2012 and 2013 Velka Pardubicka winner Orphee des Blins once again attracted all the attention to herself, on May 24^th, 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. She has now performed like this on each of her last five appearances at Pardubice. This time she did not even hesitate at the Irish Bank. This was yet another truly impressive performance by Orphee des Bins, and an armchair ride for Jan Faltejsek, who just let her run her own race.

Thirty-five minutes later, the first of this year’s four Velka Pardubicka qualification races produced a close finish. Nikas, which finished 2^nd in the 2013 VP, ran an honest race, and beat Peintre Abstrait, Speranza, Klaus, Universe of Gracie and Zarif, with Amaragon, Kindly Boy and Al Jaz trailing in and thereby also qualifying for the VP. This may not have been a brilliant performance, but Nikas is not to be ignored.  

There were a couple of impressive performances in the other faces. Gejzir won the classical steeplechase very easily, and Registana’s five-year-old son, Reaper, came with a brave late run to get up in the last stride in a Category III crosscountry race. He made a little mistake at the second last, and was left with plenty of ground to make up on horses that he was giving weight to. Reaper is a credit to his mother, and looks as if he might be a VP horse in years to come.

The course at Pardubice was in very good condition, though the going was quite heavy on the ploughed fields after recent rains. A new rail that makes the entry into the finishing straight less abrupt seems to be a good improvement.

There were ten races on Saturday, and three riders had doubles. Martin Liška is in his 22^nd season as a rider, and has now had 25 winning rides. This was his first double. Well done, Martin Liška! Jan Faltejsek rode Orphee des Blins and Quatiki to victory, and Jaroslav Myska won on and Reaper and on Mirax, in spite of taking a blow to the ribs in the first race.

Greg Wroblewski trained three winners on the day: Pierot, Orphee des Blins and Gejzir.