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Description
The racetrack dating back to 1899 can be found in the spa town in the local part of Dvory. The old Art Nouveau grandstands are a dominant feature, as if created for the parties of European nobility, which are always held at the racecourse at the end of April. Both flat and steeplechase races can be held on the track, and a golf course was built in the middle of the track a few years ago. Racing days are a tradition at the International Film Festival, and in recent years there are usually 7 racing days a year at Dvory. In the summer of each year the classic race for fillies, the Oaks, is held here.
More information
Transport
By bus
You can get to the racecourse by bus No. 1 stop "Moser" or No. 2 stop "OC Varyáda".
By car
Simply enter the route to the OC Varyáda parking lot into the navigation. It will lead you to the large-capacity car park just opposite the racetrack.
Parking
Parking is available in the large outdoor parking at OC Varyáda, located opposite the racetrack. Capacity: 1200 parking lots.
Food & Drinks
Refreshments available on site: restaurant "U Simla" and fast food stands.
Activities
Golf course
The course is open to the general public or for tournaments of medium and lower categories. It offers parameters (Par 68) with a total length of 4.932 m. The course offers 9 lanes with 18 greens, where when playing the standard 18 holes, the golfer plays each lane twice, but on completely different greens. The individual fairways on the golf course range in length from 120 m (Par 3) to 485 m (Par 5).
Practical information
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets are sold at the ticket office at the entrance to the venue on the raceday, sales start 1.5 hours before the start of the first race.
Do you have discounted ticket types?
Children under 12 years are free of charge. Children aged 12 to 18 and persons over 60 years pay a reduced admission fee.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs are allowed on a leash only and the owner must clean up any excrement.
Is there a dress code?
There is no dress code for general visitors. If formal dress is required, e.g. for the VIP lounge, this information is indicated directly on the invitation or voucher.
What is the best time to arrive at the racecourse? When does the raceday start?
If you want to catch the first race in peace, it is ideal to plan your arrival 30 to 45 minutes before the start. The racetrack area, including the refreshment stands and restaurant, is open two hours before the start of the first race. The start times for the event and the start of the first race can always be found in the event details.
How long do the races last? How many races are run?
One race lasts on average one and a half minutes, a steeplechase around five to nine minutes. There are usually 8 races during a raceday with 30 minute breaks. The total duration of a raceday is around 3.5 hours.
The races are divided, among other things, according to performance categories, the main race (the highest category of a given raceday) is usually placed in the second part of the programme, but only exceptionally at the very end.
What can I expect during the raceday?
- 30 minutes before the start of the first race, the raceday is opened by local radio.
- About 20 minutes before the start, the horses are introduced to the spectators in the paddock, where the riders also arrive 10 minutes before the start.
- With them in the saddles, the horses then leave the paddock 5 minutes before the start and head to the starting point in a 'test gallop'. This may be at a different place on the track each time, depending on the length of the race. The finish is always at the same place.
- At the time of the scheduled start, the judges will give the signal to start.
- After the race has been run, the official result is announced and the winners are decorated. This is usually about 10 to 15 minutes after the race and in the meantime the horses that will start in the next race on the programme are already being introduced in the paddock.
How can I watch the races? Do I need binoculars?
The best overview will be from the grandstand. Positions in the higher rows will give you a better view, while the lower rows, or the pavement in front of the grandstand, will give you closer contact with the horses in the homestraight. It is a good idea to take your chosen seat in the grandstand about 5 to 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the race. Our tip: if you want to watch the race like a proper "turfman", equip yourself with binoculars and you will have the racing action in the palm of your hand even from the height of the grandstand.
Where can I find out in advance which horses will run in the races?
All important information not only about the participants of the races, but also about the entire schedule of the raceday is contained in the Racing card, which you can buy right at the entrance to the racetrack. Start lists for the weekend races are closed on Tuesday of the week and can be found in advance on our website in the race details.
How and where can I place my bet?
Betting is an important part of horse racing and can be done directly at the racetrack at marked places. Bets are usually placed after you have seen the horses before the race in the paddock.
Is there a live streaming of all the races?
If you are not able to attend the raceday directly, you can watch the stream HERE >>
History
At the end of the 19th century, the spa town of Karlovy Vary experienced its greatest heyday in its history. The life and operation of the spa was adapted to the greatest comfort of spa guests who came here from practically all over the world. Therefore, it was only a matter of time before a racetrack was built in Karlovy Vary to entertain the spa guests.
The first impulse was the establishment of the Karlovy Vary Riding Club, which in 1894 established contacts with riding clubs in Prague and Vienna. From this moment on, the Karlovy Vary Riding Club began to carry out many activities that helped to build the racecourse. The construction of the racecourse, gradually realized according to the designs of the Viennese architect Alfred Bayer in cooperation with the racecourse inspector H. Slavkovský, was ceremonially handed over to the Czech Equestrian Club on 30 June 1899 amid great public interest.
Karlovy Vary was thus given a magnificent racecourse, which is still dominated by the unmistakable Art Nouveau grandstand, which fully expresses the spa atmosphere of this town. The fate of the racecourse is also linked to the fate of Karlovy Vary. After a period of prosperity came the decline caused by the outbreak of World War I. After the period of the First Republic, another end came again, in 1939 the racecourse was closed and used as a military training ground. After the liberation in 1946, it returned to its original purpose when it was inaugurated by the Jockey Club and operated until 1989.
After a certain stagnation in the first half of the 1990s, the Karlovy Vary Racecourse Joint Stock Company was founded in 1996, thanks to which the racecourse once again came to life not only with top-class horse racing, but also with other, not only sporting events, such as the events organized as part of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
In 2003, all these activities and the management of the entire complex were taken over from Karlovy Vary Racecourse a.s. by CITY GOLF & RACING CLUB s.r.o. Since 2014 the company has been operating under the name HIPODROM HOLOUBEK s.r.o.