Pardubice racecourse offers an attractive afternoon of steeplechasing on Saturday, August 24^th, first race at 1 p.m.

The main race is the third of the four Velka Pardubicka qualification races. The leading contenders will be Trezor, impressive winner of the June qualification race and also of two qualification races in 2012, and Budapest, three times in the prizemoney in the Gran Premio at Merano, the richest steeplechase in central Europe. Other contenders are Bremen Plan, winner of the May qualification race, and Zarif, already winner of two good races at Pardubice this year. It is hard to see any of the others beating all of these. There are 15 declared runners.

The Category II Peruan Crosscountry Chase has attracted an even more interesting field. Last year’s impressive VP winner, Orphee des Blins, impressed again in winning her only race so far this season, at Pardubice in June. She will take on Tiumen, winner of the VP in 2010, 2011 and 2012. The consistent Tomis and the promising Charme Look also both have to be beaten.   

 126 horses are declared to run in the nine races, including two from Sweden. Niklas Loven, who rode Imbir in the 2012 Velka Pardubicka, will be on Hallandale in the Category III crosscountry chase for 4 – 5-y-o mares.

Jan Faltejsek, who is having a highly successful season riding for trainer Guillaume Macaire in France, will ride Orphee des Blins. Josef Bartos, nowadays a freelance jockey, will ride Trezor, and is expected to choose him for the Velka Pardubicka. Last but not least, Josef Vana snr will be on Tiumen.

This is an afternoon to look forward to for fans of steeplechasing.