Orphee Des Blins won the Velka Pardubicka for the third year in a row
Last Updated: 12/10/14 7:20pm
Orphee Des Blins won the Velka Pardubicka for the third year in a row at Pardubice racecourse in the Czech Republic.
In a typically chaotic renewal of the famous cross-country race, the 12-year-old mare once again showed there is no substitute for experience in a race of this nature.
Ridden like she had been for her two previous wins by Jan Faltejsek, formerly based in Britain with George Charlton in Northumberland, the winner made just about every yard of the four-and-a-quarter-mile trip.
Lambro, sent over by Charlie Mann to be the only runner to represent Britain, was badly hampered twice early on and despite working his way into contention a mistake at a water jump put paid to his chances and he could not emulate the exploits of Its A Snip, on whom Mann won in 1995.
The biggest danger to Orphee Des Blins were the countless loose horses which she encountered at various stages in the race, and other than that she barely put a foot wrong.
Despite a dozen or so still being in with a chance with half a mile to run, Orpheee Des Blins went clear approaching the last, although Al Jaz came with a late run and the pair had a great battle in the last 100 yards.