Keith Donoghue excited to make Velka Pardubicka debut on Gordon Elliott runner

Coko Beach will be a leading Irish hope in the Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic on Sunday, with Keith Donoghue set for his first ride in the famous cross-country race on board the Gordon Elliott-trained grey.

Also known as the Grand Pardubice Steeplechase, the 4m2½f contest is one of the toughest and most prestigious cross-country events in Europe and will take place at Pardubice racecourse for the 134th time this weekend. The race has 31 obstacles, including the notorious Taxis ditch, the fourth fence on the course that participants have to negotiate once.

In the past, the ditch consisted of a two-metre deep and five-metre long ditch. In 1994, the ditch was shortened from two metres to one and the ditch was thinned in 2021, with its maximum depth now 0.75 metres.

Ireland's perennial champion amateur rider Patrick Mullins has ridden in the race three times and partnered the reigning champion Mr Spex in last year's race, but the pair parted ways at the Taxis ditch.

Sean O'Keeffe completed the course on board the Peter Maher-trained Jet Fighter in the same running of the race when finishing a distant eighth, while Ruby Walsh and Richard Dunwoody have also contested the race in the past.

Coko Beach: won the Troytown Handicap Chase for Gordon Elliott and Danny Gilligan last yearCredit: Patrick McCann

However, Donoghue has a big chance of making a sparkling debut in the race with Coko Beach, who made a seamless transition to the cross-country sphere when scoring at Punchestown in February. He subsequently finished 11th in the Grand National before filling the third spot in the La Touche Cup at Punchestown.

Donoghue said: "I've never ridden in the race or been over there, but I have seen plenty of videos of it and the Taxis ditch seems a good jump. I'm looking forward to it and I'm delighted to get a chance to ride in it with Gordon sending one over.

"Coko Beach is a great horse and a very good jumper. He has plenty of experience in the cross-country races. Patrick Mullins has rode in it a few times and Sean O'Keeffe rode in it last year. They're not in it this year but I'll be definitely asking them plenty of questions in the run-up."

The Gigginstown-owned nine-year-old has landed seven of his 35 starts, including big handicap successes in the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan and the Grand National Trial at Punchestown last year, while he also landed the Thyestes in 2021.

Ireland is also represented in this year's edition with the John McConnell-trained Streets Of Doyen, who was last seen finishing sixth in a handicap chase at Kilbeggan in August. Ben Harvey is set to take the ride.

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