Orphee des Blins impresses

2012 and 2013 Velka Pardubicka winner Orphee des Blins once again attracted all the attention to herself, on May 24th, in the Category II Winners of the Velka Pardubicka Stakes, by leading all the way round, gaining half a length at each obstable, going away in the finishing straight, and winning with great ease.

Greg Wroblewski on the entries for the Velka Pardubicka

Polish-born trainer Grzegorz Witold Wroblewski’s diary contains the name of a single horse in the list of 61 entries for the Velka Pardubicka with Česká Pojišťovna. Nevertheless, Greg’s is perhaps the most interesting name for this year’s 124th running of the race. The reason is simple – in his yard at Zhoř u Jihlavy, Wroblewski trains Orphée des Blins, the outstanding winner of the last two runnings of the Velka.

Rabbit Well wins the First of May Steeplechase. A big day at Lysa for two riders

Problem horse Rabbit Well won the First of May Steeplechase at Lysa-nad-Labem very easily, with a display of the great ability that we know he has, and none of the obstinacy that has hung over him for years. He moved a year ago to Josef Vana's yard, and still only sometimes agrees to compete in his races. On May 1st, he was for the second time ridden by Jan Kratochvil - and on each of these two occasions he has been totally calm and cooperative, and has won easily. This was Jan's third winning ride already this year, and his first ever win in a Category I race.

May 2014 newsletter

The sad truth is that I have not given a lot of attention to Czech racing in April 2014. I got down to Velka Chuchle, my local racecourse, just a couple of times, and did not stay for the whole afternoon. Instead, I went to a sports bar and watched the Arsenal’s attempts to “win 4th place” in the Premiership.

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