The second of the four qualification races for the 2016 Velka Pardubicka was basically unsatisfactory. The race was run at 1.50 pm on an extremely hot day, for the benefit of live television. There was a very close but rather unexciting finish between three very tired, slow horses. While a number of horses got round and qualified for the big race on Sunday, October 9^th, we are no wiser as to which of them, if any, might do well on a cool afternoon early in October.

Seventeen horses went to the start. Hipo Jape led them round until the 6^th from home. At this point Puntarenas went into the lead, and remained there. A hundred metres from the end, it seemed that he had the race won. However, he slowed dramatically and the half-bred half-brothers Templář and Ter Mill both plodded along at their standard pace, and all three passed the winning post together. According to the camera, Templář won by a short head from Puntarenas, with Ter Mill a neck away in third place. Josef Bartoš, who rode Templář, deserves some praise. However, he will not now be regretting his promise to ride Zarif on October 9^th.

Last year’s VP winner, Ribelino, again raised eyebrows. He had been pulled up in his two earlier runs this year. This time he was dropped in at the back of the field, and then took his time at the Irish Bank. Pavel Kašný took him wide when he finally arrived at the next fence, the Popkovice Turn. However, Kašný had chosen to take the fence precisely where Jam Taki had fallen several seconds earlier and had then brought down Gauner Danon. Ribelino somehow managed to avoid landing right on top of the horses and riders, but was brought down himself. Other non-finishers were Sapfo, Hegnus and Mlyn.

Eleven horses finished the race, and either achieved qualification or, if already qualified, had an outing to east Bohemia on a very hot afternoon. Reaper, by Sholokhov out of Registana, took the prizemoney for 4th place, and Hipo Jape took the prizemoney for 5th place, so the connections will have been satisfied. Sixth-placed Amaragon was also not too far behind the leaders. Rabbit Hawk Wing and his jockey, Josef Váňa senior, had a satisfactory outing. The horse was tucked in safely in midfield all the way round, and was moved up into a promising position as they crossed the ploughed fields between the 6th from home and the turn on to the grass track. However, when his 63-year-old rider asked the horse for an effort after the second-last it was clear there was nothing left. Rabbit Hawk Wing was left to finish in his own time, in 7^th place, and to qualify for the big race. The other four finishers were Sherardo, Klaus, Nebrius and Universe of Gracie.