Bremen Plan wins the 2nd VP qualification race
The second of the four Velka Pardubicka qualification races is the Paramo Grand Prix, Milos Svoboda Memorial, 5800 metres, crosscountry, which was run at Pardubice on June 12th. To fit in with the football World Cup on television, the meeting began at 3 pm, and the main race was after 7 pm. This was just as well, as the heat of a very hot and humid afternoon had died down a little. After several hot days, the going was firm (officially, good to firm). 15 runners lined up. Amant Gris, first past the post but correctly disqualified in VP 2008, was not qualified to run because trainer Radek Holcak, and I, had failed to notice that the race was for horses that in 2009 or 2010 had been placed in a Category III or higher race.
Radek Holcak’s VP challenge had started badly, when, in the first qualification race, in May, Bremen Plan fell and brought down Isar, the stable's other entry. Once the second qualification race began, Radek’s luck turned. Bremen Plan, ridden by Jiri Kousek, led the race more or less all the way round and won very comfortably from Pocci and Sixteen. Pocci ran his usual honest race. Sixteen, ridden by Josef Bartos was dropped in at the back of the field from the beginning and was never placed to win. However, she got round safely and made up good ground in the last 800 metres. This was a very similar performance to her run in the same race in 2009, and her many fans will be thinking she could well add to her two victories in the VP. Others, though, have noted that Bremen Plan fell in his first race in 2008 and again in 2009, and each time went on the win a race at the VP meeting at Pardubice. Bremen Plan and Sixteen certainly put down markers for the big race on October 10th.
For the rest of the field, it was important to get round and to qualify for the VP. Fourth place went to Teresina, and she was followed by Korinka, Profil, Del Sole, Lirain, Rubin and Isar. Hirsch was pulled up, Il en Reve ran out, and Sagwan, Tresh and Mr Land all fell. CT4 showed a lurid picture of Pavel Slozil’s bloodied face after Mr Land’s fall. Mr Land took a bad fall, too, and this very genuine horse has come to the end of his racing career.
Under the new rules, Czech-trained horses can also qualify for the VP in races run outside the country. Juventus, placed several times in the VP, finished 2nd at Merano on June 13th, and is now qualified for the VP on October 10th.
Ursan, owned by Nyznerov, trained by Stanislav Popelka and ridden by Pavel Kasny, won the Category I crosscountry “sprint” over 3300 metres. In the Category II classical steeplechase, Josef Bartos, returning from a serious injury, got up in the last few strides on Sherento.
Jan Faltejsek rode three winners in the afternoon, two of them for Pegas and trainer Greg Wroblewski. Pegas owner Jiri Travnicek has been looking for a good Velka Pardubicka horse for years, and now he has two hopefuls. Partoutatou has won two smallish races at Pardubice this season, and now Orphee des Blins won a category III crosscountry race in good style. Both are entered for the VP.
This was Polish Day at Pardubice, and Polish-bred horses achieved 4 first places, 4 seconds and 4 thirds in the nine races. It is good to hear that racing in Poland is, or seems to be, on a much sounder basis than for many years, with over 70 meetings planned this season at the fine racecourse at Warsaw.
The next meeting at Pardubice is on Saturday, June 26th, first race at 3pm, later than usual, to fit in with the CT4 television schedule. The main race will be the Gold Cup.
Outsider wins the last Derby Trial
30:1 outsider Polish-bred Omnibus, by Da Xian, won the Agrobyskovice June Cup, 2400 metres on June 13th, beating Fabregas and Slovak-trained Peer Cooper. This was a slowly-run race, and was Omnibus’s first run over such a distance. It was a big improvement over his other performances, but he will have to improve again to have a chance in the big race on June 27th. Omnibus is owned by Zdenek Kavka, trained by Josef Bartos snr, and was ridden by Jaromir Safar.
The next meeting at Prague Velka Chuchle is Derby Day
The next meeting at Auto Hase Park Prague Velka Chuchle Racecourse is on Sunday June 27th. It will be Czech Derby day, the highpoint of the Czech Flat racing season. The staff at the racecourse will be hard at work in the meantime. On the fourth Sunday in June, the racecourse is always at its best, with green grass and plenty of flowers. Note that there is no meeting at Velka Chuchle on Sunday June 20th.
Derby day – the first race is at 1 pm
Please note that the first race on Derby Day, Sunday June 27th, will be at 1 p.m., one hour earlier than usual. This is in order to fit the Derby in with World Cup football in the CT4 television programme. The car park will fill up on Derby Day. The recommended way to come is by the train service that leaves Prague Hlavni nadrazi (main station) at 9 and 39 minutes past each hour and leaves Prague Smichovske nadrazi (Smichov station) at 14 and 47 minutes past the hour, reaching Prague Velka Chuchle, adjacent to the racecourse, at 23 and 53 minutes past the hour.