Sat Aug 22nd: the third qualifying race 2009-08-19
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. Marath impressed in the August qualifying race in 2008. An interesting runner is Super Lord, entered for the VP and now trained by Graham Smith. He does not appear to have much form, and it is interesting that Jan Faltejsek is to ride him. Petr Tuma will be on Baggio!There are nine races on the programme, and the first race is at 1 pm. The Category II crosscountry chase over 5200 metres has attracted an extraordinarily strong field. It includes Amant Gris, Aspirant, Bejrut, Del Sole, Gernia, Mastman and Mr Land, not to mention Teresina which has won two of the "Little Velkas" on the upcountry courses this summer, and 5-year-old Valldemoso, which won the Albertovska Crosscountry at Albertovec.
There are plenty of interesting runners in the rest of the card, which includes a race for 4-y-o and 5-y-o mares, part of the process aimed at improving the quality of mares used in Czech breeding. Some steady rain at the end of the week would be welcomed by trainers and owners.
