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Horse racing fans have been invited to get up close and personal on the turf of Dostihove Zavodiste Pardubice for one of the industry's most gruelling events.

Velka Pardubicka Cross-Country Steeplechase takes place on October 12th.

It is a short drive from Prague and welcomes spectators from England, Ireland and Scotland each year, which have included Princess Anne.

The event is famous for being tough. The track is 6.9 km with 31 obstacles and finishing times of between nine and ten minutes.

Local and foreign horses are eligible to compete provided they have raced a pre-qualifier or steeplechase. Riders must have completed similar races ten times.

First to fifth places are awarded with cash prizes from a wealth of sponsors. Top prize is four and a half million Koruna, about £150,433.

Other events that take place at the track include the three-day European Juniors' Championship, international Horses in Action show, music festivals and Children's Day.

Testament to the difficulty of this course is the final jump - named after Czech jockey Rudolf Popler who died following a fall on the Pardubice course while racing in another event hours after finishing second in the 1932 Velka Pardubicka.

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