| 23 Czech-trained horses qualified for the Velka Pardubicka | |
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The high point of this year’s horseracing season will be the 121st running of the Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka, which will be held on Sunday, October 9th. Horses traditionally have to earn the right to start in the big race, either in one of the four qualification races run at Pardubice in the course of the season, or alternatively abroad. The conditions for participating have been fulfilled by 23 Czech-trained horses and by 5 foreign contenders. This number was not raised in the final qualification race on September 10th. The first horse to qualify for the 121st Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka was Tiumen. He qualified on the basis of his win in last year's race. This season he showed good form for defending his title when he won the third qualification race in August. Twenty other Czech horses were added in the four qualification races. Josef Váňa now has 5 qualified horses. In addition to Tiumena, there are Caland, Lirain, Lutin des Bordes and Sixteen. Two trainers have three representatives: Radek Holčák (Amant Gris, Chenonceau, Bremen Plan) and Čestmír Olehla (Baggio, Ronino, Ignacio). Like last year, Czech-owned horses can also fulfill the qualification conditions abroad. They can earn the right to run in the 121st Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka by completing the course in one of the races for the Crystal Cup, with the exception of the Velka Pardubicka, or in a steeplechase or crosscountry steeplechase over a distance of at least 4800 metres in Ireland, England, France or Italy that is run after October 15th, 2010. So far this year, two Czech-trained horses have qualified in this way. Il en Reve qualified on April 8th at Fontainebleau, in France. A few days ago, Ignacio qualified by completing a crosscountry race in Merano, Italy. Six foreign horses have been entered for the 121st Česká pojišťovna Velka Pardubicka. Five of them are qualified – Another Jewel, Headsontheground, Freneys Well and Let The Show Begin, all from Ireland, and Notez Le, from Switzerland. Only French-trained Crystal Spark has not yet qualified. |