REGISTANA returned with four more wins under her belt at Merano and Pardubice and was now unbeaten in her last eight starts. For the first time in his Velka career Peter Gehm was sticking with his previous winner. Such was REGISTANAS dominance in the build up to the race that there was some suggestion that the other sixteen runners were looking at second best at best. MASKUL was back although he had not won for two years and as ever Josef Vana sent out a strong team led by the lightly raced RETRIEVER the winner of the May qualifier and DECENT FELLOW who had won two valuable steeplechases at Baden Baden in Germany. There were three challengers from Ireland although none had any realistic chance but the Ferdy Murphy trained LUZCADOU, a first fence faller in the Aintree Grand National seemed to be an ideal Velka type. British racing fans were given a treat by Attheraces who broadcasted the race live albeit with an English commentary provided by Mike Vince. It was a game effort albeit Vince was in the studio and therefore his performance seemed a little stilted. BARGIEL and REGISTANA took the early lead and the mare sailed over the Taxis where for only the second time in the races history there were no fallers. Outsider JUNIUSZ had departed at the Irish Bank but sixteen horses headed out to the usually trouble free seventh fence. Hidden from the stands by the wood this fence is known as the "French Jump" and whilst it looks little more than a hedge it is deceptively wide. Too wide indeed for BARGIEL who did not get far enough and crumpled in an untidy heap. Immediately behind NARRATOR took a crushing fall which unsettled the first of the Irish CLAWICK CONNECTION who also came down whilst in rear MOSE HARPER and the rank outsider JESLADY were also on the floor. With the final Irishman, the grey HARRY IN A HURRY departing a couple of fences later there were just ten horses left with a number of loose horses criss-crossing the course in a scene reminiscent of the old days. In front REGISTANA, RETREIVER and MASKUL did their best to concentrate on events in hand. This was always REGISTANAS race and in my view the finest moment in her wonderful career. Whilst she allowed RETREIVER to make a brief bid for glory in the closing stages she was always in control and went on to record an easy nine length victory. There was no repeat of the drama of her previous win. RETREIVER gave Josef Vana another thrilling ride in second place. Only seven horses finished with LUZCADOU never really getting into the race before refusing at the English Jump, the very same fence that his former stable companion IRISH STAMP had so much trouble with. REGISTANA and Gehm next tackled Cheltenhams Cross Country course and were sent off hot favourites for the Sporting Index Cross Country Chase. Sadly despite dominating the race throughout Gehm took the wrong course in the closing stages of the race and the mare frustratingly ran out.

VELKA PARDUBICKA CESKE POJISTOVNY 4,450,000Kc (1st 2,225,000kc, 2nd 1,025,000kc, £rd 670,000kc, 4th 310,000kc, 5th 220,000kc) 17 runners (54 entries)

1st REGISTANA - Peter Gehm 8, 65

2nd RETREIVER - Josef Vana 7, 67

3rd DECENT FELLOW - Radek Havelka 9, 67

4th MASKUL - Dusan Andres 10, 67

5th LANERET - Pavel Tuma 8, 67

6th KYRTON - Joef Bartos 8, 67

7th BARBARESCO - Tomas Hurt 9, 67

Also Ran : CHANSON - Lubos Urbanek 7 (pulled up 30th), LUZCADOU - Paul Moloney 11 (refused 25th), HASTAVEN - Jan Faltejesek 9(pulled up 24th), HARRY IN A HURRY - Noel Fehily 7 (fell 10th), BARGIEL - Marek Stromsky 9 (fell 7th), CLAWICK CONNECTION - Ken Whelen 9 (fell 7th), NARRATOR - Michal Kohl 10 (fell 7th), JESLADY - Jaromir Stohanzl Jnr 7 (brought down 7th), MOSE HARPER - Jan Raja 12 (brought down 7th), JUNIUSZ - Pavel Kasny 7 (unseated rider 5th)

Non Runner : Kedon

Trainer : Cestmir Olehla. Distances : 9-6-7-17-11-distance. Time : 9 mins 15.48 secs

Once again REGISTANA dominated the build up to the great race although despite her three wins this year (two at Merano and her fourth consecutive June qualifier) there were rumours that all was not well at home and that the wonder mare had suffered one or two minor set backs. Although reputedly not at her brilliant best she was still a red-hot favourite in what was expected to be her fial race before retirement to the paddocks. Once again she was opposed by DECENT FELLOW and MASKUL although the former had still never beaten the mare and had finished behind her in June and the latter was still without a win since his victory in the Velka three years ago. It was REGISTANAs stable companion HASTAVEN who had pulled up with a broken blood vessel the year before who was considered her main rival. Although he had only had the one run he had bolted up by a distance in the September qualifier. LUZCADOU returned from the UK for a second crack at the race which was a little surprising as he didn`t look to have enjoyed the experience too much last year. Ireland sent over TAKAGI who had run in a Grand National and over the Banks course at Punchestown. Run on a lovely warm sunny day REGISTANAS stable companion RED DANCER set off in front ahead of the mare and HASTAVEN. At the second fence a horse in yellow silks came down heavily. It must have been HASTAVEN but as the horses raced past the stands on the approach to the Taxis it could be seen that RED DANCER was clear of HASTAVEN who was himself clear of the rest of the field. To the astonishment of the vast crowd the commentator announced that it was REGISTANA who had come down. To stunned silence RED DANCER cleared the Taxis magnificently followed by HASTAVEN who overjumped and jockey Jan Faltejesek could not stay in the saddle. Apart from a mistale by the outisder CHAILAND the rest cleared the enormous ditch well. Some way behind the field the riderless REGISTANA continued on her way. RED DANCER continued at a break neck pace and the field were very strung out over Popkovices Turn and it was clear that some of the outsiders particularly LANERET and CHAILAND were struggling to keep up. The striking grey KEDON, JACK DU TRAOU LAND and MASKUL were leading the main bunch and seemed content to let RED DANCER contuinue at his suicidal pace. The Irish challenger TAKAGI was also going very well and seemed to be enjoying the experience far better than LUZCADOU who once again was toiling. At the Big Water tragedy struck as TAKAGI left his hind legs in the fence and came to a painful stop as jockey Jason Maguire almost slid off his neck. Veteran female jockey Martina Ruzickova in her first Velka ride for eight years was also thrown heavily to the floor. TAKAGI bravely got to his feet and struggled towards the "In and Out" which LUZCADOU made a complete mess of and shortly afterwards he called it a day. In front MASKUL and DECENT FELLOW were chasing RED DANCER who was coming to the end of his tether and he was finally passed at the final rails. Approaching Havels Jump the race was between the two veterans MASKUL and DECENT FELLOw who had been playing understudy to REGISTANA for the past two years. RED DANCER made a hash of Havels and the first steeplechase fence and was clearly very tired. KEDON giving Josef Vana abother wonderful ride was not fast enough and the packed crowd were treated to one of the finest finishes seen at Pardubice for years. DECENT FELLOW had a clear advantage over the second last fence and led into the straight but MASKUL was sticking to him and the two cleared the final fence together. The two were locked together up the straight , one stride MASKUL had taken the advantage, the next DECENT FELLOW had got his nose back in front. In the final strides it was advantage MASKUL who just prevailed in a thrilling climax to what had been an exiting race. MASKUL was ridden by German  Dirk Fuhrmann for so long Germanys second best jump jockey and now the leading jockey in Central Europe. Sadly TAKAGI could not be saved and was put down later in the day. RED DANCER had finished an exhausted sixth of the seven finishers but his heroics had helped MASKUL to smash the course record.

VELKA PARDUBICKA CESKE POJISTOVNY 4,500,000KC (1st 2,250,000kc, 2nd 1,035,000kc, 3rd 675,000kc, 4th 315,000kc, 5th 225,000kc) 16 runners (43 entries)

1st MASKUL - Dirk Fuhrmann 11, 67

2nd DECENT FELLOW - Josef Bartos 10, 67

3rd LANERET - Pavel Tuma 9, 67

4th KEDON - Josef Vana 10, 67

5th BELOVODSK - Jiri Plzak 13, 67

6th RED DANCER - Dusan Andres 9, 67

7th ASCOT - Zdenik Matysik 8, 67

Also Ran : NOSTALGIA - Jiri Kamenicek (pulled up 27th), IRAKLION - Radek Havelka 10 (unseated rider 25th), LUZCADOU - Keith Mercer 12 (refused 25th), TAKAGI - Jason Maguire 10 (fell 18th), CHAILAND - Martina Ruzickova 8 (unseated rider 18th), JACK DE TRAOU LAND - Vaclav Luka 8 (fell 11th), ODYSEUSZ - Marek Stromsky 7 (unseated rider 10th), HASTAVEN - Jan Faltejesek 10 (unseated rider 4th), REGISTANA - James Crowley 9 (fell 2nd)

Non Runners : Retreiver & Joint Authority

Trainer : Frantisek Holcak. Distances : 1/2-19-9-distance-distance-15. Time : 9 minutes 11.25 seconds * COURSE RECORD

Retirement plans for Registana were put on hold and she appeared amongst the forty eight entries. However she was soundly beaten by HASTAVEN in the August qualifier and was immediately retired. HASTAVEN therefore flew the flag for the Wrbna team. He had now won three qualifiers in three successive years but was still looking to finish the great race for the first time. There were no foreign runners this year for the first time since 1997 yet that did not put off the usual large enthusiastic contingent of Irish and British racegoers who once again descended to Pardubice. It was a strong renewal, reigning champion MASKUL had won a competitive race at Pardubice in August and started favourite, DECENT FELLOW who had now finished third twice and second twice in four attempts had won the June qualifier and was once again expected to run a big race. There were high hopes too for IRAKLION the May qualifier winner who had already won three Poplar Prizes at the meeting, GLOGLOGLO and the one eyed NER who had twice won the Pardubice Gold Cup the most prestigious race run over the conventional steeplechase course. For the fourth year running the race was run in glorious sunshine and KLIP who had spent seven years as an eventer took the early lead with HASTAVEN and NER prominent. At the Taxis there was a throwback to the old days when outsider ELISKA PREMYSLOVNA spooked on the approach to the fence and threw her jockey Bohuslav Matl through the fence. It was an uncomfortable end for the jockey who had only picked up the ride just half an hour beforehand. Having been relatively trouble free in recent years the Taxis claimed three other scalps, IRAKLION, GLOGLOGLO and Martina Ruzikova in her final Velka on CHAILAND. Jockey Radek Havelka performed miracles to stay in the saddle on CIESZYMIR. KLIP continued in front jumping for fun ahead of MASKUL and NER. At the tenth fence HASTAVEN blundered and in an instant jockey Jan Faltejesek found himself standing by his horse. So far a number of fancied runners had departed and there were gasps from the crowd as MASKUL took a very uncharacteristic fall at Fence 10A. Everything was literally falling into place for DECENT FELLOW, the perennial bridesmaid. Would he finally make it to the altar ? KLIP surrendered the lead at the "Drop" and DECENT FELLOW was never headed thereafter. When his last realistic challenger NER came a cropper with a slipped saddle at Fence twenty four he only had CIESZYMIR for company. Both horses owned by the Czech Republics leading owner Dr Charvart made a fine sight as they crossed the final plough together but the result was never in doubt and DECENT FELLOW recorded an easy six length victory to the delight of his young rider Josef Bartos who was running away with the jockeys championship. DECENT FELLOW was a very popular winner and whilst it could be said that he had had a fairly easy ride as all his serious rivals had fallen by the wayside he thoroughly deserved his day in the sun.

VELKA PARDUBICKA CESKE POJISTOVNY 4,500,000KC (1st 2,250,000kc, 2nd 1,035,000kc, 3rd 675,000kc, 4th 315,000kc, 5th 225,000kc) 17 runners (48 entries)

1st DECENT FELLOW - Josef Bartos 11, 67

2nd JUVENTUS - Josef Vana 7, 67

3rd CIESZYMIR - Radek Havelka 8, 67

4th ICARE DU RENOM - Martin Liska 10, 67

5th KLIP - Jaroslav Myska 10, 67

6th BRAMBUSCH - Michal Kohl 10, 67

7th HARRY THE BEAVER - Mr Pavel Horicka 7, 67

8th POLARNIK - Pavel Slozil 7, 67

Also Ran : NER - Tomas Hurt 9 (unseated rider 24th - saddle slipped), JUNIUSZ - Paul Andrew Johnson 9 (unseated rider 18th), MASKUL - Dirk Fuhrmann 12 (fell 10A), HASTAVEN - Jan Faltejesek 11 (unseated rider 10th), VAJGARA - Dusan Andres 7 (fell 6th), CHAILAND - Martina Ruzickova 9 (fell 4th), ELISKA PREMYSLOVNA - Bohuslav Matl 10 (unseated rider 4th), GLOGLOGLO - Vaclav Luka 9 (fell 4th), IRAKLION - Jiri Kamenicek 11 (fell 4th)

Trainer : Josef Vana. Distances : 6-1/2-4 1/4-2 1/4-neck-distance-9. Time : 9 minutes 20.60 secs