Entries for the124th running of the Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka closed on May 15^th.

 Of the 61 entries, 10 are trained by Josef Váňa, 7 are trained by František and Radek Holčák, and 4 by Stanislav Popelka.

There are 10 foreign entries, and several of these could be strong contenders. Two of the French-trained horses have impressive recent form. Patrice Quinton trains Sulon, which won the Grand Cross de Pau, and also Tomcat de Kerser, which last week won the Prix Martine et Michel Lutz at Strasbourg. Star D’Estruval is trained by Christophe Aubert, and I do not know much about him. Lord Villez is trained by Ferdy Murphy, who is now based in France. Lord Villez has won 4 of his 26 races, but has not done much in the last two years. His four most recent races have been at Auteil, but he has not achieved much there.  There are two Irish-trained entries, Keep On Track, which came second in the Avon Ri Corporate & Leisure Resort Cross-country Chase in the recent meeting at Punchestown, in which Quantitativeeasing started as second favourite and finished 4^th, ridden by Nina Carberry. Both of the Irish entries are trained by Enda Bolger.

The British entries are Sarika, which won the Labe Prize impressively at the 2013 Velka Pardubicka meeting, and Shalimar Fromentro, which ran in the 2013 VP but came down at Fence 10a. Both Sarika and Shalimar Fromentro are owned by Jane Williams and trained by Nick Williams, and both competed in several races in the Crystal Cup series. Sarika is to due to run in the Anjou Loire Challenge at Lion d'Angers on May 29th, in the Crystal Cup series. 

The two Slovak-trained horses are both trained by Jaroslav Brečka, who rode Quirinus to victory in 1992. Cardam has been one of the leading two-mile crosscountry chasers at Pardubice for the past four years. Le Jackpot ran in the VP in 2012, but, on his past form, he has no chance in the VP. 

The Czech-trained entries are headed by Orphée des Blins, which won the last two runnings of the VP in brilliant style. If she can reproduce that form on October 12^th, she will win again. However, she is now 12 years old. Her trainer, Greg Wroblewski, has no other entries in the race.

Josef Váňa’s entries always have to be taken seriously, but this year their quantity may be more impressive than their quality. They are headed by triple VP winner, Tiumen, who is now 13 years old. Soros is just about our best classical steeplechaser. If he takes to the Pardubice crosscountry course, and if he stays the distance, this winner of the 2009 Polish Derby can of course be a contender. Budapest attempted to make the change from classical steeplechasing to crosscountry last year. He, too, has a lot of class, but will need to add the other qualities that are needed for a VP winner. Zarif and Silver Regent both run in the KöiDent colours, like Tiumen, and showed some promise as crosscountry chasers at Pardubice last year.

It is a bit hard to see which of the Holčáks’ seven entries might be a contender on October 12^th. Many of us would like Age of Jape, winner of 18 of his 25 races, to come good over the crosscountry course, after his stellar career on the flat (winner of the Czech triple crown and two Slovak classics on the flat in 2009, and then a very successful career over hurdles). Last year, he ran in crosscountry races at Pardubice, and won a couple of small races before sustaining an injury. He ran in the early May meeting at Pardubice this year, finishing 2^nd in a Category III crosscountry race. None of the other Holčák-trained horses appear to have much of a chance.

All five horses that got round, won the place money, but were utterly defeated by Orphée des Blins in last year’s VP are entered again: Nikas, Klaus, Kasim, Peintre Abstrait, Tropic de Brion. Klaus is only 9 years old, but his best form is already receding into the past. All of the others had their fifteen minutes of fame last October 13^th, and seem unlikely to figure this year.

One name that is conspicuously missing from the entries is Trezor, winner of all 4 VP qualification races that he entered in 2012 and 2013, but a huge disappointment for his connections in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 VPs. His trainer, Hana Kabelková, who trains very near to Pardubice racecourse, had said that he will run in France this year, and not necessarily go for the Velka Pardubicka. I had assumed she would relent, and of course she still can, as there are several opportunities for supplementary entries for the VP.

The first of the four qualification races for the 2014 Velka Pardubicka will be held on Saturday, May 24^th. However, at least as much attention will be paid to another of the races, in which Orphée des Blins, which does not need to qualify for the VP, will take on quite strong opposition.

Entries for the124th running of the Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka http://www.dostihyjc.cz/prihlasky.php?id_den=2476