Fifty-six horses have been entered for the Velka Pardubicka, which will be run on Sunday, October 11^th. The entries include 17 of the 23 runners in VP 2014. There are three Slovak-trained entries, three French-trained, two from Ireland and none from the UK.

In the last six years, just two horses have won the race – three-time winners Orphée des Blins and Tiumen, both of which were retired at the end of last year.

Last year’s valiant runner-up, Al Jaz, will be one of the well-fancied Czech runners.

Trainer Josef Váňa has just six entries (Hipo Jape, Rabbit Well, Taro, Thallium, Wild Danger and Zarif). This is a modest number for him. Zarif is probably his most fancied entry. Váňa has not yet confirmed or denied that he will again ride in the race this year.

Trainer Čestmír Olehla has three decent entries: Klaus, which finished 3^rd in 2014, and the talented Pareto and Cherwick. Cherwick failed to qualify for last year’s VP, due to repeated failure to negotiate the Irish Bank, but he won a race here at the recent meeting on May 8^th.

Trezor is entered. He has won all of the five VP qualification races that he has contested in the last three years, but his 7^th place in 2014 was his best finish in four attempts at the big race. He is now 11 years old.

Greg Wrobleweski, who trained the 2012 - 2014 winner, Orphée des Blins, is now a public trainer. His only entry this year is Jam Taki, winner of the Wielka Wroclawska last September and also the Wroclawska Trial last June. Jam Taki is a 7-y-o, and has not yet had much success yet over the Pardubice crosscountry course or over longer distances.

Among the French-trained entries, Sarika will arouse plenty of interest. While trained in the UK, he came over in 2013 as a 7-y-o and won the Labe Prize, which is regarded here as a preparatory race for the Velka. He is now trained in France by Jacques Piednoel. The other French-trained entries are Estoril, trained by Guy Chevel, and River Choice, trained by Richard Chotard.

Three different Slovak trainers have entered horses for the race. Cardam is trained by Jaroslav Brečka; Bodyguard is trained by Michal Ročák; and Mr Angel is trained by Peter Havlenka. Five months before the race, none of these appears to have much of a chance.

Finally, the Irish horses. Current Exchange won a point-to-point at Athlacca, in Ireland, on May 9^th. He has run 9 times in point-to-points since the beginning of 2015, and has won three of his last four races. He has won 7 races in all, steeplechses and point-to-points. His trainer is Gordon Elliot, who trained Sliver Birch when he won the Grand National in 2007. Current Exchange is owned by the Kaniz Bloodstock Investments Partnership. The Cub is a 10-y-o, trained by Thomas O'Neill and owned by the Party Boy Syndicate. His only win was in a point-to-point at Fairyhouse in April, 2011.