WESTMINSTER RACE HORSES FAMOUS FOR TWO-YEAR-OLDS

PHOTOS: SŁUŻEWIEC RACECOURSE

Interview with the President of the Board of Westminster Group Marian Ziburske

Westminster Race Horses has had a great season. Which of this year’s victories is the most valuable for you?

Our two year olds like Westminster Cat, Moonu and Matt Machine have been absolutely amazing this season, winning all the major races for two year olds. I am very happy with each of these achievements and I certainly do not want to pick the most valuable one out of them; they are all equally important to me.

This year, there were many days at the Służewiec Racecourse held under the patronage of Westminster Unternehmensgruppe. Which of them was the most interesting?

I consider all races and days sponsored by Westminster this year to be very successful. Each of these races is intended for three-year-old horses, but they are over different distances. In my opinion they are all important and interesting. I am very pleased with the level of competition this season. If I had to name a single race day, I would choose the Great Warsaw Race, which is not sponsored by us, but the number of over 15,000 spectators on site was really impressive. I am very happy with how successful the Służewiec Racecourse has been in that space. Horse racing has much to offer and we want to work together to gradually increase the number of spectators in the next season.

Matt Machine being the winter favorite for the Derby, Westminster Cat being best among the 2-year-old fillies. In general, two-year-old horses from your stable, not only the ones mentioned above, did very well.

I find Moonu to be our best 2-year-old. Taking into consideration her pedigree, she has the biggest potential for the Derby. I see Westminster Cat at 1,600 meters and Matt Machine at 2,000 meters. Perhaps he also has a chance at the Derby, but at this point it is still a big unknown. As far as the older horses are concerned, I am very pleased with how Virago Westminster performed this year. She is a very late filly and I think she will be even better next season.

A number of new horses from your stable have already started training. You bred some of them yourselves and some were purchased at auctions. Is there a „ jewel” among them?

This year Westminster Race Horses will have 19 new horses, roughly half of which come from our breeding and half from auctions. Every year we analyze our breeding and purchasing strategies trying to make better Václav Luka, as well as colts that will come to Poland, like the one by Manduro, who will be trained by Krzysztof Ziemiański.

You have been cooperating with the Służewiec Racecourse for several years now. This year, Westminster Unthernamensgruppe has become a partner of the Slovakian Závodisko, š.p. Racetrack.

choices; hence why I think each of these horses has a lot of potential. If I were to point out one of them, I think it would be the colt by Kallisto, who is trained by Roland Dzubasz in Hoppegarten. We also have a very interesting colt by Footstepsinthesand, who is looked after by

Are you looking for other locations to cooperate with?

Next season we will continue our cooperation with the Slovak track, and we are also considering a partnership in the Czech Republic. However, in my opinion, the Służewiec Racecourse is and will always remain our priority.