PATRICK Mullins was again out of luck in last Sunday’s Velka Pardubicka in the Czech Republic, his mount Kaiserwalzer exiting the famous cross-country chase at the sixth fence.

The four-and-a-quarter-mile race was won by the eight-year-old German-bred Mr Spex, who had finished third last year. The 2021 winner Talent finished second, beaten by less than two lengths.

One of the favourites in the 15-runner field, Mr Spex was ridden by Slovak jockey Lukas Matusky, who was winning the race for a second time. The horse’s regular rider Jan Kratochvil missed the opportunity through injury.

“Mr Spex is a fighter, I had a great ride,” Matusky told local television. “At the beginning he was so curious about the jumps, but I know he will do it his way anyway, so I didn’t mess with him. He put in a famous finish last year. I thought to myself, either we will give it or not. I felt that it was in him, and that we will give it.”

The winner is trained locally by Lubos Urbanek, who also trains flat horses and had runners in listed races in France earlier this month. The pink colours of the Lokotrans stable [owned by Karel Jalovy] have been dominant in Czech flat racing this year.

Mr Spex has an Irish connection in that he is a grandson of High Chaparral, a dual Derby winner for Aidan O’Brien. Mr Spex is by Tai Chi, a Group 3-winning miler in Germany 10 years ago but not a sire of note before now.

Eight horses completed the contest which was being run for the 132nd year. Total prize money was just over €200,000.

Patrick Mullins did not have a wasted journey as he finished a close second in another race on the card, riding Mr Zuru, a son of Anngrove Stud stallion Famous Name.