Following the misfortune that befell three horses in the second VP qualification race in 2013, there is no mention of "turning aside" in the race conditions for VP 2014.

In the past, horses have been required to complete at least one of a defined set of races, including the four VP qualification races held at Pardubice racecourse,  "without turning aside" in order to qualify for the Velka Pardubicka. Last year in the June qualification race at Pardubice, a loose horse ran across three horses as they were approaching one of the obstacles. They did not run past the fence, but took it only at their second attempt, and they were adjudged to have "turned aside" and not to have qualified for the VP, even though they were adjudged to have duly finished the course and the race. Unfortunately, this decision was conveyed to the trainers only after a considerable delay, and none of the three horses managed to qualify for the VP on a later attempt.

The quiet removal of the words "without turning aside" from the race conditions is to be welcomed - but if one anomaly is removed from the rules, a new one will still appear, sooner or later.