🖊 Jiřà Zlámaný |  archiv Chuchle arena
The Velká Chuchle Racecourse was established and commenced operations in 1906. It was conceived and constructed by the Czech Racing Club (Český závodnà spolek), whose honorary members included, among others, Archduke Karl Franz Joseph, Imperial and Royal Governor Count Karl Coudenhove, and Dr Karel Groš, Mayor of the Royal Capital City of Prague. The club’s leadership was acutely aware that the development of horse racing in the Czech lands required a central track in or near Prague; their choice ultimately fell upon the expanse between the Vltava River and the municipality of Velká Chuchle. The original opening date, set for 23 September, saw newspapers provide detailed coverage of every development related to the forthcoming spectacle in the weeks leading up to the planned start. However, heavy rains prevented the inaugural Chuchle races from taking place on the original date and, as such, the gala première fell on 28 September 1906.
On the day itself, a sharp autumn wind dried the track and, after midday, the sun finally graced the new arena. The Imperial and Royal Railways dispatched a special train carrying 1,650 passengers from Franz Josef Station (now the Main Station), while another special service from SmÃchov Station brought a further 1,150 people. Steamers delivered 4,000 spectators, and the parking area saw a dozen motor cars standing alongside hansom cabs and fiacres. A post office was established on the grandstand, and the wine bar was leased by the then-renowned Prague and Viennese delicatessen owner, Mr Lippert.
Five years later, the racecourse was immortalised by another event: on 13 May 1911, it became a sensation when the aviator Jan Kašpar completed his historic flight from Pardubice to Prague, choosing the Chuchle turf as his landing site.
Horse racing in Prague fell silent during the years of the First World War, yet with the birth of the new Republic the horses returned. Since 1920, racing at Velká Chuchle has continued without interruption, becoming an inextricable part of the capital’s social fabric. Throughout more than a century of existence the racecourse has weathered numerous crises, from the stable fires in the closing days of the Second World War to several floods – including the devastating inundation of 2002, the aftermath of which took over six months to clear.
Today, Chuchle Arena Prague remains the premier Czech racing venue, while simultaneously serving as a modern, multi-functional complex. The sporting season, featuring over twenty race days and show jumping weekends, typically runs from early April to the end of October.
The Chuchle turf has played host to more than 18,000 races in its storied history.
