Just what will be the celebratory drink after the biggest horse race of the Czech season this year: Pilsner or Guinness?
Velka Pardubicka, the 6.9 km, 31-obstacle steeplechase, will go to post this Sunday at 3:30 pm. Last year, Stumptown, an Irish horse, crossed the finish line first. This year, Final Orders, a stablemate, will try to make Irish eyes smile again in Pardubice.
But there are several top performers who will represent the Czech Republic, including former winner Godfrey.
Overall, this 136th running of Velka Pardubicka will have 10 horses, the smallest field since 1993. One of them will get the lion’s share of the CZK 5 million purse.
Final Orders started with around 5-2 odds to win, but the early wagers have given local-boy Godfrey a lot of respect. At press time, Final Orders and Godfrey are co-favorites at 2.9-1, making for an open race. The public, if so inclined, can bet on the races in several different ways, although online gambling is best because lines are long at the racetrack.
Final Orders, a 10-year-old Irish bay, finished 7th in the prestigious Grand National in Aintree last year. He has the connections that won Velka Pardubicka in 2025: jockey Keith Michael Donoghue and trainer Gavin Cromwell. Overall, he has seven victories in more than 50 steeplechase career starts. This year Final Orders won the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, where he defeated stablemate Stumptown.
Godfrey was injured last year, but he won the 2024 Velka Pardubicka, crossing the finish line at the same time as Sexy Lord in an amazing and unprecedented dead-heat. This year, Godfrey won the fourth qualification race to punch his ticket on 5 September. Legendary rider Jan Faltejsek is expected to be recovered from an injury, so he will look to add to his seven Velka Pardubicka victories.
Sacamiro, the 2023 winner, and High in the Sky (FR), the 2025 runner-up, are both getting respect from the bettors at 7-1.
The rest of the field includes: Hard Roc De Kerser (FR), Angkor Wat (UK), Cary Jape, Araucarias (FR), Dumon Roclay (FR), and Greek Dessert.
All of the horses will have to leap the infamous Taxis ditch. The smaller field and earlier post time (to reduce shadows) should reduce the likelihood of fallen horses.
There will be a total of seven races. The area and stands will open at 9 am, the opening ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 am, the first race is at 11 am, and the start of the 136th running of Velka Pardubicka will be at 3:30 pm.
Online or day-of tickets are CZK 500 for adults and CZK 300 for students and seniors. Kids under 10 can go free. There are many direct trains from Brno to Pardubice.
Czech Television will begin its broadcast early in the day and use different channels throughout the raceday.
