Outsider wins the VP qualfying race - VP favourites warm up satisfactorily

The meeting at Pardubice on August 28th featured two races in which well-fancied entries for the Velka Pardubicka met up. However, at the end of the afternoon we were little wiser as to which horse might win on Ocotber 10th. In the Category II Association of Hotels and Restaurants of the Czech Republic Prize, over 5200 metres, VP 2009 winner Tiumen, ridden by Josef Vana jnr, came up against impressive June qualifying race winner Bremen Plan. However, the race was won, rather impressively, by Mastman (which is entered for the VP, but not yet qualified). Tiumen's owner, Ivo Koehler, was well pleased win his horse's performance, and thinks he will not need another race before October. Isar finished third, ahead of Bremen Plan, which also appeared to have a fairly satisfactory warm-up run.

The Skanska Grand Prix, Listed, 5800 metres, was the third of the four VP qualifying races at Pardubice Racecourse, and it attracted a large, high-quality field. Sixteen, winner of the VP in 2007 and 2008, and second in 2009, was favoured to win. There was plenty of interest in Amant Gris, disqualified from first place in VP 2008, and in Welldancer, ridden by Josef Vana snr. As they approached the last fence, Mandarino, winner of the May qualifying race, Sixteen and Amant Gris were well placed, as was Aspirant. To the surpise of everyone, it was Aspirant which  came good in the run in, finishing ahead of Mandarino, Amant Gris and Sixteen. A total of 11 out of 17 finished and qualified for the Velka Pardubicka. 5th to 11th places went to Wavelight Laser, Ligreta, Il en Reve, Bejrut and Tomis,  with Welldancer and Marath trailing in some way behind. Bejrut ran prominently for a long way, and Il en Reve was still in second place when they came on to the grass track 800 metres from home. Il en Reve had nothing left after the second last, but this was a fine performance from this horse left in Pardubice after coming over from Ireland to run in the VP last October.

Jockey Jiri Kousek, who rode Aspirant, now has a difficult choice between Bremen Plan, trained by Radek Holcak, and Aspirant, trained by Frantisek Holcak, on Ocotber 10th. He will make his choice later. Josef Vana snr now thinks that Welldancer probably will not go for the Velka Pardubicka. However, his stable has 12 entries in  the race, and there will be one of them availabe for the living legend to ride. Josef Vana trained three winners at the meeting, two of which were ridden by Josef Bartos. The two main races were both won by owner Jiri Charvat.