Velka Pardubicka 2009 - The Vana legend is extended even further 11.10.2009
The 119th Velka Pardubicka, run on October 11th 2009, will go down in history as one of the great renewals of this great race. However, before beginning on a description of the drama, I must begin with an unconditional apology for being one of many who said and wrote that Josef Vana, at the age of almost 57, with a body severely impacted by numerous major racing-related injuries, and having ridden just two races this year, should not have been riding in the race. I also apologise to the horses for suggesting that, with the exception of Sixteen, they were a moderate lot, and also for saying that 25 runners was far too many. In the event, 18 got round and all contributed to a dramatic race. The first five past the post all put in very fine performances, and several others did really well. more ...
The Velka Pardubicka meeting 2.10.2009
The Velka Pardubicka meeting is the high point of the Czech steeplechasing season. It is also a major social and national event in the Czech Republic. If you are invited to the box of one of the Czech sponsors on Velka Pardubicka day, it is appropriate to be smartly turned out and to be aware that for many Czechs this day is considered as a major symbol of Czech nationhood. more ...
Sixteen impresses 23.08.2009
The Skanska Grand Prix, third of the four qualification races for the the Velka Pardubicka, which will be run on October 11th, produced a winner with all the credentials to win the big race. Though Sixteen won the VP in 2007 and 2008, she has generally been considered a less than great champion. In 2007, she did not beat much, and in 2008 she only won on the disqualification of a better horse, Amant Gris, and in general she has a good rather than an excellent record. This time, however, she was formidable. She took the lead as early as the Snake Ditch and never looked like being headed. In the finishing straight she pulled away very impressively. more ...
Super Lord 20.08.2009
An interesting entry for the Skanska Grand Prix, the third of the four VP qualification races, is Super Lord. I am told that he is currently stabled with trainer Cestmir Olehla at Svetla Hora, and if all goes will he will remain there until October. more ...
Sat Aug 22nd: the third qualifying race 19.08.2009
The meeting at Pardubice on Saturday features the Skanska Grand Prix, the third qualifying race for the Velka Pardubicka. The favourite will be Sixteen, VP winner in 2007 and 2008, which is already qualified. Mandarino was a good 2nd in the June qualifying race. Baggio and Numero Due are not yet qualified, but may well show that they are contenders for the VP on October 11th. more ...
The second qualifying race: won the outsider 14.06.2009
The June qualifying race for the 119th Ceska Pojistovna Velka Pardubicka produced a close finish and a shock result. The outsider Profil, owned by Mikrop Čebín-Sunnyfarm, trained by Jiri Janda, and ridden by Michal Köhl, won in a blanket finish from Del Sole, Sixteen, Mr Land and Welldancer, with just over two lengths between first and fifth. Other finishers, which also qualify for the big race, were, in descending order, Juventus, Jung, Derby Sharp, Korinka, Baccarat, Claudio, Rubin and Lirain. more ...
The second qualifying race - June 13th 10.06.2009
The main race at Pardubice on Saturday is the Paramo Grand Prix, 5800 m., crosscountry, the 2nd qualifying race for the 119th Ceska Pojistovna Velka Pardubicka. It has attracted a field of 18, including Sixteen, Juventus (who failed to qualify in the first QR), and a couple of very interesting Van'a trained younger horses, Del Sole and Welldancer. more ...
Silver Birch entered for Pardubice 8.06.2009
Trainer Gordon Elliott rates the chances of him running Grand National winner Silver Birch in the Velka Pardubicka in October as "50/50". Following his famous victory at Aintree in 2007, Silver Birch was sidelined through injury for almost two years, but the 12-year-old bounced back with a fine second (to Garde Champetre) in the La Touche Cup at Punchestown in April this year. more ...
Italians accepted for Velka Pardubicka 1.06.2009
We are glad to announce that, in accordance wiith paragraph 261, the names of two horses, both trained in Italy by Paolo Favero, have been added to the entries for the 119th Velka Pardubicka, 6-y-o Kandinskiy and Poggio Torselli. more ...
Velka Pardubicka: 54 entries 29.05.2009
54 horses. So many names are gathered in the first deadline for applications to the 119th Velka pardubicka, sponsored by Česká pojišťovna insurance company. It is between them the whole Czech tip led by last year's winner Sixteen. From abroad have been entered 16 horses. Among other things, Silver Birch, winner of the Grand National in 2007. more ...
Tomis wins 1st VP qualifying race 24.05.2009
On the racecourse in Pardubice was held on the 1st qualification for the 119th Velka pardubicka, sponsored by Česká pojišťovna insurance company. The winner became surprisingly tomis with jockey Paul Kašným. more ...
Sixteen wins second straight Velka, Britons failed to impress 12.10.2008
Foreign runners failed to complete the course of 118th running of Velka pardubicka steeplechase, the biggest race in the Czech calendar. Ferdy Murphy´s Ivoire de Beaulieu with Keith Mercer aboard set the pace in the first half but failed to follow the course then and had to be disqualified together with eventual winner Amant Gris. Charlie Man´s Nadover under Noel Fehily failed to complete the course as well as Italy´s Fatal Mac. 8yo mare Sixteen was awarded the race by stewards decision after finishing second under Josef Bartos. Sixteen won the same race in 2007 and gave her 56 yo trainer Josef Vana his third straght winner in the most prestigious race in the Czech Republic
Sixteen runners for the VP * only three from abroad 3.10.2008
Pardubice racecourse will be disappointed that only three of the 27 foreign entries are among the runners for the 2008 Velka Pardubicka, sponsored for the 14th time by Czech insurance company Ceska pojistovna. The disappointment should not be too great, however, as all three foreign horses, one from Italy and two from the UK, are serious contenders.
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Pocci wins modest VP qualifying race 15.09.2008
The September qualifying race is often criticized for producing a poor field, as all serious contenders for the VP reckon to qualify well before this last opportunity. This year the race attracted a small and weak field of just seven, on hard ground. Pocci, who had qualified in May, won narrowly after making some mistakes. He beat Grup, Ascot and Roosevelt and three non-finishers. Grup and Ascot are not entered for the VP, and it is scarcely likely that they will be expensive supplementary entries for the race. Roosevelt, who had already qualified for the VP in August, showed again that he is one-paced. Although this was a slowly-run, moderate-quality race, it produced and exciting finish with all four still in contention after the last fence. Pocci is trained by Josef Vaňa and was ridden by Josef Bartos, both of whom have made it clear that the stable has several better horses in the VP on October 12th, and that Pocci should be aimed at one of the other races. Of course, the owner will make the final decision.
The last qualifying race for the Velka Pardubicka will be run on Saturday 9.09.2008
The last of the four qualifying races for the Velka Pardubicka will be run over 5800 metres on Saturday. Perhaps the most interesting thing is that Pessoa, Masini and Hastaven are not entered. Pessoa and Masini will presumably run in the Gran Premio at Merano at the end of September. Since Hastaven will now not qualify, Wrbna Racing have only Moning Let in the field for the VP, and he is not a certain runner after a setback in the summer. more ...
Juventus wins enigmatic Skanska Grand Prix (3rd qualifying race) 26.08.2008
There was just enough rain to ensure reasonable going for the third Velka Pardubicka qualifying race at Pardubice on August 23rd. The race itself raised new questions and gave few answers. The five most favoured runners were all trained by Josef Van’a.
The results of the second qualifying race 16.06.2008
After falling at the Irish Bank in the first VP qualifying race, Moning Let, owned by Wrbna Racing and ridden by Jan Faltejsek, reappeared in the June qualifying race (Paramo Grand Prix) and won easily on good going. Second place, 10 lengths behind, went to Juventus, who has finished 2nd and 5th in the last two VPs.
The second qualifying race - June 14th 12.06.2008
The Major Svoboda Memorial, over 5800 metres, run on June 14th, is the second VP qualifying race for Czech and Slovak-trained horses. This race has attracted an interesting field of 12 entries, headed by Decent Fellow. This veteran won the VP in 2006 and has a long and distinguished record in the VP, in the qualifying races and all over Europe . more ...
Entries for the Česká pojišťovna Velká pardubická 11.06.2008
There are 69 entries for the Ceska Pojistovna Velka Pardubicka, including 27 from abroad. With just over four months until the Velka Pardubicka, we thought it was time to start our build-up to the big race on October 12 and look at the possible British and Irish runners. more ...
