No Irish horses will run in the Velka Pardubicka this year

Trainer Gordon Elliot has informed James Fry of IRB that Out Sam, the only Irish-trained horse entered for this year's Velka Pardubicka, is a non-runner. Due to the coronavirus situation, the complications connected with attempting to send a horse over this year are simply too great. Gordon Elliot says that he hopes to be able to send horses over to Pardubice in future years. 

The 100th Czech Derby will be run this weekend at Prague Velká Chuchle racecourse

2 September 2020, Prague – This year’s season at Velká Chuchle racecourse in the suburbs of Prague is gradually moving into its second half. After the CSIO3* international showjumping competition, in which the Czech showjumping team qualified successfully for the Olympic Games in Tokio, September 6th will feature the Czech Derby, the absolute high point of the Czech horseracing season. This will be the 100th running of the race at Velká Chuchle racecourse, the home of the Czech Derby.

September 2020 newsletter

It really is not getting any easier to write these monthly newsletters. I have not been racing this year, as my wife and I are in the over 70s age group (without a pre-existing condition). Neither of us is personally awfully scared of catching the virus – but neither of us wants our partner to be infected.

Sottovento wins the fourth VP qualification race

There was some good rain in Pardubice on the day before the last of the four qualification races for VP2020. The race was run on a cool day, and the going was 3.2 (good to firm). In this exceptional year, all four qualification races were run in July and August. There were hot, dry spells in these months in Pardubice, as usual.

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