The first qualification race for the 2016 Velka Pardubicka was run at Pardubice on May 21^st. There were 19 runners, including almost all of the fancied Czech-trainer runners for the big race, which will be run on Sunday, October 9^th. The course was in good condition, though the going, which was officially 4.0 (good) was a bit harder than is ideal for steeplechasing. Trainers clearly decided that this was a good opportunity to get their horses safely qualified for the big race [the requirement is that Czech-trained horses must complete the course in one of the four designated qualification races run at Pardubice in May, June, August and September]. Hard ground and high temperatures are always quite likely at Pardubice in June and in August.

The favourite for the race was Váňa-trained Rabbit Well. Other well-fancied runners were Váňa-trained Zarif, Hegnus, trained by Čestmír Olehla, and also Nikas, first past the post last October, but subsequently disqualified for failing a drugs test, and Ribelino, which was awarded the VP after Nikas’ disqualification.

Rabbit Well is notorious for being unwilling to start, and this time he was again slow to get under way. He lost only two or three lengths at the start, but for a long time he hung around at the rear of the field making little mistakes and not making progress. Meanwhile, the leaders were Lingarry, Kasim, Amaragon and Modena. Ter Mill unseated his rider at the Irish Bank, and Sherardo came down at the Popkovice Turn. After Rabbit Well put a foot into the Big Water Jump, his chance seemed to be gone, but jockey Josef Váňa, jnr., finally got him going as they crossed the course heading for Havel’s Jump, the 4^th from home. At this point Amaragon took a heavy fall and Kasim headed the field on to the grass track. At the second last, Lorain fell when seemingly well placed. At this point, the main danger to Kasim appeared to be Hegnus. After the last fence there were several bumps and avoidance moves at the head of the field. In the run in, Kasim was on the inside, Hegnus was in the middle and Rabbit Well was on the outside. All three came together, and Hegnus, in the middle of the sandwich, certainly came out worst. Rabbit Well and Kasim battled it out in the last 150 metres, and Kasim won, perhaps because Rabbit Well had used up too much strength making up the ground he had lost earlier in the race.

A stewards’ enquiry awarded 2^nd place to Hegnus, and Josef Váňa, jnr. was relegated to 3rd place, and was fined. After watching the video several times, I am not sure whether it was Kasim or Rabbit Well that damaged Hegnus’ chances, or whether the carambole affected the result.Josef Váňa, snr., was aggrieved, perhaps with some justification this time.

The outsider Kasim was a brave winner. He is owned, trained and bred by Přemek Kejzlar, and was ridden by Marcel Novák. This 11-y-o won the August qualification race in 2014, and has finished 5th, 5th and 4th in the last three VPs, but this was probably his best performance so far.

The first ten to finish were not badly beaten. Al Jaz looked dangerous coming in to the last fence. British jockey Andrew Glassonbury, having his first ride at Pardubice, got round well, and put Klaus in a position to make a challenge, but the horse faded in the finishing straight. Čestmír Olehla will be pleased that all four of his runners got round in the first nine, and Hegnus was placed 2nd.

The first 10 all got a good  warm-up run: Kasim, Hegnus, Rabbit Well, Vandual, Al Jaz, Reaper, Pareto, Zarif, Klaus and Templář. The other 4 finishers were well beaten, but qualify for the VP: Modena, Lingarry, Nikas and Eldorado.

Nikas was a disappointment, and never showed. Even more disappointing was last year’s VP winner, Ribelino. He was pulled up in the middle of the race, as he had been in his season-opening race at Brno in April. The other non-finishers were Sherardo, Amaragon, Lorain and Ter Mill. They will have to try again to qualify for the big race on October 9^th.

6. dostih, start 16:07
1090 Velká cena města Pardubic – XXIV. ročník – I. kvalifikace na 126. Velkou pardubickou s Českou pojišťovnou
Steeplechase crosscountry NL - 5800 m, cena, 5letí a starší
400.000 Kč (160000 - 88000 - 56000 - 40000 - 28000 - 16000 - 12000)
Zápisné: 4000 + 8000 Kč

                                                              Owner: Stáj Kejzlar, Trainer: Přemek Kejzlar, Breeder: P.Kejzlar