2024 Velká Pardubická Betting Odds

Whether it’s on the flat or over jumps, there are a host of markets online for punters to explore.

Horse racing is one of the most popular sports to bet on – especially now that the sport enjoys much more of a global appeal with major races taking place virtually every week of the year.

There are also a huge variety of betting options beyond the traditional win bets which offer far more of a challenge for backers who can now bet without needing to be at the racecourse!

The full range of races, best odds, and live coverage of racing is now no more than just a fingertip away.

Current Favourites To Win The 2024 Velká Pardubická

Now that the 132nd Velká Pardubická is inching closer we already have an initial idea of our contenders and their betting odds. Read the table below to find out the best 2023 Velká Pardubická odds to bet on.

We recommend you place your bet at Twinspires as it is one of our favourite racebooks.

Horse	Odds	Twinspires
No Time to Lose (UNR)	3	Bet Here!
Evzen (UNR)	7/2	Bet Here!
Theophilos (FR)	6	Bet Here!
Lombargini (GER)	8	Bet Here!
Player (CZE)	8	Bet Here!
Hegnus (CZE)	9	Bet Here!
Kaiserwalzer (GER)	12	Bet Here!
Mahe King (GER)	14	Bet Here!
Stretton (CZE)	16	Bet Here!
Sztorm (POL)	16	Bet Here!

The Velká Pardubická

The Grand National is often described as the most famous jumps race in the world with 30 fences and a 4 1/4-mile trip for the horses and jockeys to negotiate, but it’s certainly not the toughest jumps race in the world.

Grand National, please meet the Velká Pardubická which raises the stakes to extreme levels!

Date	10/02/2022 – 11 AM
Location	Pardubice, Czech Republic
Inaugurated	1874
Race Type	Steeplechase
Distance	6.9 km (4 miles 506 yds)
Surface	Grass / Ploughed fields
Qualification	Six-year-olds and up
Purse	5 million Kč (2021)
Record Time	8:56.01
Previous Winner	Talent

Run every October, the Velká Pardubická in the Czech Republic is staged over a similar 4 miles to the Grand National, but the jumping test is much more challenging across the cross-country course.

Far from pristine turf – part of the race is run over ploughed fields and water obstacles with the 31 fences include the formidable Great Taxis Ditch requiring horses to jump a total distance of around eight metres to get over it.

It can very much be a race for specialist horses as course experience counts for plenty…the phrase ‘horses for courses’ has never been more apt!

It’s hardly the biggest shock to note that since the race first started in 1874 there’s never been a race where all the runners have completed the course!

Finding a horse that jumps well is one of the biggest challenges set to punters.

Betting Strategy For The 132nd Velká Pardubická

The Short List

Studying the form book is part of the fun of having a bet in horse racing and it’s no different in the Velká Pardubická. Access to international form is so much easier thanks to online resources.

Rather than try to find the winner at the first attempt it’s sometimes easy to do a first scan and eliminate horses that you think can’t win so you can whittle the field down to a short list.

Two of the key elements in the Velká Pardubická would be stamina and jumping ability, so if you feel that a horse doesn’t tick those boxes then you might want to rule it out of calculations.

The Going

One of the most important factors in racing flat or jumps, anywhere in the world is the ground condition.

The four-mile plus trip of the Velká Pardubická is a stamina test by any standards but there is a huge difference between good and heavy ground.

Horses that you might consider suspect in the stamina department might have a greater chance on faster ground but heavy will only suit those who have demonstrated extreme stamina on testing conditions.

It’s always a good idea to check local weather forecasts in advance online but bear in mind the weather can be more unpredictable than the racing so it can often pay to leave your final analysis as late as possible.

The last three runnings of the Velká Pardubická have been on good ground but in 2017 conditions were officially soft so it can vary quite dramatically.

The ‘X Factor’

Whilst we have discussed the advantages of finding horses with proven experience in a race as unique as the Velká Pardubická, there will always be years when a rising star takes centre stage and if you spot this one in advance you can often be rewarded at big odds as the horse isn’t yet a ‘household name’.

It’s not easy this one as the clues are not always in the formbook so it is much more down to potential and finding hints that a horse will be suited by this unique challenge.

Central to this though is obviously the distance of the race and jumping ability which have to be the foundations.

Notable winners of the Velká Pardubická

The famous race has a rich history. Since 1874 it has only not been staged four times, because of the World Wars, the Russian invasion, and two canceled due to poor weather.

At that time one horse stands out in the hall of fame, Zeleznik, who has won it a record four times in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1991. He was ridden each time by Josef Váňa who also won the race on four other occasions making him the most successful jockey in the history of the race.

Váňa’s astonishing association with the Velká Pardubická has continued with him being a trainer and saddling the winner 11 times since 1996 including with Tiumen who completed a hat-trick in the race in 2011.

Other recent multiple winners include Orphee des Blins (three in a row from 2012) and Peruán (three in a row from 1998).

Despite the similarities between the Velká Pardubická and the Grand National at Aintree – no horse has yet managed to win both races.

Handicapping at Velká Pardubická

If you think the unique nature of this race makes it a lottery – think again.

The race is often won by a previous winner so it is very much a race for course specialists. This has to be the number one factor in trying to find the next winner.

Course Experience

Since 1998 three horses have completed hat-tricks in the race and a further three have won it on two occasions. A horse with a previous Velká Pardubická win or good record in the race is a huge positive.

Agility

Despite the size of the fences, it’s not always the biggest horses that perform best. Often agility counts for much more – as it did when Red Rum won the Grand National for a record third time.

Those horses that jump with momentum and fluency often excel around this course and being a front runner is no disadvantage. If nothing else they can avoid any trouble behind.

Trainer and Jockey

Just as horses can show specialist skills in the Velká Pardubická, the same goes for jockeys and trainers who take to the race and also target it.

There’s been no better example of that than Josef Váňa whose record as a jockey and now trainer is unsurpassed. Jan Faltejsek also has a great recent record in the saddle winning five times since 2009.

Popular Horses Betting Bets

Selecting the right bet type is an important factor for punters to consider in the Velká Pardubická.

The race often attracts a big field of around 20 runners and given how competitive it is it’s rare to see a very short, priced favourite.

The wide-open market opens the door for punters to explore a wide range of bets beyond the traditional ‘win only’ wager.

Place Bet

Whilst the place bet pays less than a win bet it offers you a greater chance of a return.

Despite the length of the race, it’s not uncommon for the race to produce a close finish and there’s nothing worse than cheering your horse on over 31 fences only to be pipped to the post in the closing stages.

The place bet covers that as you will get paid if your horse finishes placed in the race.

Exacta

If you can’t decide between two or more horses, then an Exacta might be the way to go.

The beauty of this bet is that the rewards are high, but the stakes can be kept low. The bet requires you to find the first two in the race, which is a tough challenge but often punters will make it easier for themselves by doing a combination Exacta.

Here they select, say five horses, and will get a return if they find the winner and second in any order from those five chosen horses. The number of combinations increases in line with the more horses you select.

Trifecta

The same comments apply to the Trifecta which is much harder to land as it requires finding the first three home, but the rewards can be colossal – especially in a race as competitive as the Velká Pardubická.

The beauty with this bet is that you can keep the stakes really low and still be in the realms of a significant win return.

In the same way as the Exacta, many punters prefer to add several horses into their Trifecta perms to increase their chances of landing the 123.