Josef Váńa was as usual on good form at the Velka Pardubicka press conference in the Hotel Paříž, in Prague Old Town, on October 2nd. Most of the journalists’ questions were addressed to him, and his answers were, as usual, a mix of information and mystification, ideal for publicizing the race that he personifies. "We entered several horses, but only three of them are OK to run. Originally, I wanted to ride Soros, but health problems took him out of the picture. Then Hipo Jape became available. Originally, he was to have been ridden by Jan Kratochvíl, but his doctors recommended him not to ride [he broke a thigh 6 weeks ago]. I gave myself a physical test on Hipo Jape, but it did not turn out too well. So, because of my own physical condition, and because Hipo Jape is rather hard to handle, and he has to be pushed on all the way round, I won’t be riding this year." Josef Váňa explained with a smile. However, could not resist adding, with a bigger smile "We have a 6-y-o grey in the yard, and maybe it might be OK with him..." 

Josef Váňa is likely to spend some time in the area of start of the race, to provide some help for Rabbit Well [this horse has a long record of showing resistance before and at the start of his races, and Váňa often appears at the start. What he does there, and what effect it has, is a matter of speculation in the popular press.] At the press conference, Váňa said: "Since he has starting number 1, maybe he won’t even need any help. If I see that, well, I do have a grandstand ticket. And Mr Jandejsek [owner of Rabbit Well] got a horse whisperer in to get him to start the race].

Josef Váňa is also happy to be renewing his collaboration with jockey Josef Bartoš, who will be riding Zarif [Bartoš used to be Váňa’s stable jockey, but has been giving priority to winning the Italian jumps jockeys’ championship in the last two years, and has been free-lancing when he rides in the Czech Republic. Váňa says "Our relationship is the same as it was when Pepča [Bartoš] left us. For me, he is our best rider over fences."

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The quotations are translated from an article by Michaela Zemanovápublished in Czech on the Fitmin-Turf web pages