A day at the races

On Sunday, the same day the world mourned the passing of 72-year-old legendary jockey and four-time Kentucky Derby winner Bill Shoemaker, the Czech Republic witnessed its 113th running of the Velka Pardubicka - the country's most famous, most gruelling, and most prestigious cross-country steeplechase.

A day at the races

Photo: CTK

Favourites in this year's running who would ultimately confirm top form: Peter Gehm, the two-time defending German champion riding the promising Registana, a seven-year old mare unbeaten in 2003. Followed by Jiri Kamenicek on last year's winning horse Maskul. And of course the famous and seemingly unstoppable jockey Josef Vana on Decent Fellow - last year's second place. Vana, almost twice the age of most jockeys, is still an incredible force to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile the crowd waited. With earlier races running down, expectations turned to the grand finale with visitors putting their money down, and discussing the odds, among them a number of English speakers long familiar with this unique and difficult race.

English expatriate:

"Well, I live here and it's a race I've always wanted to come and see. The type of the track, you don't see anything like this in England, I mean this is real steeplechase where they go left, right, all over the place - it's really a wonderful spectacle."

Another visitor:

"It's very gruelling - the horses need loads of stamina. We're here to see what it's all about, really."

English lady:

Peter Gehm, photo: CTK

"We're not used to twisty courses like you have over here. Years ago I had a horse that I wanted to run in it. But, I never got here in the end."

Englishman:

"One of the best race meetings that I've ever been to, the whole atmosphere of the course: the sort of camaraderie of everybody around and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. It's, it's there for the people... The favourite, Registana, I think has got a very big chance as well."

Then it was time for the race to start - the competitors were off...

Track announcer:

"The 113th Velka Pardubice race has begun..."

Velka Pardubicka is remarkable over its 6. 9 km length, utilising largely natural obstacles, fences, hedges, and ditches - among them the infamous Taxis jump. Out of this year's field, despite ideal conditions and not a drop of rain, nine out of nineteen jockeys failed to finish. Ultimately it would be a contest among the three favourites Registana, Maskul, and Decent Fellow. The last, however, failed to pull even in the last stretch - while Registana, consistently strong throughout, held off a last-minute surge by Maskul.

Track announcer:

"Registana, Maskul, and Decent Fellow! Maskul is having an excellent finish, Registana swerving slightly. Registana with jockey Peter Gehm. Registana by three-quarters of a length!"

Jockey Peter Gehm had done the incredible - in a fraction over 9 minutes and 30 seconds won the Velka Pardubicka for the third time in three years - every win on a different horse. What's more the last time a mare won the prestigious race was in 1990. After the race the calm and quiet jockey reflected on his victory and had nothing but praise for his steed.

"Naturlich, it's very nice to win three times the race, uh, for me it's unbelievable. Registana was my favourite when I rode here in the summer, I felt good and I knew she was a good horse. But to win the race three times normally it's unbelievable. I'm very happy, it's a very good horse, the best I've ever ridden in this country and she gets better each year."

An impressive victory no doubt - to illustrate one of the journalists present at press conference afterwards noted that Mr Gehm and Registana were so good that next time around they could stop for a smoke half-way and still win the race.