The second qualification race for the 131^st running of the Velka Pardubicka was held on Saturday, June 26^th. The official going was ‘good’, and the temperature was fairly mild for the end of June in eastern Bohemia. The track appeared to be in good order, and the ploughed fields were neither dusty nor muddy. This was the first time in recent memory that a  reasonable number of spectators were allowed to go to the course – up to 5 000 are currently allowed at an open-air sports event in the Czech Republic. Dostihový spolek, organisers of events at Pardubice racecourse, appeared to have done a good job, and ČT sport’s television coverage was on a high standard, as usual.

Most of our elite jumps jockeys were absent, due to their commitments to ride at Merano, in northern Italy. More and more of our top owners and trainers send their chasers to run in Italy, and retain Czech jockeys to ride for them there. Italian owners and trainers also depend on our top jumps jockeys. It is hardly surprising that most of our best jockeys were told to ride in the two-day meeting at Merano, rather than at Pardubice.

There was a very modest race meeting at Pardubice, on the Friday evening, which included three races over hurdles. Jan Faltejsek and Josef Bartoš both rode winners at this meeting, before setting out on their five-hour drive to Merano.

Without half a dozen of our best jockeys, some trainers and owners were unable to find a satisfactory rider for their horses at Pardubice, and four or five horses were withdrawn from their races on Saturday, when their originally-engaged rider became unavailable. For example, Sertash Ferhanov had a nasty-looking tumble when he was unseated at the highest point of the Irish Bank in the VP qualification race, and I think he was unable to ride after that. Bulgarian jockey Ferhanov, who went to work in France after he won our jumps jockeys’ championship in 2018, is very highly rated here.    

Among the Czech riders who were available to ride at Pardubice on both Friday and Saturday, Jaroslav Myška had the best outcome. He also rode four winners, all of them on Saturday. He also took two second places on Friday, and two more on Satudrday. Three winners of the winners were trained by his wife, Štěpánka Myšková. The Myškas were of course happy that that Evžen redeemed himself by winning the VP qualification race for them, after the horse had run so disappointingly in the first qualification race, in which he finished 14th and last.

Ondřej Velek also had a  good day on Saturday. He rode two winners, including Dusigrosz in the Pardubice Gold Cup, as well as two seconds and a third. Ondřej Velek has been based in Switzerland for several years, but has ridden quite a lot over fences in Italy in the past two  years. I hear that Josef Váňa senior and Josef Váňa junior are now negotiating with him to ride for them. Ondřej has ridden more than 50 winners both on the flat and over fences, but he no longer rides much on the flat.

The VP qualification race was slowly-run. Mustamir, a very useful classical chaser, and Gonchar, winner of the Czech Derby in 2016, both blundered their way round without losing touch with the rest of the field until the last kilometre. Then they both dropped right back.  Mustamir and, in particular, Gontchar both indicated that the Velka Pardubicka is not a suitable target for them. Over the last 3 fences, Evžen asserted himself, and only Mazhilis, 4th in VP 2019,  and Stretton, 3rd in VP 2019 and 2nd  in VP 2018, went after him. Imphal got round safely in 4th place. 13-year-old Hegnus, winner of VP 2020, seemed not to be given a hard race, and finished 5th. Saint Joseph unseated his rider at the Irish Bank.

Evžen seems to be a contender for the Velka, which will be run on Sunday, October 10th. Mazhilis won the Grand Premio at Merano before switching to crosscountry chasing 3 years ago. He and Stretton both performed quite well, without really looking like a potential VP winner. At the age of 13, last year’s VP winner Hegnus is probably past his best.

The remaining qualification races at Pardubice will be run on Saturday, August 7th and Saturday, September 4th.

  TTown of Pardubice - 2nd qualification race for the 131st Velka Pardubicka with Slavia Insurance - Major M. Svoboda Memorial
Crosscountry steeplechase, category: National Listed, 5800metres, CZK 200 000
going: 3.3 (good)