Sports News

In Sports News this week: Sixteen ridden by Dusan Andres wins the Czech Republic's most famous horse race, the Velka Pardubicka steeplechase; Czech motorcyclist Lukas Pesek wins the second Grand Prix of his career in Australia; and captain Tomas Rosicky is set to play in Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Germany.

Sixteen takes 117th Velka Pardubicka steeplechase

Photo: CTK

The Czech Republic's most famous race the Velka Pardubicka steeplechase, which was held on Sunday for the 117th time. First place in the notoriously treacherous race went to Sixteen, ridden by Dusan Andres and owned by Jaroslav Boucek. The horse's trainer Josef Vana senior said he had been confident of victory from early on:

Dusan Andres and Sixteen, photo: CTK

"I could see it from the seventh jump. Sixteen was looking relaxed when she jumped the seventh without any difficulty, and when she hit the ground she swept the whole field aside. At that stage the competition wasn't so great, and she had had better results against our horse Juventus in training for five weeks."

Mr Vana also trained the runner-up Decent Fellow, who won in Pardubice last year. By the way, Sixteen is apparently the first ever white mare to win the Velka Pardubicka.

First place in Australia gives Czech motorcyclist Pesek chance of third place in championship

Lukas Pesek, photo: CTK

The Czech motorcyclist Lukas Pesek notched up his second ever Grand Prix first place in the 125cc category at Phillip Island, Australia on Sunday, in what represented a return to the rider's great early-season form. Here's what Lukas Pesek's father Karel had to say after his son's second win of the season:

"Throughout the whole race he was fourth only on one lap; otherwise he was in first or second place. He was in first during the last lap and he made sure he didn't let victory slip away. He was great today, he was confident and didn't make mistakes - everything went according to plan."

That brilliant result for the Czech rider puts him back in contention for bronze in the overall season's standings - Pesek is now just five points off third place.

Rosicky returns from injury to face Germany in Euro 2008 qualifier

Tomas Rosicky (left), photo: CTK

The Czech Republic's footballers are preparing to take on Germany in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Munich on Wednesday. Qualification is very nearly in the bag for the Czechs, who would have to really mess up badly in their final two games to miss out on a place at next year's European Championship. Captain Tomas Rosicky has shaken off an injury and looks set to play; however, Czech manager Karel Bruckner says he won't take any chances if he's not sure Rosicky is fit:

"You have to be careful. I'd never risk a player's health if I wasn't 100 percent sure he was fit. That may sound negative, but the player's health always has to come first."