Annual Velka Pardubice thread.

Here we are again and have some british interest in this years renewal in the form of Jockeys Colm McCormack and Felix De Giles and both would seem to hold decent chances on Song D'estruval and Urgent De Gregaine.
Songe D'estruval has been winning many races in cross country events in the french provinces 14 in all and has won 142k euros in prize money, hasn't raced beyond 5200 metres though and has to prove he can stay todays distance of 6900 metres.
Urgent De Gregaine won at Cheltenham in January beating Cantlow and Any Currency winning easily as an unconsidered 50/1 shot but was receiving a stone from those 2 horses in a h'cap.
Vitrus D'estruval is another horse who has won 9 races in France and 167k euros in cross country races but generally over these longer distances than Songe D' Estruval and has won races over 6000 metres, lto weakened into 3rd at Craon.
Jan Faltejsek is the jockey to follow in this race recently and has won 4 of the last 5 runnings but 3 of those were on board the superb Orphee Des Blins, however his other winner was last year on Charme Look, so noteable that he rides Vitrus D'estruval today, however none of these horses hold course form and this may finaly count against them.
Last years winner(won very easily in a slowly run race) has had his final preparation for this race when winning here in August from No time to lose, after unseating his jockey in his previous race here when lying in a close 2nd in a race won by Zarif over 5800metres, all the qualifiers are run over that distance.
Another runner with previous winning form in this race was in 2015 that was Nikas who beat Ribelino by over 3 lengths but was subsequently disqualified for substance abuse and has changed stables since.
The Qualifiers were won by Zarif had No time to lose in 2nd, Goscater a very good horse but has had injury problems and doesn't run, Charme Look and Power Zar won the latest in September after a hard fought battle with Bridgeur.
Power Zar is one of 4 horses running trained by Joseph Vana, he also runs Zarif(3rd in this race twice), No time to lose and Ange Guardian and i'm not sure if its 65 yo Joseph senior or Junior who rides that one! However as Joseph Snr has ridden the winner of this race 8 times and trained the winner 9 times so would be unwise to discount any of his runners.
Looks a very difficult race this year, but many horses have won it multiple times and Charme Look who loves the course may well follow up, think that Vitrus D'estruval, Power Zar and No time to lose may be best of the rest.