The Velka Pardubicka is one of ten races in the Crystal Cup international crosscountry series http://crystalcup.org/, which includes races run in six different countries. However, the entries for the Crystal Cup races have mainly not been as international as was intended. At its recent annual general meeting in Paris, in response to a Czech proposal, the organisers announced a system of financial support for horses running outside the country in which they are trained.

The Velka Pardubicka was represented in Paris by Martin Korba, vice-chairman of Dostihový spolek, organisers of events at Pardubice racecourse. “I’m pleased that the general assembly took up our proposals, and will provide support for the travelling expenses of horses running abroad. What lies behind it is an attempt to attract more foreign horses and high-quality horses to Pardubice. The financial support is also intended to support other European racecourses, which have also not been getting many runners from abroad.”

A new condition for being ranked in the Crystal Cup series is to run at least twice in a Crystal Cup race at a racecourse abroad. “The Crystal Cup will provide EUR 1 000 from a joint fund for horses that fulfill the conditions and run at least twice outside the country in which they are trained. The exact rules will be published by the presidium in the near future.”

In addition, Dostihový spolek is introducing a new system for entries aimed at making the Velka Pardubicka more interesting for owners and trainers. Until now, there was a very early entry date, in May, when entries could be made for CzK 10 000 (EUR 370), and then unattractively expensive fees for supplementary entries at later dates, rising to CzK 100 000 (EUR 3 700).

“We’ll be keeping the first date in May for entries, with the same entry fee, but we will be changing the rest of the fees. There will be just one other deadline, in September, with a much lower supplementary entrance fee of CzK 30 000 (EUR 1 100),” Martin Korba states. He points out, “Most trainers abroad don’t decide until the autumn whether or not they’ll come to Pardubice for such a tough race. The lower supplementary fee will make it easy for them to decide to come.” Martin Korba thinks.

The same system of payments will of course also apply for locally-trained horses. “Each horse’s form develops in the course of the season. It can happen that a horse does not look like a Velka prospect in May. Then by the autumn, everything can have changed, if the horse has put in some good performances. But then the owner may hesitate to pay such a lot of money to supplement the horse. From next year, it will be different,” Martin Korba concludes.

(This article by Jana Šejnohová first appeared in the Czech language pages of Dostihový svět. Translated by Robin Healey)