With the collapse of communism just over a month away the last Velka of the Communist era took place with an unprecedented number of British entries. Perhaps inspired by the heroics of Free Flow the year before, five hopeful connections sent runners albeit all were from the pointing/hunting field and none had any traceable form over rules. The home challenge saw four horses head and shoulders above the rest led by ZELEZNIK looking to emulate Sagar and Korok with a third staright victory. ZELEZNIK was unbeaten in three starts this year including the valuable Korok Steeplechase in August. FORMAN and two mares LIBENTINA and FRAZE were also in very good form whilst perhaps the kindest thing that could be said of the rest of the home challenge was that they were making up the numbers in what was a surprisingly big field. It had been raining heavily at Pardubice in the days leading up to the race and by the race several parts of the plough were covered in deep puddles. ZELEZNIK and FRAZE were amongst the early leaders with the grey SALOM and the Slovak QUIRINUS. The fast pace meant that the field were already very strung out by the time the field had reached the first water were the British challenger CARIBO became the races first casualty. ZELEZNIK and FORMAN cleared the Taxis where SLALOM & QUIRINUS came down. Most of the leaders jumped the fence well but towards the rear there were several very nasty looking falls and as the survivors thundered towards the Irish Bank there were a couple of fallen riders who looked in very poor shape indeed. The last ever Soviet challengers GARNIZON and LUBIJSTOK had been ridden into the lead at the Irish Bank but both refused handing the initiative over to FRAZE. With more horses disappearing at the sixth and seventh fence the field was by now decimated. FRAZE, BLACKTORN, ZELEZNIK, LIBENTINA & FORMAN led over the "In and Out" where RED CHEVAL refused which meant that after nine fences only BLACKTORN was left flying the flag for the Brits. A massive grey (almost white) horse BLACKTORN found himself in a clear lead by Fence 11 although he looked to be something of a difficult ride. Following the grey were the Czech quartet of FRAZE, ZELEZNIK, FORMAN and LIBENTINA followed by another mare SILUETA and the Soviet EKSPONAT who fell at the final water. No other horses were in sight. BLACKTORN weakened after the final water and the four Czechs were left with the race between themselves. LIBENTINA was the first to fade and FORMAN who for the only time in his illustrious Velka career had not managed to get his head in front looked booked for third place as FRAZE and ZELEZNIK raced to Havels in a clear lead. Ridden by two of Czech racings legands Vaclav Chaloupka on FRAZE and Josef Vana on ZELEZNIK they made a fine sight as they raced together over the final three hurdles. Although the two jumped the last together ZELEZNIK had the faster turn of foot and left his rival toiing in the home straight. Returning to a rapturous ovation Vana acknowledged the crowds. As for the Brits the venture had been a disaster with CARIBO and TORFHA amongst the races three fatalities and the exhausted BLACKTORN failing to survive the long journey home so it was surprising therefore to see an even stronger British challenge the following year.

VELKA PARDUBICKA STEEPLECHASE 440,000KC (1st 220,000kc, 2nd 102,000kc, 3rd 66,000kc, 4th 30,000kc, 5th 22,000kc) 25 runners (72 entries)

1st ZELEZNIK - Josef Vana 11, 70.5

2nd FRAZE - Vaclav Chaloupka 6, 70.5

3rd FORMAN - Libor Stencl 8, 70.5

4th LIBENTINA - Mr Josef Kovanda 7, 70.5

5th SILUETA - R.Chmelar 7, 70.5

6th BLACKTORN - Mr William Ritson 13, 66

7th EKSPONAT - M.Tokov 7, 71 (fell 18th remounted)

8th HARTWICK - J.Hacko 10, 69 (fell 4th remounted)

Also Ran : LJUBISTOK - N.Chludejev (refused 5th continued unseated rider 18th remounted unseated rider 27th), MEDAILON - S.Kadvan 10 (fell 17th remounted pulled up 22nd), GARNIZON - R.Umarov 7 (refused 5th continued, refused & unseated rider 11th remounted refused 19th), RED CHEVAL - Mr Richard Chandler 8 (refused 9th continued refused 10th), SLALOM - Jaromir Stohanzl 8 (fell 4th remounted pulled up 7th), VELEN - R.Petrlik 7 (ran out 7th), TARQUIN - Mr Jonathan Lee 12 (pulled up 6th), PARNAS - M.Hanus 9 (brought down 6th), GAJSAN - L.Sara 6 (fell 4th), QUIRINUS - J.Brecka 7 (fell 4th), WAGARI - A.Langr 6 (fell 4th), CABRAK - J.Havlicek (fell 4th), MOCA - J.Blabolil 6 (fell 4th), TORFHA - P.Vozab 11 (fell 3rd), RAKITNIK - G.Nesterov 6 (fell 3rd), GREWOT - V.Vinklarek 7 (pulled up 3rd), CARIBO - Mr Gerald Morgan 14 (unseated rider 3rd).

Non Runners : Kruton, Orka, Gorizont, Abervanter

Trainer : Cestmir Olehla. Distances : 7-11-distance-20-distance-distance-distance. Time : 10 min 16.3 secs

There was a wonderful optimistic mood as Pardubice celebrated the one hundredth running of the Velka Pardubicka. This was the first to be run in the "new" Czechoslovakia following the collapse of the communist regime at the end of 1989 and the first "free" elections. A massive field of thirty runners were declared for the race including four British entrants and the first ever Irish challenger. It was prehaps surpsing bearing in mind the disastrous British assault on the 1989 race that there was so much British interest. Richard Chandler who had failed to finish on Red Cheval the previous year was back with CLONROCHE STREAM whilst there were high hopes for David Naylor-Leyland`s PRECPICE LODGE, Julian Smythe-Osborne on BADGERS MEAD and Gavin Wragg on GRAND CHEVAL. Top amateur rider and winner of the years Grand Natioal Marcus Armytage had picked up a spare ride on the Czech SILUETA who had finished twelve months earlier. As for the home supporters the four who had dominated last years renewal, ZELEZNIK, FRAZE , FORMAN and LIBENTINA were all back and in good form. FRAZE was unbeaten in two starts and ZELEZNIK had won at Pardubice in June. However there was a new kid on the block, DYNAMIT a clasic winner on the flat he had won eight of his nine starts over fences and had already inflicted a rare defeat over ZELEZNIK this season. There was a a lot of media interest in the race this year with Sky Sports showing the race live and Richard Pitman and the BBC were in town filming a piece on the race which was to be broadcast the following week on the BBCs flagship sports programme "Grandstand". Unfortunately the Irish challenger Navalus (who was to have been ridden by Charlie Mann of whom more later) was a non runner leaving a record twenty nine runners that were dispatched in two lines by Jiri Schindler. ZELENZIK was fast away as was FORMAN, DRAK and DISCO. Sadly GRAND CHEVAL got no further than the first water but a record twenty eight runners charged to the Taxis. DISCO and ZELEZNIK landed in front together but DISCO came down and was immediately joined by another eleven on the ground and for the second year running very few were remounted. The sole Russian challenger CHUTOROK literally charged into the Irish Bank and as Pahang had done eight years before slided over the top in an untidy heap. FORMAN, FRAZE, LIBENTINA, and ZELEZNIK were all to the fore as they approached Popkovices turn where there was to the most sensational incident in a Velka for years. ZELEZNIK appearing to come a little too close to FORMAN jinxed at the fence and refused, throwing Josef Vana throught the fence. DYNAMIT immediately behind tried to jump the prostrate horse and rider and Miroslav Hanus was unseated. In an instant the first and second favourite were out of the race. FORMAN was now joined by FLOVER who rather enthusiastically was driven into the seventh by his debutant rider Zdenik Matysik who didn`t get the resposne he was after as the horse slid unceremoniously to the ground. After the drama of the early stages the race settled down with FORMAN, LIBENTINA, FRAZE, CLONROCHE STREAM and PRECIPICE LODGE disputing the lead with a mere seven following on behind them. The snake ditch which looked to have been modified since the last Velka did not claim any scalps at all whilst only Vladimir Vinklarek (who it should be pointed out had cleared the Taxis with his horse for the first time) was the sole casualty over the last water. PRECIPICE LODGE wa still in contention and indeed had led for large parts of the race but by the Big English jump the race appeared to be between FRAZE and LIBENTINA. The two mares, both sporting yellow silks drew clear of PRECIPICE LODGE with Naylor-Leyland putting up the riding performance of the race having lost one of his irons. Nothing could separate the two Czech mares as they came to the last obstacle together and this year FRAZE clung tenaciously to the lead. In the most exciting finish seen at Pardubice for years LIBRNTINA just won in a course record time. PRECIPICE LODGE finished third ahead of the ever courageous FORMAN and BADGERS MEAD. In all three of the four Brits had completed the course and with Marcus Armytage finishing as well this was a good result for the overseas challenge. A worthy winner on the day LIBENTINA never raced again, retiring to her native Motesice Stud she sadly died in 1994 when giving birth to her third foal. FRAZE turned her attention to the Aintree Grand National lining up in 1991 where she sustained a slight injury and was retired. One week later the BBC showed the race in its entirety for the first and so far only time. Oh well there`s always Youtube.

VELKA PARDUBICKA STEEPLECHASE 440,000KC (1st 220,000kc, 2nd 102,000kc, 3rd 66,000kc, 4th 30,000ok, 5th 22,000kc) 29 runners (73 entries).

1st LIBENTINA - Karel Zajko 8, 70.5

2nd FRAZE - Vaclav Chaloupka 7, 70.5

3rd PRECIPICE LODGE - Mr David Naylor Leyland 9, 74.5

4th FORMAN - Libor Stencl 9, 70.5

5th BADGERS MEAD - Mr Julian Smyth-Osborne 8, 67

6th SILUETA - Mr Marcus Armytage 8, 70.5

7th CLONROCHE STREAM - Mr Richard Chandler aged 73 (fell 27th remounted)

8th LORIENT - R.Chmelar 7, 70.5 (fell 25th remounted remounted fell 27th remounted)

9th CORTEZ - Zdenek Bodlak 11, 70.5 (fell 27th remounted)

10th GREWOT - Vladimir Vinklarek 8, 70.5 (fell 18th remouonted)

11th RIGOLETTO - J.Sevjlakov 6, 70.5 (fell 6th remounted ran out 27th continued)

Also Ran : KREK - Vladimir Snitkovskij 6 (pulled up 27th), RHODE - J.Zdobina 6 (fell 11th), FLOVER - Zdenik Matysik 6 (fell 7th), ZELEZNIK - Josef Vana 12 (refused & unseated rider 6th), DYNAMIT - Miroslav Hanus 7 (unseated rider 6th), CHUTOROK - R.Kuman 7 (fell 5th), SLALOM - Jaromir Stohanzl 9 (fell 4th remounted refused 5th), TREST - V.Kravcenko 8 (fell 4th), MONKA - Rosa Charvatova 8 (fell 4th), DRAK - Petr Vozab 6 (unseated rider 4th), UTAH - Mr Josef Kovanda 9 (fell 4th), JICIN - Jan Havlicek 6 (fell 4th), , DISCO - Jiri Paulina 6 (fell 4th), MAREK - M.Kantek 9 (fell 4th), TOKIO - A.Jerabek 7 (unseated rider 4th), LEST - T.Lang 7 (fell 4th), FORMAT - V.Soukup 7 (fell 4th), GRAND CHEVAL - Mr Gavin Wragg 9 (fell 3rd).

Non Runner - Navallus

Trainer : Frantisek Holcak. Distances : 1/4-distance-7-distance-distance-distance-3-distance-3-distance. Time : 9 mins 49.4 secs COURSE RECORD

ZELEZNIK returned for a record equalling eighth time in the Velka in search of an unprecedented fifth victory. Now at the age of fourteen he had only run once this season winning at Pardubice in June. Not surprisingly he started a hot favourite. QUIRINUS looked to be his main local rival as he had won three times at Pardubice whilst CAKRON had beaten several of the field over 5800m at Pardubice in August. The foreign challenge consisted of the British trained BOREEN KING who we had last seen running in the 1991 Aintree Foxhunters whilst Marcus Armytage had picked up a spare ride on CORTEZ. The French returned to Pardubice for the first time since 1947 with two challengers, HARTICHE from Guillaume Macaires stable who was quietly fancied and a Monsieur Bocquet (who was to be come something of a Velka legend over the next few years) made his debut on PACHA DE FERCE who was not. Martell who had just taken over sponsorshop of the Aintree Grand National sponsored the whole card for the first time. There were also two Bulgarian six year olds Imal & Namiren who appeared on the racecard but who didn`t actually run. Sadly the 1992 renewal will not be remembered for the race itself but the protests of hundreds of animal rights activists who invaded the course as the horses were parading in front of the stands. Delaying proceedings by over thirty minutes they staged sit down protests and formed a line in front of the Taxis. Clearly unequipped to deal with such an unprecedented situation the Police and security staff struggled to remove them. As soon as one lot of protesters were moved and bundled roughly into Police vans others replaced them. As patience began to wear thin the Police started using rougher tactics striking out with batons . In the stands sympathy began to shift as the protestors started to be dealt with more forcefully. Finally the course appeared clear and the fifteen horses were started with VAH one of the first to show. The protests were not yet over as after the jumping the second fence the field were faced with more protesters running onto the course chased by Police.The field were forced to slow to a virtual walk as they weaved in between a mass of bodies. Taking the Taxis at a much slower pace than usual there was predictably carnage. The Russian LANOLIN did not get high enough and fell through the fence and into the ditch. LIARD, CORTEZ, MONKA, PACHA DE FERCE, CAKRON all fell as did HARTICHE who rolled directly into the path of ZELEZNIK who was brought down. The seven survivors were quickly reduced to six when HRAC unseated at Popkovices Turn depsite jockey Fencls brave endeavours to try and keep the partnership intact. Whilst VAH had been an early leader QUIRINUS took over at the sixth and the race settled down with very little change in the order. QUIRINUS stayed in front followed by VAH, VIANA, RHODE and GEMER with BOREEN KING content to amble along in the rear. Approaching Havels Jump VAH was struggling and the race looked to be between QUIRINUS, VIANA and RHODE. VAH took a heavy fall at Havels and QUIRINUS stayed on to win from VIANA and RHODE with a distance back to BOREEN KING. GEMR did finish the course for debutant rider Dusan Andres in his own time as the celebrations for the winner were in full swing as he walked across the line. Flanked by tight security Martell President Patrick Martell presented the prizes and was then whisked away from racecourse in his private jet. For Martell this had been a PR disaster and whilst they continued to sponsor the Grand National until 2004 they did not return to Pardubice. QUIRINUS was trained in what was to become Slovakia in the "divorce" from Czecholslovakia the following year and whilst he did not hit the same heights again he turned his attentions to Aintree running in both the void National of 1993 and the 1994 race where he unseated his rider at the Chair when tailed off. He last ran in the 1995 Velka.

MARTELL VELKA PARDUBICKA 1,000,000KC (1st 500,000kc, 2nd 230,000kc, 3rd 150,000kc, 4th 70,000kc, 5th 50,000kc) (24 entries)

1st QUIRINUS - Jaroslav Brecka 10, 70.5

2nd VIANA - Frantisek Jasinsky 7, 70.5

3rd RHODE - Mr Josef Kovanada 8, 79.5

4th BOREEN KING - Mr Robert Crosby aged, 71

5th GEMER - Dusan Andres 8, 70.5

Also Ran : VAH - Vladimir Snitkovskij 6 (fell 27th), HRAC - Miroslav Fencl 7 (unseated rider 6th), MONKA - Mr Milan Theimer 10 (fell 4th, remounted refused 5th continued pulled up after 6th), CAKRON - Mr Jan Zolman 6 (fell 4th remounted refused 5th), CORTEZ - Mr Marcus Armytage 13 (fell 4th), HARTICHE - Mr G.Maynard aged (fell 4th), ZELEZNIK - Josef Vana 14 (brought down 4th), LANOLIN - S.Bakajev 7 (fell 4th), PACHA DE FERCE - Mr Andre Bocquet 8 (fell 4th), LIARD - Zdenek Matysik 9 (fell 4th)

Non Runners : Namir, Imal.

Trainer : P.Kalas. Distances : 4-3-distance-distance. Time : 10 mins 09.1 secs.

Racegoers scanning the racecard as the horses paraded in front of the stands before the 103rd Velka were left scratching their heads and asking "where did all the runners go ?" Seventeen horses were declared in the racecard but only nine were allowed to start. In response to the recent protests the authorities introduced a rigorous vetinary examination for all prospective Velka runners. If you didn`t pass the vets you weren`t allowed to run. Such was the zeal of this initial inspection that eight horses were failed including sensationally the reigining champion Quirinus. Therefore the smallest field since 1946 went to post. The two horses left that attracted the most attention were two ex-Russian horses now trained by Frantisek Holcak, ERUDIT, who had won last years Labe Prize and RIGOLETTO who had finished third in that race. Both had won for their new connections this season at Pardubice. Tight security had kept the protestors off the course although just before post time a lone balloon was let off into the skies with the words "STOP" displayed on a banner. With only nine runners the start posed no problems as Jiri Sindler sent them on their way. The Russian challenger DOGOVAR went off at a frightening pace and was clear on the approach to the Taxis. The Russian was clearly not up to the task as the horse swerved on the approach to the fence unseating jockey Truscenko into the path of RHODE who also refused. ERUDIT and VERAMON led but both fell as did BAROK & UNISONO in rear. BARTOKs rider Josef Vana had an anxious moment as he tried to free himself from the stirrups as the horse got to his feet. Just three horses RIGOLETTO, MIKI and the outsider FARAD had cleared the Taxis successfully. Only UNISONO and the ever game Vladimir Vinklarek were remounted but their challenge ended tamely at the sixth. The vast crowd were "entertained" by the sight of just three horses making their way home. The order didn`t change , RIGOLETTO and MIKI first and second with FARAD a couple of lengths behind. MIKI refused at the English jump throwing Jan Havlicek into the fence and whilst FARAD tried to take advantage and get closer to RIGOLETTO the result was never going to be in doubt. Both horses took the last flught of hurdles but only RIGOLETTO passed the finishing post. Just before jumping the hurdle FARADs action went and almost immediatley after jumping Zdenik Matysik jumped off him to inspect the horses legs. The horse was lame and did not cross the line leaving RIGOLETTO as the only finisher. Matysiks gesture in not forcing the horse to complete the hundred or so yards to the line was much appreciated buy the Pardubice authorities who awarded the horses connectons with second prize. Matysik also won the 1993 Fair Play award presented by the Czech Olympic Committee. As for RIGOLETTO his Velka record was quite remarkable. He had earlier finished tailed off last of eleven finishers in the 1990 Velka and was to run in one more in 1995 when he again finished a tailed off last of ten finishers. He therefore remains to my knowledge the only Velka winner never to have beaten another horse. The 1993 race will be remembered as a terminally dull affair and the crowds may well have felt short changed as the greatest race in the Czech calender was reduced to a boring three runner affair. It was no longer acceptable to have two thirds of the field wiped out so early in the race. The time had come for change.

VELKA PARDUBICKA STEEPLECHASE 1,000,000KC (1st 500,000kc, 2nd 230,000kc, 3rd 150,000kc, 4th 70,000kc, 5th 50,000kc) 9 runners (36 entries)

1st RIGOLETTO - Libor Stencl 9, 70.5

Also Ran : FARAD - Zdenik Matysik 7 (pulled up flat), MIKI - Jan Havlicek 8 (refused & unseated rider 25th), UNISONO - Vladimir Vinklarek 6 (fell 4th remounted refused 6th), DOGOVOR - Jurij Truscenko 6 (refused & unseated rider 4th), ERUDIT - Vladimir Snitkovskij 7 (fell 4th), RHODE - Mr Josef Kovanda 9 (refused 4th), VERAMON - J.Zdobina 6 (fell 4th), BAROK - Josef Vana 7 (fell 4th)

Non Runners : Veron, Lovenka, Celkar, Lorient, Granat, Genora, Sirena, Quirinus.

Trainer : Frantisek Holcak. Time : 10 mins 29 secs.