In the course of his long career, Jan Rája rode in more than three thousand races and won 523 times. He was three times the Czech champion jockey on the flat, rode the winner of nine classic races, including the Czech Derby in 2011 on Roches Cross. He also rode three times in the Velka Pardubicka, in which his best finish was in eighth place on Fahrenheit in 2003.
Town of Pardubice Grand Prix – EURO EQUUS – 4th qualification race of the 132nd running of the Velka Pardubicka with Slavia Insurance
crosscountry steeplechase National Listed - 5800 metres, stakes, 5-y-o and older
CZK 400 000 (200 000 – 92 000 – 60 000 – 28 000 – 20 000)
going: 3.4 (good)
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Horse’s name |
On August 16th, a notice appeared on the Reality Dnes (Real Estate Today) server offering Lysá nad Labem racecourse for sale. Prodej dostihového závodiště, Lysá nad Labem | Reality.iDNES.cz. The announcement seems to have taken the Czech horseracing community completely by surprise.
The EJC has been a remarkable annual event since 2015. Tomáš Machovský and his team have mobilized support for this major event. Generous sponsors have stepped forward, especially Leram and Loko Trans. Leading trainer Václav Luka has persuaded top jockeys to participate, and owners of good horses to run them in EJC races. Martin Cáp, both as a writer and as a television presenter, has promoted plenty of interest in the meeting. Many other volunteers have have contributed.
Pardubice racecourse, 100 km east of Prague, is the home of the Velka Pardubicka steeplechase. This famous race, the oldest annual sporting event in the Czech Republic, has been run annually at Pardubice racecourse since 1874 – except for a considerable number of breaks in years when weather conditions, wars and political changes intervened and caused a cancellation.
The following notice is posted in Czech language on the website of the Jockey Club of the Czech Republic Jockey Club (dostihyjc.cz)
You may have found a video recording of this year's Velka Pardubicka, but it was probably in a language that you do not understand.
No. 17 Sztorm will be ridden by French jockey Julliot.
No. 18 Lombargini will be ridden by Martin Liška. (Jan Odložil injured in a fall in the fourth race).
Number 1 will be carried in the Velka Pardubicka by 9-y-o Vanesse, trained by Pavel Vítek, on her first race in central Europe. Betting on this experienced French crosscountry chaser would be like buying a l
The third of the four qualification races for the 131st running of the Velka Pardubicka with Slavia Insurance attracted 12 runners on August 7th. Most Czech-trained horses that are intended to run in the VP had already qualified safely for the big race. Owners and trainers know that there is always a high risk of a very hot afternoon and rock-hard ground at Pardubice in August.
