Anyone who has ever been to a horse race knows the thundering sound of hooves on the finishing straight - and the vibration they cause under your feet. You simply don't want to think about the fact that it's only ice that separates a field of galloping horses from the icy depths of Lake St. Moritz. So sadly it was inevitable that the first White Turf weekend was cancelled for safety reasons due to the weather and its impact on the racecourse.
Now let's take a look at the races and starters this weekend: three flat races, two trotting races and skijoring, which amateurs describe as a way more expensive version of water skiing. 47 pairs from all over Europe will be competing for around 100.000 francs in prize money. The fact that this is a microscopic sum in this sport (the winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in Paris receives 5 million euros) does not detract from White Turf's reputation as a millionaire event.
Anyone seriously interested in the sport should have these names on their radar: Rogue Spirit, an Irish gelding who will be competing with top German jockey Rene Piechulek, is likely to win the flat race over 1300 metres. The performance of the Swiss debutant Miguel is also eagerly awaited. Some experts would even back him to win. The Swiss owners Anton and Verena Kräuliger have several candidates at the start in the 1800 metre race. In the trotters, the Swiss dominance may be ended this year by guests from southern Germany.
But let's talk about skijoring. In the public's favourite discipline, four White Turf veterans meet three newcomers. A celebrity on the skijoring scene is Valeria Schiergen, who has already won three times and can call herself Queen of the Engadin. Her horse Schael was prepared in Cologne. Anyone who now thinks that there must be a connection to star jockey and Danedream trainer Peter Schiergen is not mistaken. Valeria's husband Dennis is the son of the North Rhine-Westphalian legend. He lives and trains in Switzerland.
The VIP area is for visitors what the parade ring is for the horses. Here, star chef Dominik Hartmann, among others, prepares a typical ‘Son Nim’ hospitality experience for his guests, according to a sponsor press release. ‘Son Nim’, we learn, stands for a particularly luxurious hospitality experience in Korea. However, the doors to these and other amenities are closed even to those who could afford them. The tickets for the VIP lounges are sold out. Standard tickets (between 25 and 90 francs) are still available and perfect for all those who are (mostly) there for the horses.
