131st Gran Pardubicka

It’s the 131st Velka Pardubicka Steeplechase, and again it’s the best of European cross-country chasers who assemble in the Czech Republic for this famous steeplechase of 6.9km.

With some 19 horses facing 30 fences, this famous cross-country has been run at Pardubice since 1874, with the 2017 winner No Time To Lose being favourite for Paragan Stables.

Returning to his best form No Time To Lose has won both starts this year including the Grand Prix of Pardubice of 5,800m for trainer Josef Vana Sr, and will be again ridden by Ondej Velek.

In falling last year, and fifth in 2018, he was a 17,000Gns graduate of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, being a 35,000Gns October Sale yearling from Carmel Stud, Ireland.

A winner over 2 miles at three, and by the Epsom Derby winner Authorized, he’s from the winning Peintre Celebre mare Ballymore Celebre, also dam of popular July Stakes winning sire Anjaal.

With Josef Vana Sr also having the 2018 winner Theophilos and Mahre King starting, it’s the Nyznerov stable that has Player, Stretton and Sztorm running under three different trainers.

In this being a top-class field, both Player and Stretton have finished second in past Velkas, with this year’s qualifying race winners were No Time To Lose, Evzen, Lombargini and Kaiserwalzer.

In Ribelino setting a race record of 8:56.01 in 2015, it was the 12yo Hegus who won last year in 9:22.99, and returns for back-to-back victories under trainer Radek Holcak, and the Sevcu stable.

To be again ridden by Lukas Matusky, and second in 2018, Hegus won by 1½ lengths last year, having challenged the leaders at the 26th American Post and Rail, and then leading on the final jump.

With Dr Jiri Charvat and Tuma Pavel having their 2019 Parbuckba winner Tzigane du Berlais running fifth to Hegus, it was their 3yo colt Hazarder who won the Czech Derby for its 101st running.

In being the nation’s principal flat race, and the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Irish bred Hazarder scored by 1½ lengths, to give jockey Vaclav Janacek his third Czech Derby success.

In not contesting the Czech 2000 Guineas, or later the St Leger, Hazarder was coming off a first-up 2200m win in May, and did the Derby the hard way, starting from barrier 15 of 16 runners.

The experience of Vaclav Janacek showed, as he comfortably raced three wide, mid field, until the home turn, where he made ground, hitting the front at the 200m to win by 1½ lengths.

Now the winner of three races from four starts, including a 2000m 2yo victory at Pisa in Italy, Hazarder was bred by the Niarchos Family, and was a €8,500 buy at the Goffs November Foal Sale.

Being the family of the highly influential Kingmambo, the Irish bred Hazarder is by the Aga Khan’s Epsom and Irish Derby winner Harzand, the second foal of his unraced Montjeu dam Kitoko.

Dr Charvet’s initial Czech Derby success came with his 50/1 home bred Joseph in 2017 when ridden by Jiri Palik, and the first for Tuma Pavel who trains at Bruntal Castle, near the Polish border.

With the Czech Derby being run over the classic 2400m on 27 June at the Prague Velka Chuche racecourse, it was the Derby fifth Kamssio who took out the Czech St Leger on 5 September.

As the Derby winner Hazarder didn’t contesting the St Leger of 2800m, it was Kamssio to score his first win in the season’s four starts, in being the third and final leg of the Czech Triple Crown.

In Kamssion not racing at two, he was a €6,000 yearling from the Deauville Autumn Sale, being by the Kendor sire Kendargent from the Montjeu mare Rampoldina, the family of Six Perfections.

With this year’s Triple Crown not claimed and with three different winners, it was the Derby third placed Royal Words who won the Czech 2000 Guineas of 1600m in May at Velka Chuche.

In also by passing the St Leger, the French bred Royal Words went onto win the Austrian Derby of 2200m at Ebreichsdorf, and is a son of Wotton Bassett who shuttles to Coolmore Australia.

In being the principal classic in central Europe the Czech Derby was first run in 1921 at the Prague Velka Chunche, and the Triple Crown won seven times, most recently by Age of Jape in 2009.