The entire Velka Pardubicka racing day is shown on Czech non-commercial television, beginning at 11 o’clock, half an hour before the first race, and ending after 5 pm, when key participants in the great race have all been interviewed, and the curtain is drawn. The whole day is shown on Czech Television’s sports channel, and the main event is also shown on CT1, the ‘serious’ channel. This reflects the Velka’s prestige as the oldest and most important national sports event and as a national treasure.

Nowadays, of course, you can find the whole programme on Youtube, or you can watch a video by clicking on the CT website, and have the luxury of rewinding and attempting to analyse the key events. And that is what I did, with considerable pleasure.

It is a big undertaking to entertain a national audience, and to honour a national event, for over six hours, with very few breaks for advertising (none in the video) and only limited and discreet references to ‘betting opportunities’.

Of course, fillers were needed. Each runner in the Velka and its rider were introduced in videos made in the yards where the contenders are trained. Each trainer discussed the horse’s form, chances, personality, etc., as the horse was led around and did some light work.

 There were four pairs of presenters/experts. Basically, the pairs consisted of one Czech Television type and one racing type. The television types were the same as last year. Petr Vichnar, who seems to be some kind of boss, was again paired with Milan Olehla, the brother of top trainer Čestmir Olehla. Vichnar began by greeting Olehla as someone he had not met for a year, and by admitting he had not walked the course. All afternoon, he did his job dutifully enough, but it was as if he had woken up tired and was taking on an onerous task. Olehla did much better this year. He seems to have had some training in how to respond to the camera, and how to deal more or less brightly with his partner’s banal questions and comments. He more or less carried Vichnar.

Petr Kubásek again fed intelligent questions to expert Libor Šimůnek, and appeared to be interested in his answers. Libor, a former jumps jockey, was a fount of information and anecdote, and is now quite comfortable and aware when faced by a camera. We are not used to seeing such well-mannered ex-jockeys in this role, but he was none the worse for that.

Barbora Černosková, the token woman, had been given a few simple tasks, which she was well able to accomplish. Basically, she fed questions to Martin Šabata (son of Vladimír Šabata, whose many claims to fame include being Chris Collinsʼ interpreter when he rode Stephen’s Society to victory in the VP in 1973). Martin Šabata responded to questions about the history of the race.

The final twosome did not work directly as a pair. Marek Svačina has done the television commentary on the race for the last 20 years. He also does commentaries on many other sports for Czech television. Marek can be seen at most Czech race meetings, follows racing very closely, and forms a strong and positive link between horse racing and CT Sport. Pavel Fučík is also ever-present when Czech racing is shown on CT Sport, though he is not a full-time television person. Pavel gives the impression of a racing fan with one of those dreadful daytime jobs that people do nowadays to make money, who has seized the opportunity to spend his summer weekends doing television work at the racecourse. He was given the most creative task on VP day: to interview interesting jockeys, owners and trainers, in their moment of success or drama. Everyone in racing knows that Pavel will ask them good and fair questions, and will not try to upstage them or embarrass them. Pavel Fučík made a clear effort to maximize the viewersʼ pleasure, and the pleasure of racing people, and to share with everyone the feeling of wonder at being involved in such a great event as the Velka Pardubicka. This made him, once again, the unassuming star of a good afternoon for Czech Television and for Czech horse racing.

What of the racing? The three-year-old hurdle was won very comfortably by Marmiton, which looks like a good prospect for a jumping career. The champion hurdle was won for the second year in a row by Slovak-trained Luminator, which sweated up in the paddock and appeared to run very lethargically for the first circuit. However, he won comfortably enough, beating off 4-y-o Barateusʼ late challenge.

In the 4-y-o cross-country race, Al Bustan held off Stretton. These two may turn out to be VP contenders in years to come, but still have some way to go. Then Zugor won the Vltava Prize, 4500 metres, comfortably enough. This race, with 19 runners, was full of falls and caramboles. The favourite, Natálie, fell at the 3rd, the water jump. Tammyʼn Classy fell at the Drop and I am pretty sure she had to be put down.

The favourite Shaman won the Popler Memorial, the crosscountry sprint over 3200 metres, though Ryana ran him close. The Labe Prize, crosscountry, 5200 metres, is often a stepping-stone for future VP runners. 6-y-o Modena won quite well from 7-y-o Goscater. Both of these two have shown promise all season.

The last race before the VP was the Silver Trophy, run on the oval-track steeplechase course. Gejzir was a very hot favourite, as the only other entry of any class at all was Fafintadenient, which had recently gone more or less head first into the little water jump on his first race at Pardubice. He had survived physically, but what would he think when he came to that obstacle again? As it turned out, 7-y-o Fafintadenient set the pace, took the water in his stride and won the race very easily, reminding us that he had been the best 4-y-o of his year in 2011 - better than Alpha Two - at Merano. Pavel Fučík’s interview with Pavla Váňová (Josef Váňa’s wife) revealed that Fafintadenient’s new owner had sent the horse to Josef Váňa specifically to be trained for the Velka. We had better learn how to pronounce this name.

Seven of the 22 riders in the VP had taken a fall in the course of the afternoon. Marek Stromský had taken a big knock when Natálie fell, and was taken to Pardubice hospital. However, he came straight back to the course and his physiotherapist put him more or less right to ride Zarif in the Velka. Jan Kratochvíl, Lukáš Matuský, Marcel Novák, Ondřej Velek, Jakub Kocman and Martin Liška had all been off in earlier races. Josef Bartoš had been riding with a broken jaw for the past four weeks, and Josef Sovka still had unhealed ankle and rib injuries from Wielka Wroclawska day at the beginning of September in Poland. Not to mention Josef Váňa snr’s catalogue of injuries and disabilities! 18 brave Czech men, plus a couple of Slovaks, a 50-year-old Czech woman, and an Englishman, went to the post.

The story of the race was not essentially different from the last two runnings, when Orphée des Blins had gone straight in to the lead and scarcely been headed. This time she was headed even less – one or two of them may have put their noses in front between the Taxis and the Popkovice Turn (obstacles 4 and 6). The big difference was that, this time, one of the others challenged Orphée in the run in, and made her show that she can also fight, when necessary.

The Taxis caused major problems for the first time in several years. This fence is OK as long as the horses get a good run at it and have an untenanted place to land. Orphée did not take it quite right, and the others were bunched around and behind her, on the right side of the fence. Well-fancied Nikas fell. On the far right, there was some dodgy jumping. Zulejka went head first into the ditch, and Amaragon fell. There were a couple of jockeys and a horse in the area where the backmarkers, including English-trained Lambro, wanted to land. Lambro somehow managed to get through, but Sherardo was unable to avoid kicking Josef Bartoš, Zulejka’s jockey. Bartoš was knocked out, and suffered some quite nasty facial injuries. Zulejka did not survive her fall.

At the next obstacle, Lukáš Matuský was near the front when unseated by Peintre Abstrait, and found himself for the second time in the afternoon, lying in the small dry ditch at the bottom of the Irish Bank, making himself small and hoping that the rest of the field would be able to avoid crushing him. He was in luck.

Only one more horse fell after this – Ter Mill (Michal Köhl) - but with 17 still in the race there were plenty of caramboles. As usual, several of the best placed horses from a year ago were again well placed. Orphée des Blins won, of course. Klaus repeated his third place from 2013, and Kasim came fifth, after being fourth last year. Al Jaz pulled out the performance of his life, finishing second and forcing Orphée to show that she is a great fighter. Universe of Gracie surprisingly took fourth place.

The sun shone all afternoon, and shone on the victory celebrations and ceremonies, all very sporting and splendid. Josef Váňa rode over to Martina Růžičková after the race, and gave her a big kiss and a hug. The television coverage was splendid.

The young men were brave and valiant. The older men were dignified and wise. The girls and women plaited the horses’ manes, cared for them and led them round the parade ring. Por mad Martina, the sixth woman ever to ride in the Velka, finally managed to get round the course, at her sixth attempt. She then informed us that she will now stop with her tomboy activities, and will henceforth dedicate herself to her daughter and her domestic chores. So that has ended well, too.

Josef Váňa played multiple roles splendidly well. Though Tiumen was unable to produce anything this time, the horse and jockey got round safe and sound. Will Váňa be back again next year? Will Váňa be back again next year? Will Váňa be back again next year?