva's rider, jockey Vlastimil Smolík, decided to saddle the Napajedlian stallion Latén (Mehari – Latina) for the "blue ribbon" race. The place on the back of the Topolčianky horse remained empty. There was excitement in Topoľčianky after this news, but it only lasted a short time. The English jockey William Lord was managed to be engaged from Vienna to ride Arva. Sixteen derby riders entered the starting boxes, Arva with number 13, Napajedlian Latén with number 14. It was a difficult race with two serious collisions, but the experienced jockey William Lord kept his cool. He stayed behind until the finish line, far behind the biggest favorite Latén. But then Arva increased the acceleration, started passing one horse after another and overtook Latén just before the finish line.

She became the last holder of the Czechoslovak Triple Crown and of course won the title of "Horse of the Year 1988". Then she went into breeding, where she also confirmed her qualities. Her son Arvan (by Surum) in the saddle with Irish jockey John Reid in 1994 in Bratislava's Starý háj won the 2nd Slovak Derby. Her daughter Asuma (by Surum) gave birth to 11 offspring, who placed excellently in the races.