The 2014 Velka Pardubicka was run on a warm sunny afternoon, and there were three questions before the race. Would Orphée win again? What about Josef Váňa? And would Martina Ružíčková get round for the first time, at the sixth attempt?

Orphée led all the way round, and before the second last, it seemed that she would win comfortably again. However, big outsider Al Jaz pursued her and put in a strong challenge all the way down the finishing straight. Orphée, ridden as usual by Jan Faltejsek, had to dig very deep, and got home by only three quarters of a length. Klaus took third place, 13 lengths behind. Universe of Gracie came fourth and Kasim was 5th. 17 of the 22 runners got round, including Rubín and Martina Ružíčková, who figured prominently before fading in the last kilometre. Tiumen, with Josef Váňa, snr on board, ran a lacklustre race and never featured, but got round safely.

Three horses came down at the Taxis. Zulejka ended up in the ditch, which is happily much less deep than it used to be. However, her jockey, Josef Bartoš, who had suffered a broken jaw not long ago when kicked by a passing horse after a fall, was again kicked while on the ground and was taken to the hospital.

UK-trained Lambro made a series of mistakes at the unfamiliar obstacles. He struggled round bravely, finishing tailed off in last place.