THE Czech Republic probably doesn’t spring immediately to mind when you think of racing and breeding on the international stage, though runners from that country do pick up prizes in Italy and Germany on occasions.

The best to emerge in living memory is the German Group 1 winner Darsalam, a son of Desert King, bred by the late Jeremiah Dillon at his Liscannor Stud. This half-brother to Caerleon’s St Leger winner Moonax later went to stud in Germany and France.