The fourth and final qualification race for the 2015 Velka Pardubicka was run at Pardubice on September 12^th. This race is now run 29 days before the VP, and for decent prizemoney, so it is a race worth winning, and not just a warm-up race for the VP. Most of the 11 runners were already qualified for the VP, with only Sokol and Status Quo needing to complete the course to qualify for the race. Hegnus was not entered for the VP. Nebrius, Status Quo and Amaragon needed to improve their rating in order to get into the field on October 11^th. Universe of Gracie and Ribelino had impressed by finishing 1^st and 2^nd in the first qualification race in May, while Trezor, winner of 5 qualification races in 2012 – 2014, is always an interesting runner.

Universe of Gracie, Trezor and Sokol, ridden by English jockey Thomas Garner, set a good pace. As they crossed the ploughed field and took the fifth and fourth from home, Trezor led, and Universe of Gracie, Ribelino and Hegnus were going well. At the second from home, Trezor began to drop back, and Hegnus took the lead. Hegnus never looked like being caught from then on, and finished three and a half lengths in front of Klaus, with Universe of Gracie 3^rd, and Trezor 4^th. The other finishers, in order, were Nebrius, Status Quo and Amaragon. Sokol, Bodyguard and Frasini were tailed off. Nikas unseated his rider and again failed to get round, but he had qualified safely in May.

There are now 36 Czech- and Slovak-trained horses qualified for the VP, and two French-trained horses are expected to be declared to run. That would mean that 23 Czech- and Slovak-trained horses can get into the field. Nebrius, Status Quo and Amaragon may have done enough, but do not seem good  enough to have much of a chance on October 11^th.

Hegnus won the 3-y-o hurdles race on VP day in 2011, but was injured for the whole 2013 season and ran just once in 2014. He had not shown much form in his previous four runs this year, but this was a very impressive performance in which he beat several real contenders for this year’s VP. It will be surprising if the owner, Staj Ševců, can resist supplementing him for the VP. That would give trainer Čestmír Olehla a headache, with three quite good contenders - Klaus, Pareto and Hegnus - to find riders for. Klaus has twice finished third in the VP, and this was a good warm-up race for him. Jockey Jan Faltejsek was pleased with Universe of Gracie, which was not given a hard race. Trezor has now finished 5^th, 3^rd and 4^th in the last three qualification races, not very good for the winner of five qualification races in 2012-2014. His performance was a bit disappointing here, but it is understood that his owner wants him to run in the VP again.

The Pardubice Gold Cup, over the classical steeplechase course, was also run on Saturday. This race had had to be cancelled after the big storm at the meeting at Pardubice in June. Khalshani, owned by Staj Charvátová, trained by Pavel Tůma and ridden by Lukáš Matuský, was on his best behaviour and best form, and won comfortably from Makléř.

On Sunday, at Prague Velká Chuchle, the 9th Elektrizace Železnic Praha Gold Cup, 4200 metres, hurdles, CzK 360 000, our best sponsored hurdles race of the year, was won very easily by the odds-on favourite, Fafintadenient, owned by Statek Chyše,  trained by Josef Váňa snr, ridden by Josef Váňa jnr.

Admirers of Registana will be pleased to hear that she was not only an outstanding racemare, but is also having a successful career as a dam. Her 7-y-o daughter Regine, by Oscar, won a race on September 7^th at Wroclaw. Her 6-y-o son by Sholokhov, Reaper, won really well at the August meeting at Pardubice, and his trainer, Čestmír Olehla, has good reason to consider him a Velka Pardubicka type for next year. At Pardubice on September 12th, her 3-y-o daughter by Look Honey, Reki, won the 3-y-o hurdles race.