Horse Racing: Velká pardubická

Nikas, the winner of the Czech Republic's prestigious Velká pardubická steeplechase last year, faces disqualification after a second drug test confirmed the presence of banned alkaloids in the animal's blood. The Czech Jockey Club is set to issue a final ruling. In 125 years of the Velká Pardubická steeplechase, Nikas, ridden by jockey Marek…

Sacamiro finished powerfully to justify favouritism and provide jockey Jan Faltejsek with his sixth success in the marathon Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic on Sunday. The ten-year-old was ridden patiently throughout the historic 4m2½f contest before looming into contention with half a mile to run and stretching five lengths clear of…

The public, on the other hand, might better recall him as the jockey with the teeth after Clare Balding, in a famous post-race interview, mistook the ones he was born with for a set that had been on the wrong end of a flailing hoof. These days, Treadwell has something of a Colgate ring about him when he smiles after being fitted up with a spanking…

Patrick Mullins had gone over to ride last year's winner Mr Spex - but he was an early casualty at the famous Taxis fence, while Peter Maher's two runners, Jet Fighter and Alpha Male, ridden by Sean O'Keeffe and Petr Tuma respectively, were both out of luck. Mullins, who also fell on each of his two previous attempts in the race, said of his latest…

The decorated amateur rider is yet to complete in the challenging four-and-a-quarter-mile cross-country contest, having fallen from Kaiserwalzer in his two previous attempts in the famous Czech contest. However, he has a Pardubice specialist on his side this time around, with Lubos Urbanek's nine-year-old not only the winner last year, but also…

The most infamous obstacle on the course ended the hopes of Patrick Mullins making a dream debut in the Velka Pardubicka, as the leading amateur rider was unseated from his mount Kaiserwalzer at the formidable Taxis Ditch in the 131st running of the race. Taking up a prominent position, Mullins had a clear view of the Taxis, the fourth fence on the…

Not even COVID can dampen the spectacle of European cross-country steeplechasing with the 130th Velka Pardubicka to be run on Sunday 11 October at Pardubice, in the Czech Republic. Often called the Czech Grand National, the'Pardubicka' consists of 31 fences with such names as the Irish Bank, English Jump, Big Water Jump, with the Great Taxis Ditch…

Veronika Škvařilová-Řezáčová seeks to become only the second female jockey to win the 130th running of the Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic - live and exclusive on Racing TV Extra on Sunday. A field of 18 will take in 31 obstacles over a shade over four-and-a-quarter miles in this thrilling cross-country race, which is due off at 3.40pm…

It's the 132nd Velka Pardubicka, the Gran Pardiubicka of 2022 on Sunday, and can the 2021 hero Talent as race favourite make it consecutive victories in the'world's toughest horse race.' In winning last year's gruelling cross-country steeplechase of 6900m in 9-12.79mins for trainer Hana Kebelkova, he faces 14 opponents all carrying 70kg, and be…