Although only 6 of the 20 runners got round in the 2013 Velka Pardubicka can, there can be no doubt that the best horse won the race, nor that several of the non-finishers would have finished between Orphee des Blins and second-placed Nikas, if misfortune had not befallen them. Trezor seemed to be going well early in the race, and may have been more or less still in contention when he fell at the 27^th (Havel’s Fence). Tiumen would probably have taken 2^nd place if he had not ejected Josef Vana senior at the last fence, after being distracted by a loose horse.

What took place behind Orphee des Blins was a disorderly rout. By fence number 10 there were a number of loose horses tending to interfere with the midfield, though none of them was good enough to get near to Orphee. She was more in danger from loose horses zigzagging across the course individually or in small groups.

Broker was withdrawn from the race, and 20 runners went to the start. Sam Waley-Cohen was briefly unseated when Zest for Life slipped on the way to the trial fence, which all twenty runners got over easily enough.

Twenty runners is a big field, and there were plenty of foreign riders, most of whom were getting their first real smell of the famous ploughed fields after very limited preparation. Their strategy was on no account to take the lead and to risk getting lost, and if possible to tuck in behind Josef Vana senior on Tiumen. They need not have feared being left in the lead, as Orphee des Blins does not like being headed. As for following Tiumen, they were out of luck. Tiumen was last over the Irish Bank, obstacle number 5, and was at no point in the race worth following.

Big fields of inexperienced riders on a crosscountry course are a formula for a bumpy race, unseated riders and loose horses. After watching the video several times, I am not able to say who bumped whom, but by half way round all the foreign horses with foreign riders, except Tropic de Brion (technically now a Czech-trained horse), were parted from their riders and were in danger and posing a threat to the remaining runners somewhere out on the course.

J.P. McManus’s Mount Sion came down at No. 3, the Small Water Jump, and sadly broke a leg. The Taxis was negotiated safely by all the remaining 19 runners. Al Jaz decanted his rider Michal Köhl at No. 5, the Irish Bank. No. 6, the Popkovice Turn, was a good example of what can happen when a lot of horses converge on an awkward obstacle and everyone is nervous about what may happen. Budapest (Josef Vana junior), Speranza (Thomas Boyer), and Cantridara (Freddie Mitchell) all lost their riders. The inexperienced rider was incomprehensibly given a dispensation to ride in spite of not meeting the undemanding criteria stated in the race conditions. I cannot say whether he contributed to his own demise or to the demise of the experienced and qualified riders, but at least they were all able to walk away, sadder but wiser men, no doubt.

At obstacle No. 7, Freneys Well (Martin Ferris) fell at the rear of the field and brought down Tomis (Ondrej Velek). Less than a quarter of the way round, and one third of the horses were out of the race. The two remaining foreign riders on foreign-trained horses did not last very much longer. Alain de Chitray was unseated by Shalimar Fromentro at the 10^th, and Sam Waley-Cohen on Zest for Life got the worst of a collision after the Drop (No. 15), an awkward obstacle where many foreign riders and a few Czech riders come to grief.

Now the field was down to a reasonable size, the inexperienced riders were out of the way, the course takes fewer twists and turns, and the main remaining danger was from the considerable number of loose horses, and mainly from being burned up by the relentless pace set by Orphee des Blins. Pavel Kasny was unseated by Status Quo at the 19^th. Backmarkers Seslost (Liam Treadwell) and Bodyguard (Jaroslav Brecka) were falling further behind and were eventually pulled up, off camera.

That left only 8 out of 20 runners, and when Trezor (Josef Bartos) fell at the 27^th, the last slight danger to Orphee was removed. She went clear, and was followed by a disorderly group of loose horses, tired non-stayers dropping back, and one or two managing to maintain the slow pace at which they had been plodding round. Tiumen was interfered with, not very badly, by a loose horse coming into the last fence, and Josef Vana senior was not able to hold on when the horse hit the fence.

Five utterly defeated horses trailed in a distance behind Orphee des Blins. Nikas (Dusan Andres) came 2^nd, Klaus (Jaroslav Myska), which had had a disappointing race but had avoided the worst of the mêlées, took a fortuitous 3^rd place. 4th and 5^th were Kasim (Marcel Novak) and Peintre Abstrait (Lukas Matusky). The 6^th and final finisher was Tropic de Brion (Marc-Antoine Dragon), which had gamely but unwisely tried to follow Orphee des Blins all the way round.

It was two races - a serene stroll, with ears pricked all the way round, by Orphee des Blins, and a complete and messy débacle behind her.