4^th VP qualification race, Pardubice, September 14^th. National Listed, CzK 300 000, 5-y-o and older, 5800 metres):

1st. Silver Regent (jockey J. Váňa jnr., trainer Josef Váňa snr., owner Köi Dent)

2nd Al Jaz, 3rd Moula, 4th Speranza, 5th Cantridara, 6^th Ready for Smile, 7^th Amaragon. Rubin UR, Frasini PU, Valldemoso PU, Imbir PU, King of Gracie PU.

Distances 6 lengths; 8 lengths; 2¼ lengths; 11 lengths; 12 lengths; ½ length.

Time: 8:05,55.

12 runners, 7 horses finished and qualified for the VP.

The fourth and final Velka Pardubicka qualification race at Pardubice on Saturday September 14^th was run on good-to-soft ground. The field of 12 consisted of four horses that are not entered for the VP, two that had already qualified, and six that were aiming to take this late opportunity to get into the field on October 13^th. In a slowly-run race, Vana-trained Ready for Smile and Silver Regent set the pace. Three of the horses that were trying to qualify did not make it. At the Irish Bank, Rubin unseated Martina Ruzickova, who will now presumably not have the chance to ride for an eighth time in the VP in an attempt to get round the course for the first time. King of Gracie lost a lot of ground at the Irish Bank, and was later pulled up. Marcel Novak also pulled Frasini up. The two horses that were already qualified were both pulled up. Valldemoso made a big mistake in the middle of the race. Jockey Marek Stromsky managed to stay on, but pulled Valldemoso up later. Imbir was pulled up by Josef Bartos.

That left 7 finishers. Silver Regent, ridden by Josef Vana jnr, won comfortably from Al Jaz and Moula, all three of which, like 6^th placed Ready for Smile, are not entered for the VP. The three horses that qualified by finishing this race, and that are also entered for the VP, were all well beaten. Speranza finished in 4^th place, Cantridara was 5^th, and Amaragon was 7^th and last.

It seems likely that none of the runners in the last VP qualification race will threaten the leading places on October 13^th, and quite possible that none of them will appear among the acceptances, to be announced on October 4^th. There is the possibility of supplementing Silver Regent, Al Jaz or Ready for Smile for CzK 90 000 by Thursday, September 19^th. Silver Regent is in the same ownership as Tiumen and Zarif, both of which are qualified, though Zarif is not going to run on October 13th. Tiumen is said to be OK, and owner Ivo Köhler (Köi Dent) has been quoted as saying that he would only consider supplementing 8-y-o Silver Regent if Tiumen is unavailable. Trainer Josef Vana is short of good contenders for the VP this year and probably would not mind having Silver Regent in the race. Vana has only Tiumen and Budapest with a serious chance in the big race, and their form this year does not suggest that they can beat Orphee des Blins or Trezor. Al Jaz would do better to go for one of the other races on October 13^th.

5-y-o Czech-bred Moula, trained by Jiri Uhl, who also trains Valldemoso, ran a good race. He is too young to run in the VP this year. He beat a good field the main event at Svetla Hora in July, and this is a horse that owners Iron Ladies Ostrava can have high hopes for in future years.

Ronino, 2^nd in VP 2012 has been retired. Age of Jape will not reappear on the course this year.

Each of the nine races at Pardubice was won by a different jockey. Championship leader Dusan Andres did not have a winner, and a number of jockeys are now breathing down his neck. Andres has ridden 12 winners this year, and now leads only on second places from Josef Sovka. Josef Vana jnr and Thomas Boyer have 11, and Josef Bartos 10.