The main event among the ten races at Pardubice on September 13^th was the fourth qualification race for the 124^th running of the Velka Pardubicka with Česká Pojištʼovna, which will be run at Pardubice racecourse on Sunday, October 12th.

The race was duly won by the hot favourite, Orphée des Blins, winner of VP 2012 and VP 2013. As usual, Orphée des Blinswent to the front soon after the beginning of the race, controlled the race, and never got into any trouble with the obstacles. However, Zarif did put in a serious challenge round the last bend, and headed Orphée into the last fence - but not out of it, as the mare put in another excellent jump. Zarif was not finished, and Orphée des Blins had to draw on her reserves to win by one and three quarter lengths.

This looked like a very good preparatory race for Orphée. Zarif confirmed his very very good close second place behind Trezor in the June qualification race, and his two wins against good opposition at Pardubice in May and June 2013.

Nine horses finished the race and qualified for the VP. They finished in the order: Orphée des Blins, Zarif, Pareto, Zulejka, Universe of Gracie, Sisi Merble, Templář, Ribelino and Rubín. Last but not least, Rubín, ridden by Martina Ružíčková, whose quest to qualify her horse for the race, and to achieve, at the age of 50, what has become a lifetime ambition is becoming the second-biggest VP saga of the year for the sensationalist press. Martina has ridden in the race seven times before, without getting round.

Jan Faltejsek made the long journey to Pardubice to ride Orphée des Blins. He rode three winners in the course of the afternoon, as did Lukáš Matuský, a Slovak rider who is rapidly establishing himself as one of our best riders over fences.

Thirty-six Czech- and Slovak-trained horses have qualified for the VP through the qualification races at Pardubice. Twenty-five is the maximum number of runners allowed for the race. It seems unlikely that more than two or three of the foreign entries will run. Several of the qualified locally-trained horses are not being prepared for the race, but it remains quite likely that a few horses will be eliminated from the race on the basis of their rating.

It is now pretty clear which of the locally-trained horses are the strongest contenders for October 12th. Four weeks before the race, Orphée des Blins looks like a very good thing. Trezor, winner of five VP qualification races in the last three years, is the next best. 7-y-o Zarif has now established himself as the best of the younger horses. Tiumen, winner of the VP in 2009, 2010 and 2011 cannot be discounted, certainly not on the basis that the rider is 61 years old and the horse is thirteen. Nikas finished second in VP 2013 and won the May 2014 qualification race. He is not a brilliant performer, but he is very tough. Kasim was fourth in VP 2013, third in the June qualification race, and won the August qualification race. That is a nice progression. It is possible to argue that Klaus, Soros, Budapest and Peintre Abstrait might have some kind of chance of being placed. The others would all have to achieve a spectacular lifetime best to be anywhere near the head of the field.