Prix Matchem

The Prix Matchem is a Listed flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 1,800 metres (1⅛ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in May or June.

Prix Matchem
Listed race
LocationMaisons-Laffitte
France
Inaugurated1931
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
Websitefrance-galop.com
Race information
Distance1,800 metres (1⅛ miles)[1]
SurfaceTurf
TrackStraight[1]
QualificationThree-year-old
colts and geldings
excluding Group winners[1]
Weight56 kg
Penalties
2 kg for Listed winners *
2 kg if Group placed *
* since January 1[1]
Purse€55,000 (2017)
1st: €27,500[1]

History

The event was established in 1931, and it was originally held at Le Tremblay.[2] It was initially the second leg of a two-part series called the Prix Biennal Herod-Matchem. The first leg, for two-year-olds, was the Prix Herod. The two parts were named after Herod and Matchem, foundation sires in the 18th century.

The Prix Matchem was transferred to Évry in the 1970s. For a period it took place in April or May, and its regular distance was 1,800 metres. It was cut to 1,600 metres in 1986, and restored to its previous length in 1990.

The race was switched to Chantilly in 1997, and to Maisons-Laffitte the following year. It began a longer spell at Chantilly in 1999, and returned to Maisons-Laffitte in 2002. It was extended to 2,100 metres in 2005, and from this point it was staged in late May or early June.

The Prix Matchem was contested over 2,000 metres at Compiègne in 2006 and 2007. It was run over 1,800 metres at Maisons-Laffitte in 2008, and over 2,000 metres at Saint-Cloud from 2009 to 2011. It reverted to 1,800 metres at Maisons-Laffitte in 2012.

Records

Leading jockey since 1979 (6 wins):

  • Olivier Peslier – Le Balafre (1993), Martiniquais (1996), Val Royal (1999), Vahorimix (2001), Thattinger (2002), Pilote (2013)

Leading trainer since 1979 (12 wins):

  • André Fabre – Kitwood (1992), Bobinski (1995), Martiniquais (1996), Visionary (1997), Val Royal (1999), Vahorimix (2001), Kiddy Sing (2003), Valixir (2004), Kocab (2005), Russian Desert (2007), Cavalryman (2009), Pilote (2013)

Leading owner since 1979 (4 wins):

  • Jean-Luc Lagardère – Alzao (1983), Visionary (1997), Val Royal (1999), Vahorimix (2001)
  • HH Aga Khan IV - Mourtazam (1981), Dilek (2006), Valiyr (2011), Rickfield (2015)

Winners since 1979
Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1979 Fabulous Dancer Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 1:59.40
1980 Axius Jean-Luc Kessas J. M. de Choubersky Emmeline de Waldner
1981 Mourtazam Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet HH Aga Khan IV 1:59.10
1982 Bright Dick Yves Saint-Martin Joseph Audon I. B. S. Lewin
1983 Alzao Cash Asmussen François Boutin Jean-Luc Lagardère 2:01.00
1984 Greinton Cash Asmussen François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1:53.60
1985 Baillamont Cash Asmussen François Boutin Stavros Niarchos
1986 Free Water Freddy Head François Boutin Ernst Wiget
1987 Don Mario Gary W. Moore Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer
1988 Squill Guy Guignard Criquette Head Etti Plesch 1:36.96
1989 Chivalrous William Mongil Alain de Royer-Dupré Mrs Robert Bousquet
1990 Priolo Gérald Mossé François Boutin Ecurie Skymarc Farm 1:50.00
1991 Sillery Guy Guignard Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 1:58.09
1992 Kitwood Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 1:52.88
1993 Le Balafre Olivier Peslier Nicolas Clément Joseph de Lastours 1:56.86
1994 Dare and Go Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:01.80
1995 Bobinski Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Bob McCreery 1:58.59
1996 Martiniquais Olivier Peslier André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 1:51.27
1997 Visionary Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 1:52.30
1998 Frozen Groom Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Wertheimer et Frère 2:04.70
1999 Val Royal Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 1:53.10
2000 Darjeeling Dominique Boeuf Carlos Laffon-Parias Javier Gispert 1:59.60
2001 Vahorimix Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 2:03.30
2002 Thattinger Olivier Peslier Richard Chotard Guy-Roger Petit 1:54.10
2003 Kiddy Sing Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Lagardère Family 1:56.90
2004 Valixir Gary Stevens André Fabre Lagardère Family 1:55.80
2005 Kocab Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 2:31.30
2006 Dilek [a] Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:09.13
2007 Russian Desert Stéphane Pasquier André Fabre Edouard de Rothschild 2:06.99
2008 Blue Exit Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Allen / Tepper / Forgeard 1:51.70
2009 Cavalryman Maxime Guyon André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 2:08.60
2010 Mellon Martini Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Almeida Camargo / Simon 2:08.20
2011 Valiyr Christophe Lemaire Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:13.10
2012 Mainsail Christophe Soumillon Pascal Bary Khalid Abdullah 1:51.42
2013 Pilote Olivier Peslier André Fabre Wertheimer et Frère 1:52.90
2014 Guiliani Maxime Guyon Jean-Pierre Carvalho Stall Ullmann 2:01.90
2015 Rickfield Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:54.10
2016 Maximum Aurelius Pierre-Charles Boudot Francis-Henri Graffard Craig Mather 1:59.63
2017 Uni Maxime Guyon Fabrice Chappet Haras d'Etreham & S Kumin 1:58.00

a The 2006 winner Dilek was later exported to Hong Kong and renamed Viva Macau.

Earlier winners
  • 1931: Pulcherrimus
  • 1932: Laeken
  • 1933: Scolopax
  • 1934: Antiochus
  • 1935: Ipe
  • 1936: Petit Jean
  • 1937: Clairvoyant
  • 1938: Castel Fusano
  • 1939: Etalon Or
  • 1947: Pearl Diver
  • 1962: Violon d'Ingres
  • 1963: Montsoreau
  • 1974: Caracolero
  • 1976: Exceller
  • 1978: Dom Racine
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See also

References
  1. "Prix Matchem". The French Black Type. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  2. "Les Courses". Le Petit Journal (in French). 30 April 1931. Retrieved 27 August 2012.
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