The 56th running of the Town of Lysá-nad-Labem First of May Steeplechase (Category I, 4 200 metres), with prize money of CzK 150 000 (about EUR 6 000), was the highlight of the traditional May Day meeting at Lysá. A mild, dry day brought out a very good crowd at this popular racecourse not far east of Prague.

There were only six runners, but all of them were potential contenders. Rabbit Hawk Wing led them round at a moderate pace, but on the last circuit Theophilos, last year’s winner, took control. He won comfortably from Pareto and Rabbit Hawk Wing. Jan Kratochvíl (picture, after his win on No Time to Lose, in the 2017 Velka Pardubicka) rode the winner of this race for the fifth year in succession. The winning horse is owned by the Dostihový Klub iSport-Váňa syndicate, which has about 130 members.

Trainer Josef Váňa had said before the race that Theophilos would go on to run in a Velka Pardubicka qualification race, and would be aimed at the Velka this year. However, that was considered not to be the best option for him last year, after he finished in a very well beaten 4th place in the June 2017 qualification race. On VP day 2017, he finished second to Loire in the Popler Memorial, over 3 300 metres. Neither the distance nor the course of the Velka Pardubicka seems ideal for him, but it seems the connections are going to try another qualification race with him.

Pardubice offers two meetings in May. On the May 8th Liberation Day public holiday, celebrating the end of world war II, Pardubice holds a remarkably good looking meeting. In particular, the Category I Opening Cross Country Steeplechase has attracted a very strong field. Charme Look has to beat Sergeant Thunder, unbeaten in five races since he came to central Europe, and several other good crosscountry chasers. Brog Deas, which impressed greatly in 2014 and again in 2016, will be coming back in a Category IV hurdles race, after missing the 2017 season. Note that the first race at Pardubice on Tuesday will be at 2 pm.

The first VP qualification race at Pardubice will be the main race on Saturday, May 26th.  

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Photo by Petr Guth