| Trainer Uhl says "We were lucky" | |
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After finishing 2nd three times this year, Valldemoso won the final VP qualification race. Like last year, the 7-y-o gelding came out on top in the France Car Prize, the fourth and final qualification race for the Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka, as one of the two co-favourites. He runs in the colours of DS Sendy Ostrava – Uhl, and was ridden by Dušan Andrés. He won by two lengths from Karlsbad. "I hope the horse will keep fit, that we will be as lucky in October as we were today, and that we will get round in the Velka Pardubicka, without falling at the Taxis like last year," says trainer Jiří Uhl. "In training, he doesn’t do a thing. In work, hopeless two-year-olds are better than him. But he is already an old professor who knows what he needs to do in training. It all turns out differently in the race," the winning trainer adds. Let us look back at the final qualification race. Valldemoso won again like last year. Did the race go the way you expected? "No, it wasn’t how I'd expected. However, the horse won, so we'll accept it. We were quite lucky today. He made a mistake at the second last. I didn’t see it. I was looking in the opposite direction. I was pretty worked up because he had been taken to the front quite early." Did you really not see Valldemoso make a mistake at the second last? "I didn’t see it. When we came on to grass track [800 metres from home], it seemed to me that Dušan Andrés was going to the front. It was terribly early, like in the first qualification race. That time he finished 2nd. The same thing had happened at Albertovec and at Světlá Hora. We took the lead far too early. I was sure we were going to get beaten." It turned out for the best. After finishing 2nd three times this year, Valldemoso got his first win of the season. "I don’t overrate this result. A number of obstacles were missed out and the going was deep. With the exception of Chenonceau, there was a somewhat weaker field than in the first and third qualification races. I take that into account. I find the race hard to evaluate. What we wanted above all was not to fall. To avoid any setback. Both for the horse and for the jockey. I wanted Dušan to find his way according to how the race developed. He found his way, and we won. What more can I say? So the plan was not to win the race? "Today I wanted Valldemoso to show whether his form is holding, and how he performs on deeper ground like this. We did not go out to win. We just wanted to get round safely. Of course, every crown is good for us. I am now a joint owner of the horse. It’s my money too. I don’t want to throw money around. I’d rather buy my son a new bike or something like that. For this reason, I try to keep using the same rider, so that he can get to know the horse as well as possible. So that it is not necessary give the jockey detailed instructions. Only a few details from training. And then let him find his own way according to how the race goes. Dušan was told today not to go to the front. Right after the race he told me there was no other way. It’s a bit hard. For the distance of the Velka Pardubicka we still have to find another 1100 metres. Dušan assured me that he would certainly have carried on galloping today. So, we’ll see." We’ll see in a month, if Valldemoso runs. Are your thoughts already turning to the 121st running of the Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka? "Well, first of all, Valldemoso must remain fit. And nothing should happen to the jockey, either. I think I will stick with him, and I hope he'll stick with Valldemoso. We’ll see about everything else in October. It’s a matter of luck. I’m of the opinion that Tiumen is something special. Only a pice of bad luck can deprive him of victory. I think Baggio comes after him. He’s pretty good when he’s fit. Those two horses are ahead of the rest. We and the others will be trying to get round." |