- This topic has 27 replies, 17 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 6 months ago by
.
- Posts
Ever slow to chide and swift to bless, can I say a great big Dankeschön to RUK for their decision to show the 120th running of the Velka Pardubicka live this coming Sunday afternoon, 2.25pm BST.
I know this race, along with the other pan-European banks races, has its share of followers on TRF, so I thought I’d best make sure this doesn’t get overlooked.
Final 20-runner line-up confirmed as follows (horse, age and owner), c/o http://www.dostihyjc.cz/prihlasky.php, which seems to have got there a bit quicker than the racecourse’s own website!
AMANT GRIS(FR), 11 Stáj Hřebčín Albertovec
ASPIRANT(POL), 7 Dr.Charvát
BAGGIO(POL), 8 Wrbna Racing
BEJRUT(POL), 9 Dr.Charvát
BREMEN PLAN(POL), 7 Nýznerov
IL EN REVE(FR), 12 Architekti 75
JUNG(POL), 10 Jan Červenka
JUVENTUS(POL), 11 Javor
KOBUZ(POL), 8 Jasna
LAKREG, 10 M&T Bell-Metal
LIGRETA, 10 Sorbon Malá Bystřice-Hrbáček
LIRAIN, 9 Luka-www.trdelnik.com
MANDARINO, 9 EŽ Praha a.s.
MR BIG(IRE), 9 Mark Hunter & Hugh Villiers
RUBÍN, 8 Orling
SIXTEEN(FR), 10 Jaroslav Bouček Buc-Film
TERESINA(GER), 8 Stáj Luka-Mandak
TEVIOT, 7 Englic
TIUMEN(POL), 9 Köi Dent
VALLDEMOSO, 6 DS Sendy Ostrava NeuvirtWonder if the likes of AngloGerman, Irish Stamp, etc. have a view on a potential winner? Usual ready supply of fair course form, at least, with last year’s first (Tiumen), second (Sixteen, winner in 2007 and 2008), fourth (Mandarino) and sixth (Jung) all back again and arguing at least as compelling case as Charlie Mann’s Mr Big (16th in 2009), if not more so.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
I’ve only heard of half the field Jeremy – thought that Drombeag and co were being aimed at this race mind?
Tbh of those in the race I’d be with Juventus who has the top course form, short of anything coming from left field though that’s only off hand and will take a look at the form later on tonight/tomorrow.
Be interesting to see if more firms price this up now it’s in the Crystal Cup series (which tbh I’ve been disappointed at the UK and Ireland’s representation in thus far).
Martin
Would have at least hoped that Lord Nellerie would have been entered in the race – he’s done well around the banks courses in Ireland (Punchestown, Athlacca and Lingstown) and seems to get on well with Evanna McCutcheon so surely worth a shot at this?
- Total Posts 17716
I was reading they are somewhat disappointed with the lack of runners from our waters.
Very hard race to work out for betting purposes but fantastic to watch. I watched it last year but can’t remeber where…….any website set up to show it?
If I can watch it I’m backing Tiumen for an interest. Woud be nice if Charlie mann could win it but he’s such a one paced old yolk of a thing.
One minute he looks like he’s cantering and the next he loses ground like he’s been shot.
Wasn’t Sixteen a hot fav for this last year? damned if I remember
I’ve only heard of half the field Jeremy – thought that Drombeag and co were being aimed at this race mind?
Drombeag certainly appears in some of the early lists of entries for the race, as does Lucky Nellerie (Lord Nellerie was that Brendan Powell inmate from 2006-7 whom Guy Opperman MP partnered, wasn’t he?). However, I’ve not worked out from the site as yet whether they were pulled out of the race at a given forfeit stage or missed the cut having not taken part in a qualifier.
Be interesting to see if more firms price this up now it’s in the Crystal Cup series (which tbh I’ve been disappointed at the UK and Ireland’s representation in thus far).
You and me both – other than Suzy Smith and Nigel Benstead’s trip to France in May, for a lot of the Crystal Cup series it seems to have been Denis Paul Murphy inmates flying the flag for the home nations single-handedly!
Massive kudos to Murphy for aiming Another Jewel at the big banks races at Le Lion D’Angers and Craon this summer, scooping around £60,600 in total for the gelding’s first and second places respectively in those two contests (which could have been augmented yet further had Another Jewel not been a thirteenth hour withdrawal from another well-imbued contest at Merano last month).
And at the same time, may the connections of any other halfway decent UK / Ireland banks horses who haven’t even given the series a first thought hang their heads in shame – complaints about prizemoney levels don’t cut too much ice with me in this instance when loads of the stuff is sloshing around in tailor-made races outwith our isles, none of which are especially hard to find out about.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
Ah – the Velka Pardubicka!! I won’t be there this year, but it’s a place I can recommend most heartily, and remains one of my favourite racecourses. This years race is wide open, and I’ve come up with the following analysis:
It’s a case of ‘old versus new’ this year, as a host of impressive younger horses take on established course specialists. Local favourite is the 7 year old Bremen Plan, one of 8 Polish bred horses in the race, who won the Labe Prize on Pardubice day last year. I was at Pardubice that day and Bremen Plan went into a lot of notebooks as a future VP winner. However, he fell in his first race this year and was a disappointing 4th last time out, and although Jiri Kousek has decided to ride this horse, I think he may have made the wrong choice. The first, second and fourth from last year do battle again this time around. Last years victor Tiumen has just had the one run this year, finishing second last month. Trainer Josef Vana rides him again, and the 58 (I think!!) year old bids for yet another victory in this race. Last years runner up Sixteen knows this place inside out, but her two runs this season have been slightly below par, and maybe her best days could be behind her. Mandarino was 4th last year, and won his first two this season, before finishing fifth in a regulation chase. Second last time out in a cross country chase proved his wellbeing and at 9, Mandarino could be at his peak and can go close here. Jung was 6th last year, and ran second in one of the qualifying races before parting with jockey Bob Matl last time out. Lakreg was 9th last year, but doesn’t appear to be in great form this time around. Valldemoso however has been in great form this year, having won his last 3, but this might be too soon for this talented 6 year old. My good friend Jan Korpas rides Juventus, another VP veteran, who has been campaigned mainly in Italy this year. He’s pretty sure to get round, but hasn’t won for 2 years. Amant Gris would be a very popular winner for the Albertovec Stud, who have suffered terrible heartbreak in this race for the last 2 years. In 2008, Amant Gris was disqualified after passing the post first whilst the owners other horse, Klip broke a leg and had to be put down. and to cap a terrible time, the stud manager Josef Hajek collapsed and died shortly after the race. Last year, the Albertovec Studs Shirley suffered the same fate of Klip the previous year, and they really do deserve some better luck this year. Amant Gris won two small races this year before finishing fourth in one of the qualifying races. Bejrut and Baggio have similar profiles, having switched from regulation chasing in Group races in Italy to cross country races, but both are doubtful stayers. Teviot won a race on VP day last year and is progressive, but this 7 years old lacks experience compared to some of these. With Drombeag and Freneys Well both out due to injury, overseas hopes lie with Mr. Big. He was only 16th last year, and I know that Charlie Mann was bitterly disappointed as he said to me before the race that he was hopeful of a big run. He seems to be in similar form to how he was last year, and I’m worried that he won’t take to the course like last year. The Ex-Irish Il en Reve has failed to finish 3 of 5 races this year, whilst the two horses with female jockeys, Rubin and Ligreta, are huge outsiders with very little chance. Kobuz has been in the first 4 in two VP qualifiers this year, but has also failed to finish on a couple of occasions recently, whilst Teresina recorded a hat trick of wins last year, but has struggled upped in class and distance this season.
There are two horses I haven’t mentioned. One is Lirain, who last year had form figures of U0UU0, including unseating in this race last year! However, this year saw him change from the Jaromir Hrudka stable to the all conquering Josef Vana yard, and on his only run for his new trainer, he was an excellent secondin one of the qualifying races. Partnered in the big race by Josef Vana Jnr, Lirain could be the one to watch. However, there is one horse I just can’t get away from – Aspirant. At 7, he’s one of the new kids on the block, but in August he won the final qualifying race here, and no less than 8 of todays opponents were behind him, including Mandarino, Amant Gris and Sixteen. Regular jockey Jiri Kousek has opted for Bremen Plan, however Jan Faltejsek comes in for the ride, and his only previous ride on the horse saw the pair win a 100,000 Euro Group 2 contest at Merano back in 2007, and I feel he could be the one to beat. There is a slight word of caution as last year, he refused at the Irish Bank on two occasions, but he seems to have conqueured that obstacle this season.
VERDICT:
A really open renewal of the race this year, and plenty in with chances. Bremen Plan is likely to start favourite, but he fell on his reappearance this season and was disappointing last time out. The grey mare Sixteen is becoming a Pardubicka legend, and can be expected to run another decent race. Mandarino is arguably the form horse and has performed consistently in both regulation and cross country chases. Lirain showed much improved form for his new trainer last time out, however ASPIRANT beat 8 of these last time out here, and could be the one to beat here.PREDICTION:
1st – 18 ASPIRANT
2nd – 5 LIRAIN
3rd – 17 MANDARINO
4th – 13 SIXTEENPrices are as follows from Betino bookmakers – http://www.betino.cz:
7-2 Bremen Plan
5-1 Tiumen, Sixteen
6-1 Mandarino, Amant Gris
9-1 Aspirant
12-1 Valldemoso
14-1 Baggio
16-1 Juventus, Lirain
35-1 Jung
50-1 Bejrut, Kobuz, Mr Big, Teviot
76-1 Teresina, Il En Reve
100-1 Lakreg, Ligreta
200-1 RubinDrombeag certainly appears in some of the early lists of entries for the race, as does Lucky Nellerie (Lord Nellerie was that Brendan Powell inmate from 2006-7 whom Guy Opperman MP partnered, wasn’t he?). However, I’ve not worked out from the site as yet whether they were pulled out of the race at a given forfeit stage or missed the cut having not taken part in a qualifier.
I not that David Parry’s website has Lucky Nellerie down as own of their formerly owned horses. I wonder if he has been retired or moved on? He ran last year in teh Parry group’s ownership and the original intention was to go for the race again this year.
My wife had intended to book a trip to Pardubice this year to celebrate my 50th birthday. Unfortunately this is the one year the school holidays don’t clash with the event, and Aileen being headteacher it would have been difficult to justify travelling on the Friday and Monday. Hopefully we can make the trip next year.
Rob
I shall settle for finding it on YouTube later on but its always a cracking race and a nice way to start the NH season.
Course form is essential so i have no idea who will win it so i will give a tentative vote to Sixteen.
Hats off to RUK for showing it, i just wonder who the person in the RUK booth will be calling the race.
I not that David Parry’s website has Lucky Nellerie down as own of their formerly owned horses. I wonder if he has been retired or moved on? He ran last year in teh Parry group’s ownership and the original intention was to go for the race again this year.
Nellerie actually went to the sales a couple of months ago. I know this because Christian was looking at buying him!! Basically, he was shopping for an owner who wanted a horse to run in big staying chases in Europe, but Christian bought the ex Charlie Longsdon trained Our Hero instead. I do know that Nellerie was sold quite cheaply though.
It’s definitely on my ‘to do’ list at some stage.
Todays renewal:-
Good call from Mark Johnson on RUK this afternoon, must have been difficult with so many foreign and unfamiliar horses and jockeys.
I actually saw the Czech TV coverage, and it really was brilliant. 5 hours of uninterrupted coverage with all 8 races of the meeting being shown live. They have a studio presenter, two presenters at the course, two roving reporters interviewing various people and several experts. This year, the expert analysis was provided by Milan Olehla (brother of top trainer Cestmir), reporter Pavel Fucik, Chris Collins and Richard Dunwoody!! Dunwoody himself said he was delighted at Josef Vanas victory – it seems that the two of them know each other quite well, and Dunwoody said that the crowd noise was incredible when Vana won. I was there last year when Vana won, and it was just unbelievable. I’ve been to the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Grand National and several big races in Germany, but the noise at last years Pardubicka was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
In amongst all this though, you really have to feel so sorry for the runner up, Amant Gris. As I mentioned on my preview, his owner and trainer have has such desperate bad luck in this race in the last couple of years, but at 11, you wonder if he can reproduce todays run next year.
Was that the coolest finish from a jockey, ever, or did he nearly drop a very big clanger!!!
Without wanting to be a party pooper , and admitting that it is hard to quibble with a winning ride, I thought that it was a terrible piece of misjudgement that the jockey simply got away with
Without wanting to be a party pooper , and admitting that it is hard to quibble with a winning ride, I thought that it was a terrible piece of misjudgement that the jockey simply got away with
Well, he might not have got away with it! It’s been reported that the owner of second placed Amant Gris are going to protest against the winner for ‘taking his ground in the final furlong’. The protest is going the Czech Jockey Club as we speak!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.