The main route for the Czech-trained and Slovak-trained contenders to qualify and prepare for this year’s 133^rd running of the Velka Pardubicka with Slavia Insurance takes in at least one of the four qualification races run at Pardubice racecourse. The third qualification race, the Chládek&Tintěra, Pardubice a.s. Stakes, will be run on Saturday, August 5th. The first race on Saturday will be at 1 p.m. The qualification race, the last of eight races on the card, is at 5.50 p.m.

There are 11 declared runners, headed by the winners of VP 2022 - Mr Spex - and VP 2021 – Talent. Mr Spex qualifies automatically as last year’s winner. This will be his first outing since VP 2022. He was withdrawn from an earlier qualification race with a hoof problem, but he is said to be fine now. Lukáš Matuský, who rode Mr Spex to his win last October is still out with injuries sustained in April, and he will be replaced on Saturday by French jockey Ludovic Solignac.

Apart from winning the VP two years ago, Talent has won qualification races in 2018, 2019, and 2022, and finished 2^nd in VP 2022. He finished 6^th in this year’s June qualification race. Trainer Hana Kabelková and her team have done well to keep Talent fit for big races, despite long-term uncertainties about his legs. Like Mr Spex, Talent needs a race. He also needs  to show that, at the age of 12, he is still as good as in the past. He will be ridden on Saturday by Pavel Složil jnr., who rode him to victory in VP 2021.  

Player finished 2nd to Hegnus in VP 2020 and 4th, not far behind Mr Spex, in VP 2022, after winning the August 2022 qualification race. This year, he has been unlucky and did not get round in either of the two previous qualification races, so he still needs to qualify for VP 2023. He will be ridden by his usual jockey, Marcel Novák.

Sacamiro’s two most recent performances mark him out as a VP contender. In VP 2023, he finished in a close 3rd place behind Mr Spex and Talent, and in this year’s June qualification race he was a close 2nd behind Lodgian Whistle.

In that race, Aeneas finished 4th. Until now, Aeneas has done particularly well in races at Lysá-nad-Labem, where he won the First of May Stakes this year. However, it is not clear whether 6 900 metres over the Pardubice obstacles suits him. He is trained by Josef Váňa senior, and will be ridden by Jan Kratochvíl.

Stuke used to be a top hurdler at Merano, but he has shown little aptitude over crosscountry obstacles at Pardubice in the last two seasons. He will be ridden by Ondřej Velek.

Lombargini (Daniel Vyhnálek) and Zataro (Jaroslav Myška) are both trained by Stanislav Popelka, and both failed to get round in earlier qualification races this year. Lombargini won this qualification race two years ago, but has disappointed since then, and is now 12 years old. He finished 6th in VP 2022, but a long way behind the leaders. 10-y-o Zataro’s only ever win so far has been in a modest Cetegory IV race several years ago.   

Royal Gino (Jan Odložil) had a good record on the flat in Slovakia, but he has not yet shown any particular aptitude for the Pardubice crosscountry course. He failed to get round in the June 2023 qualification race.

Star, formerly trained in Slovakia, moved this year to trainer Hana Kabelková. He seems to be an erratic performer, and at the age  of 12 he has never yet shown that he is a contender for the VP. He will be ridden by Martin Liška.

Derby Plus, to be ridden by Josef Borč, has yet to demonstrate that it might be worth running him in the VP. However, the same owner, trainer and rider finished in 7th place, in the prizemoney, in VP 2022, with outsider Dulcar de Sivola, so good luck to them, and to the horse.

The last of the four VP qualification races at Pardubice racecourse will be on Saturday, September 2nd. All horses have further options for qualifying for the VP: by completing a race after October 9th, 2022 over a distance of 4 800 metres in Ireland, Italy, France or the United Kingdom, or by completing a race in the Crystal Cup crosscountry series.  

Velka Pardubicka day is Sunday, October 9th.