Železník (horse)

Železník (29 April 1978 - 22 December 2004) was a Czechoslovak racehorse, the four-time winner of the Grand Pardubice Steeplechase.

Career

Železník was born in Šamorín, Slovakia on 29 April 1978.[1] His dam was the Russian mare Želatina and his sire was the German stallion Zigeunersohn. In October 1979, Železník was sold as a yearling for 120,000 Czech Crowns to the stables of the Agrochemical Company in Slavkov u Brna (better known to some as Austerlitz). His career started out on the flat but almost ended before it took off - during his first racing season, Železník was injured in the paddock, resulting in a damaged rear knee.[1]

In 1982 he was turned over to a young rider named Josef Váňa, and in 1983 Železník started his jumping career, winning some races that very same year. With Antonin Novak in the saddle, Železník started his first Grand Pardubice race in 1985 (more to follow). Váňa, the only eight-time winner of Velká pardubická steeplechase, won in the saddle of Železník four times: in 1987-89 and 1991.

References

External links