"I’ve learnt that the time to celebrate is after the race"

Since his win in last year’s Velka Pardubicka, Jan Faltejsek has been living in good times. This year’s high point has been another victory in the same race, and the jockey, who now works in France, was able to celebrate the second triumph of a lifetime on his French-bred mare. At the press conference after the race, he enjoyed it vociferously...

You won this year in the same style as last year. What was different this time?

From my point of view, it was a similar race to last year’s. These tactics suit the mare, but her rivals don’t like them much. Of course, I knew that there were a lot of riderless horses around, and we were lucky that none of them came into our track. Apart from that, I enjoyed the race the same as last year. It’s just that last year it was a stunner. Our win came so unexpectedly, and was so brilliant. This time, we were the favourite, and we just did what favourites are supposed to do.

Even your victory celebrations were not as great as last year. Why not? Was there some lack of happiness?

No, not at all, but last year the legendary [jockey and trainer] František Vítek criticized the celebrations before the winning post, saying that you never know what can happen out on the racecourse. Of course, he was right. In any race, you don’t have anything certain until the cross the winning line. Then it is over and you can start rejoicing. Take the case of Dick Francis! And I myself rode a race in France this year in which a horse fell just before the winning line. That’s why I adjusted my performance this year in the run in.

Is Orphee des Blins the best horse you have ever come across? 

I haven’t ridden a better horse than her on the continent. In France, I am still working on getting on to the very best horses. We do have some in our yard.  In England I rode Knockara Beau, but that was a different type of competition. It is difficult to make a comparison – the two horses run in different kinds of races. But, as I say, Orphee is for me the best I have ridden on the continent.

How many more times are the two of you going to win the Velka Pardubicka together? 

Of course, I can’t tell you that. There are some other good horses here, but the mare is currently exceptional for this race. Like last year, I have to thank the owner, Mr Trávníček, and trainer Wroblewski for their confidence in letting me ride her.

Faltejsek and the mare form an ideal and currently unbeatable pair, at least as far as the Velka Pardubicka is concerned. We will see how it goes next year, when the Velka Pardubicka will no longer be run on October 13^th [next year’s race is on Sunday, October 12^th]. That will be a new challenge for the team around Orphee des Blins.

 (translated from the Czech language pages of Dostivy Svet. Interview by Petr Guth)