Velká pardubická

Velká pardubická
Racecourse in Pardubice
Location Pardubice, Czech Republic
Inaugurated 5 November 1874
Race type Steeplechase
Website zavodistepardubice.cz
Race information
Distance 6.9 km (4 mi 506 yd)
Surface Turf
Qualification Six-years-old and up

Velká pardubická (Grand Pardubice Steeplechase) is a cross-country steeplechase run in Pardubice, Czech Republic since 1874. It takes place every year on the second Sunday in October.

The length of the steeplechase is 6.9 km (4 mi 506 yd), with 31 obstacles. It usually takes 9–10 minutes to finish the course; the record is 8:56.01 set by Ribelino in 2015.

Horses starting in the race must be at least six years old (before 2009, the minimum age was seven years); Czech horses must qualify by finishing at least one of four qualifying races during the season.

History

The race was first run in 1874 in Pardubice, a town long known in the horse racing world, as some trainers and jockeys from England came there to work. The current steeplechase course was established in 1856, however the course first took its present-day form in the years just after World War II.

The course of the race has been changed several times, most recently in 1998 when the direction of the final phase of the race was changed to accommodate the new grandstand. The surface of the racecourse is mainly grass, but one-quarter of the race is run through ploughed fields, which used to take almost half of the race in the past. Some obstacles have also been changed, mostly to improve safety, although the difficulty of the race is said to have suffered as a result.

Obstacles

Horses must negotiate a total of 31 obstacles. These are:

  • 1 - Hedge (1.2m)
  • 2 - Hedge with ditch (1.3m, with a 60 cm ditch on the other side)
  • 3 - Small water jump (3m long)
  • 4 - Taxis ditch. (This is the most famous obstacle in the race, and it is jumped just once. 28 horses have died at this obstacle. In the past it consisted of a 2 m deep and 5 m long ditch hidden behind a 1.5 m high hedge. It was changed before the 1994 race to be a 1 m deep and 4 m long ditch with a 1.5 m high hedge. For the 2021 race the obstacle will have a 0.75 m deep ditch and 5 m long ditch with a 1.35 m to 1.45 m high hedge. This obstacle is used only for the Velká pardubická, and horses are not permitted to use it for training.)
  • 5 - Irish bank. (This unusual obstacle requires the horses to shimmy up and down a steep artificial bank.)
  • 6 - Popkovic ditch. (1.3m hedge with a 2m long ditch on the other side)
  • 7 - French jump. A pair of closely spaced hedges, 1.2m and 1.3m in height, which must be jumped as one.
  • 8 & 9 - Small gardens. A pair of hedges, 1.25m and 1.3m in height, which are jumped in quick succession.
  • 10 - English jump. (1.2m hedge with a ditch on the takeoff side)
  • 10a - Extended taxis ditch. (Small hedge, about 1.1m tall, which joins with the main taxis ditch)
  • 11 - Hedge with ditch. (1.3m, with a ditch on the landing side)
  • 12 - Hedge. (1.2 m high and 1.3 m wide hedge with a 60 cm. The landing side is 0.5 m lower than the takeoff side)
  • 13 - Hedge. (1.3 m high and wide hedge that's 0.8 m high)
  • 14 - Polper's Jump. (0.8 m high double railing. It is named after the famous interwar rider and two-time winner of the Grand Cpt. Rudolf Popler, who died on this jump in 1932. In 1991, Železník fell here, but jockey Josef Váni senior, remounted and Železník went on to claim his fourth victory.)
  • 15 - Drop Bank. (In front of the stands. It is a two-meter drop.)
  • 16 - Stone Wall. (Stone wall in front of the stands 0.8 m wide and 0.85 m high wall, which is approached from a plowed field.)
  • 17 - Water Trough. (The largest water obstacle in the race. It is used to be 2 m deep but since the 1990s it has been changed to be 4.5 m wide and 0.7 m lower rebound compared to the original rebound.)
  • 18 - Large Moat. (In the past the second most feared obstacle behind Taxis Ditch now 4 m wide and 0.45 m deep.)
  • 19 - Mini Taxis drop. (The last of the three 'Taxis' ditch on the course. The hedge is 1.5 m high, 2 m wide and there is a 1.7 m ditch on the landing side.)
  • 20 & 21 - Small gardens. (A pair of hedges, 1.25m and 1.3m in height, which are jumped in quick succession.)
  • 22 - Open Brook. (A simple ditch with a white bounce beam which in the past where not there which lead to horses not seeing the brook. The brook is 3m wide and 0.9 m deep.)
  • 23 - Steeplechase obstacle. (Steeplechase jumps have replaced wicker obstacles, which are no longer jumped. This fence is 1.3 m high and 0.6 m wide.)
  • 24 - "At the hanger hedge" Hedge. (Named after it closeness to hangers by a nearby airport. It is a 1.3 m high and wide hedge. 0.6 m in front of it is an 0.8 m high bouncing crossbar.)
  • 25 - Big English jump. (0.5 m high and 1.6 m wide hedge, 0.6 m in front of it stands an 0.8 m high bounce beam. The difficulty of the obstacle is the landing, because the landing area is 40 cm higher than the takeoff side. Often causes problems in the wet.)
  • 26 - American post and rails. (2.4 m wide ditch with a 0.5 m high bounce beam.)
  • 27 - Havel's Jump. (1.4 m high and 1.9 m wide hedge with an 0.8 m high bounce beam at a distance of 0.5 m in front of the fence, followed by a 2.5 m wide shallow ditch. The difficulty of the jump is mainly due to its closeness to the end of the race.)
  • 28 - Steeplechase obstacle. (1.3 m high and 0.6 m wide)
  • 29 - Steeplechase obstacle. (1.3 m high and 0.6 m wide)
  • 30 - Steeplechase obstacle. (1.3 m high and 0.6 m wide)

Curiosities

Historically, the most successful horse in the race was Železník. The horse won the race four times (from 1987 to 1989 and again in 1991).

Josef Váňa Sr. is the most successful jockey, having achieved eight victories, and he is also a very well known celebrity in the Czech Republic. There is a 2012 movie about him (Váňa, directed by Jakub Wagner). He has also trained 10 winners of the Velká Pardubická and six horses which have finished in second place.

The first (and only woman) to have won the race as of 2022 is Countess Lata Brandisová (1896–1981), who won in 1937 with her mare, Norma – seven lengths ahead of the professional jockey Willibald Schlagbaum in second place. Only 10 of the 15 runners finished. She was the first woman to enter the race in 1927 (falling five times and remounting to finish fifth). In later years she came in fourth, third and second on Norma.

The 1937 Velká pardubická was the last race held for nearly a decade. The 1938 race was called off following the Munich Agreement and not run during World War II.

Winners

Year Winning Horse Age Handicap (kg) Jockey Trainer Owner Winning Time
2023 Sacamiro 10 70 Jan Faltejsek Eva Petříková Jezdecký oddíl Beňov 9m 28.27s
2022 Mr Spex 8 70 Lukáš Matuský Luboš Urbánek Lokotrans 9m 31.24s
2021 Talent 10 70 Pavel Složil ml. Hana Kabelková DS Kabelkovi 9m 12.79s
2020 Hegnus 12 70 Lukáš Matuský Radek Holčák Ševců 9m 22.99s
2019 Theophilos 9 70 Josef Bartoš Josef Váňa sr. Dostihový klub iSport-Váňa 9m 28.76s
2018 Tzigane du Berlais 7 70 Jan Faltejsek Pavel Tůma Dr. Charvát 9m 05.56s
2017 No Time To Lose 8 70 Jan Kratochvíl Josef Váňa sr. DS Paragan 9m 39.98s
2016 Charme Look 9 70 Jan Faltejsek Martina Růžičková Orling 9m 42.86s
2015 Ribelino 7 68 Pavel Kašný Stanislav Kovář Lokotrans 8m 56.01sR
2014 Orphee des Blins 12 66 Jan Faltejsek Grzegorz Witold Wroblewski DS Pegas 9m 08.25s
2013 Orphee des Blins 11 66 Jan Faltejsek Grzegorz Witold Wroblewski DS Pegas 9m 33.22s
2012 Orphee des Blins 10 66 Jan Faltejsek Grzegorz Witold Wroblewski DS Pegas 9m 13.39s
2011 Tiumen 10 68.5 Josef Váňa sr. Josef Váňa sr. Köi Dent 9m 15.29s
2010 Tiumen 9 68 Josef Váňa sr. Josef Váňa sr. Köi Dent 9m 03.73s
2009 Tiumen 8 68 Josef Váňa sr. Josef Váňa sr. Köi Dent 9m 19.56s
2008 Sixteen 8 66 Josef Bartoš Josef Váňa sr. Jaroslav Bouček Buc-Film 8m 58.99sR
2007 Sixteen 7 66 Dušan Andrés Josef Váňa sr. Jaroslav Bouček Buc-Film 9m 18.66s
2006 Decent Fellow 11 67 Josef Bartoš Josef Váňa sr. Dr. Charvát 9m 20.60s
2005 Maskul 11 67 Dirk Fuhrmann František Holčák Nýznerov 9m 11.25sR
2004 Registana 8 65 Peter Gehm Čestmír Olehla Wrbna Racing 9m 15.48sR
2003 Registana 7 65 Peter Gehm Čestmír Olehla Wrbna Racing 9m 30.14s
2002 Maskul 8 67 Peter Gehm Radek Holčák Nýznerov 10m 22.07s
2001 Chalco 9 67 Peter Gehm Josef Váňa sr. Viktor Komárek 10m 04.52s
2000 Peruán 12 67 Zdeněk Matysík Lenka Horáková DC Zámrsk - MUDr. Bruna 9m 29.00s
1999 Peruán 11 67 Zdeněk Matysík Lenka Horáková DC Zámrsk - MUDr. Bruna 9m 16.00sR
1998 Peruán 10 67 Zdeněk Matysík Lenka Horáková DC Zámrsk - MUDr. Bruna 10m 10.01s
1997 Vronsky 9 67 Josef Váňa sr. Josef Váňa sr. Viktor Komárek 10m 33.30s
1996 Cipísek 8 64.5 Vladislav Snitkovskij Josef Váňa sr. Stáj Luka 9m 35.10sR
1995 It's a Snip 10 67 Charlie Mann Charlie Mann The Icy Fire Partnership 10m 03.43s
1994 Erudit 8 65.5 Vladislav Snitkovskij František Holčák Pěník Vlachovice 10m 06.07s
1993 Rigoletto 9 70.5 Libor Štencl František Holčák Valstav-Paschal 10m 29.0s
1992 Quirinus 10 70.5 Jaroslav Brečka Pavel Kalaš Pôdohospodárske družstvo Senica 10m 09.1s
1991 Železník 13 70.5 Josef Váňa sr. Čestmír Olehla Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora 10m 01.0s
1990 Libentína 7 70.5 Karel Zajko František Holčák ŠPP Motěšice 9m 49.4sR
1989 Železník 11 70.5 Josef Váňa sr. Čestmír Olehla Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora 10m 16.3s
1988 Železník 10 70.5 Josef Váňa sr. Čestmír Olehla Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora 10m 59.8s
1987 Železník 9 70.5 Josef Váňa sr. Čestmír Olehla Státní statek Bruntál - Světlá Hora 9m 56.13sR
1986 Valencio 9 Karel Zajko František Holčák JZD Velké Karlovice 10m 39.4s
1985 Festival 11 Petr Vozáb Václav Čermák PP Kladruby 10m 36.4s
1984 Erot 9 N. Chludějev G. Chajanin Hřebčín Voschod 10m 48.9s
1983 Sagar 8 Pavel Liebich Václav Čermák PP Kladruby 10m 28.0s
1982 Sagar 7 Pavel Liebich Václav Čermák PP Kladruby 10m 12.04s
1981 Sagar 6 Pavel Liebich Václav Čermák PP Kladruby 12m 46.37s
1980 Simon 9 Vlastimil Knápek Květoslav Mocek JZD Pokrok Otice 11m 47.53s
1979 Legenda 6 Jiří Chaloupka Jiří Chaloupka JZD Družba Čebín 11m 07.10s
1978 Lancaster 6 Jiří Kasal Harry Petrlík sr. PP Šamorín 11m 30.60s
1977 Václav 9 Václav Chaloupka Václav Chaloupka Státní statek Židlochovice 12m 15.20s
1976 Limit 8 František Zobal František Janík PP Albertovec 10m 59.40s
1975 Mor 11 Karel Benš František Janík PP Albertovec 11m 01.70s
1974 Mor 10 Karel Benš František Janík PP Albertovec 10m 42.70s
1973 Stephen's Society 7 Christopher Collins Arthur Stephenson Christopher Collins 10m 04.90sR
1972 Korok 13 Václav Chaloupka Václav Chaloupka Státní statek Židlochovice 10m 55.20s
1971 Korok 12 Václav Chaloupka Václav Chaloupka Státní statek Židlochovice 11m 02.80s
1970 Vezna II 6 Nedělko G. Milev Petko Vladimirov DZS Štefan Karadža 11m 41.20s
1969 Korok 10 Václav Chaloupka Václav Chaloupka Státní statek Židlochovice 11m 01.20s
1968 cancelled
1967 Dresděn 8 A.N. Sokolov JO Avangard Lvov 11m 34.70s
1966 Nestor 7 Tibor Kňazík Tibor Kňazík ŠPU Prešov 12m 22.60s
1965 Mocná 7 František Vítek Stanislav Bárta Státní statek Benešov 10m 39.60s
1964 Priboj 7 Valentin Z. Gorelkin Ivan Avdějev DSO Urožaj 11m 33.60s
1963 Koran 12 František Vítek Václav Čechura SPÚ Tlumačov 10m 47.20s
1962 Gaboj 6 Rostislav P. Makarov Ivan Avdějev DSO Urožaj 10m 05.10sR
1961 Grifel 8 Ivan L. Avdějev Ivan Avdějev Hřebčín č. 158 10m 21.30sR
1960 Grifel 7 Ivan L. Avdějev Ivan Avdějev Hřebčín č. 158 12m 32.00s
1959 Epigraf 10 Vladimir P. Prachov Valerian Kujbyšev CKSK MO 12m 05.20s
1958 Epigraf 9 Vladimir P. Prachov Valerian Kujbyšev CKSK MO 13m 11.00s
1957 Epigraf 8 Vladimir N. Fedin Valerian Kujbyšev CKSK MO 11m 27.90s
1956 Letec 11 Josef Vavroušek Josef Dobeš Státní statek Xaverov 13m 14.80s
1955 Furioso XIV 7 Josef Čajda Emil Šulgan ŠŽ Topoľčianky 11m 32.10s
1954 Unkas 14 Ludvík Raimond Jiskra Moravský Beroun 13m 08.00s
1953 Junák 10 Ferdinand Palyza Ferdinand Palyza DSO Slavoj Opava 11m 13.50s
1952 Vítěz 13 Miloš Svoboda Družstvo Kalich 11m 25.30s
1951 Salvátor 10 Vladimír Hejmovský (Vladimír Alexandrovič Gejmovskij) Vladimír Hejmovský (Vladimír Alexandrovič Gejmovskij) Sokol KP Opava 10m 58.00s
1950 n/d Var 11 Josef Jungmann Sokol Borek 11m 17.20s
1949 Učeň 11 Oldřich Dostál VSJ Pardubice 10m 55.30s
1948 n/d Var 9 Miroslav Kotek Jaroslav Houra Vojenský útvar 2108 11m 03.30s
1947 Rayon De Lune 12 Maurice Buret Centre National des Sports Equesters 10m 30.80sR
1946 n/d Titan 9 Miloš Svoboda Miloš Svoboda Vojenský útvar 2228 11m 56.40s
1938–1945 cancelled
1937 Norma 10 Lata Brandisová Karel Šmejda Zdenko Radslav Kinský 10m 47.00s
1936 Herold 11 Oskar Lengnik Kerpen Oskar Lengnik 10m 47.00s
1935 Herold 10 Oskar Lengnik Oskar Lengnik 10m 41.40s
1934 Wahne 11 H. Wiese H. Wiese H. Wiese 12m 44.00s
1933 Remus 8 Reguiero Spano Dr. Alfred Tonelles 11m 24.60s
1932 Remus 7 Reguiero Spano Dr. Alfred Tonelles 12m 48.80s
1931 Pohanka 5 Lt. F. Durand Karel Šmejda Zdenko Radslav Kinský 14m 47.80s
1930 Gyi Lovam! 8 Rudolf Popler Rudolf Popler Cpt. Rudolf Popler 12m 00.00s
1929 Ben Hur 7 Gustav Schwandt Gustav Schwandt Gustav Schwandt 12m 37.00s
1928 Vogler 8 Hans Schmidt Feldwebel H. Nünninghoff Feldwebel H. Nünninghoff 12m 03.90s
1927 Forum n/a Josef Charous Josef Charous Cpt. J. Charous 14m 00.00s
1926 All Right II 7 Rudolf Popler Lufta Stáj Popler-Formánková 17m 44.60s
1925 Landgraf II 7 Karek Holoubek Stáj Max 19m 19.20s
1924 Herero Eduard Stärz Eduard Stärz Stáj Sankt Georg 13m 10.00s
1923 Landgraf II 5 66 Jan Pintér Martinkovich Stáj Max 13m 29.00s
1922 Baldur 5 60 František Gimpel Buřival Lady Huntingghost 15m 27.00s
1921 Periwig 7 68 Josef Syrový Oldřich Rosák A. Vaněk 15m 32.00s
1920 Jonathan 11 70 Karel Kozlík Jan Pálffy 20m 15.00s
1914–1919 cancelled
1913 Hurain Cpt. Wilhelm Reimer Capt. Johann Buzinkay v. Buzinka
Dick Turpin 10 Ferencz Janek Martinkovich Lt. Friedrich Rosenthal 11m 11.50s
1912 Hurain 1Lt. Wilhelm Reimer Capt. Johann Buzinkay v. Buzinka
Jamagata 6 František Bartosch František Bartosch František Bartosch 11m 39.40s
1911 Glenmorgan 6 73.5 Jenö von Egan-Krieger Jenö von Egan-Krieger Count Frankenberg 10m 22.00s
1910 Paul Heston 5 70 Max Seiffert Maj. Karl Adam von Wuthenau-Hohenthurm 14m 26.50s
1909 race void
1908 cancelled
1907 Kourgan 6 Josef Birghan Rottman P. Mecklenburg 11m 24.60s
1906 Tigra 4 Harry H. Huxtable Wheeler Anton Dreher 12m 10.60s
1905 Scotch Moor 10 71 Max Seiffert Feldwebel Knesebeck not measured
1904 Dennis 6 Thomas H. Buckenham Walter Earl Count Karel Kinsky not measured
1903 Jour Fix 7 67.5 Oldřich Rosák van Ness Emil von David jr. 12m 04.00s
1902 Jour Fix 6 62.5 Oldřich Rosák Hough Emil von David jr. not measured
1901 Chorazy 6 62 Frederick E. Slinn 1st Lt. Eduard Koller not measured
1900 Magyarád 8 68.5 Thomas H. Buckenham Ralph Heath Count Zdenko Kinský not measured
1899 Sláva 5 63.5 Thomas H. Buckenham Ralph Heath Count Zdenko Kinský not measured
1898 Handy Andy n/a 80 Robert Jekyll H.Brown Jr. Gustav Beit not measured
1897 Magyarád 5 71 Edward Geoghegan Ralph Heath Count Zdenko Kinský not measured
1896 Lady Anne 10 80 Edward Geoghegan George Herbert Jacques Schawell not measured
1895 Galamb II 4 74 Arthur Hall John Pache Robert Lebaudy not measured
1894 Lady Anne 8 77.5 Edward Geoghegan George Herbert Jacques Schawell not measured
1893 Hadnagy 7 69 George Williamson Hansi Fries General Count H. Lamberg not measured
1892 Alphabet 7 63 John Westlake Dobrovský Count Rudolf Ferdinand Kinský not measured
1891 Lady Anne 5 64 Richard Harry Fletcher George Herbert Jacques Schawell not measured
1890 Alphabet 5 62.5 George Williamson Dobrovský Count Rudolf Ferdinand Kinský not measured
1889 Parisis 6 61.5 Richard Harry Fletcher 1st Lt. Alex Kutchenbach not measured
1888 Et Caetera 4 66.5 Max Phillips Count Nicolo Esterházy not measured
1887 Woodman 9 70 Hector Baltazzi Hector Baltazzi not measured
1886 Hanno 4 62 Richard Harry Fletcher Ferdinand von Schosberger not measured
1885 Abracadabra 6 73 Hansi Fries Hansi Fries Count Nicolo Esterházy not measured
1884 Jessica 6 75 William H. Moore Oscar Oehlschläger not measured
1883 Victoria 10 80.5 Hector Baltazzi George Herbert Jacques Schawell not measured
1882 Per Dampf 5 71 Thomas Harraway Baron Ernst von Falkenhausen not measured
1881 Victoria 8 83.5 Hector Baltazzi George Herbert Jacques Schawell not officially 10m 45.20s
1880 Good Morning 4 66 Max Phillips Ralph Heath G.F.J. Smith (Zdenko Kinský) not measured
1879 Rudi 5 73.5 I. Hanreich John Beeson Count Nicolo Esterházy not measured
1878 Brigand 8 84 Fritz Reichsgraf Wolff-Metternich zur Grachth John Reeves Count Tasziló Festetics not measured
1877 Brigand 7 80 Fritz Reichsgraf Wolff-Metternich zur Grachth George Long Count Tasziló Festetics not measured
1876 cancelled
1875 Brigand 5 78.5 George Herbert George Long Count Tasziló Festetics not measured
1874 Fantôme 6 80.5 George Sayers Baron von Cramm not measured
  • R – track record
  1. In 2015, Nikas finished first but was disqualified for doping.
  2. In 2008, Amant Gris finished first but was disqualified for taking the wrong course.
  3. The 1968 race was cancelled due to the Soviet Union occupation of the Czechoslovakia Prague Spring.
  4. The race was not run in 1938–1945 due to Nazi occupation and World War II.
  5. In 1920, Jonathan was disqualified for not finishing in time limit.
  6. The race was not run in 1914–1919 due to World War I.
  7. In 1912 and 1913 there was also a steeple-chase race for army.
  8. The 1909 race was declared void as none of the three horses that ran finished.
  9. The 1908 race was cancelled due to snow.
  10. The 1876 race was cancelled due to frost.