The Town of Pardubice Stakes, which was run as the first qualification race for the 134th Velka Pardubicka with Slavia Pojišťovna, was won by 8-y-o gelding Godfrey, which beat 8-y-o Chelmsford in a tight finish. Daniel Vyhnálek rode the winner, and Jan Kratochvíl was on the runner-up. In the first of this year’s four qualification races at Pardubice racecourse, all 15 runners secured qualification for this year’s VP. They join last year’s VP winner Sacamiro, which is automatically entitled to defend his title.
In last year’s 1st qualification race, Chelmsford won and Godfrey finished second. This time, it took a photo finish to decide that the two 8-y-os had now exchanged positions. Godfrey’s dam is Partoutatou, which performed with distinction at Pardubice in the past.
Chelmsford started the 5800-metre-long race as 4,25:1 favourite. In the betting, he was followed at 8,5:1 by Godfrey, Argano and Sexy Lord. Sexy Lord, ridden again by Jaroslav Myška, set the pace. They were followed by Korfu (Jan Faltejsek) and Chelmsford (Kratochvíl). Myška established a reasonable tempo that enabled all the horses to avoid major mistakes. At the back of the field, Argano held back with his trainer, Martin Liška, in the saddle, and a similar tactic was followed by Ondřej Velek, who took on the ride on Star at the last minute. Argano and Star moved forward in the course of the race, and left Imphal (Jan Odložil) in the rear, together with 2022 VP winner Mr Spex, which showed little enthusiasm for the race. Mr Spex was ridden by Thomas Beaurain, who was riding in a VP qualification race for the first time.
When the horses were leaving the ploughed field and coming on to the grass track with about 600 metres to run, Lombargini (James Best) went into the lead and Argano moved forward. Sexy Lord, which had led for a long time, rallied. As they entered the final straight, 13-y-o Star hit the front and it looked for a while as if his solo effort could pay off. Godfrey was fourth over the last fence. Under the hands of Daniel Vyhnálek he accelerated, as did Chelmsford on the inside rail. Godfrey won by a short head, with Chelmsford in second place. Star finished third, Sexy Lord was fourth, and 20-y-o Lenka Neprašová completed the first five on Her Him.
“The aim was to qualify. The main target is the Velka Pardubicka, we are clear about that. We made an unfortunate choice at the Taxis last year. Godfrey will now have one more preparatory race.. We have not yet decided whether it will be in one of the qualification races,“ said Jiří Trávníček, owner of the winning horse.
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