Prix Royal-Oak

The Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres (about 1 mile and 7½ furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.

Prix Royal-Oak
(French St. Leger)
Group 1 race
LocationLongchamp Racecourse
Paris, France
Inaugurated1861
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
Websitefrance-galop.com
Race information
Distance3,100 metres (1m 7½f)
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationThree-years-old and up
Weight55½ kg (3yo); 59 kg (4yo+)
Allowances
1½ kg for fillies and mares
Purse€350,000 (2018)
1st: €199,990
Prix Royal-Oak
2019
Technician Call The Wind Holdthasigreen

It is France's equivalent of the St. Leger Stakes, a famous race in England.

History

The event was established in 1861, and it was initially called the Grand Prix du Prince Impérial. It was originally restricted to three-year-olds, and was part of a series of races based on the English Classic system. Its original distance was 3,200 metres.

The race was renamed the Prix Royal-Oak and shortened to 3,000 metres in 1869. It was named after Royal Oak (foaled 1823), a key stallion in the establishment of thoroughbred breeding in France. Due to the Franco-Prussian War, the race was not run in 1870 and 1871.

The Prix Royal-Oak was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1918. It was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was staged at Le Tremblay in 1943 and 1944.

The event was extended to 3,100 metres in 1964. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Prix Royal-Oak was classed at the highest level, Group 1. For a period it was held in mid-September. It was switched to late October in 1977.

Formerly France's equivalent of the St Leger Stakes in England, the Prix Royal-Oak was opened to horses aged four or older in 1979 and to geldings in 1986. Since then the race has dropped significantly in prestige.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

  • Amilynx – 1999, 2000
  • Westerner – 2003, 2004
  • Tac De Boistron – 2013, 2014
  • Vazirabad – 2015, 2016

Leading jockey (6 wins):

  • Freddy Head – Dhaudevi (1968), Bourbon (1971), Busiris (1974), Gold River (1980), Agent Double (1984), Top Sunrise (1989)

Leading trainer (7 wins):

  • François Mathet – Vamour (1959), Match (1961), Relko (1963), Reliance (1965), Sassafras (1970), Henri le Balafre (1975), Exceller (1976)
  • André Fabre – Star Lift (1988), Top Sunrise (1989), Raintrap (1993), Sunshack (1995), Amilynx (1999, 2000), Be Fabulous (2011)

Leading owner (6 wins):

  • Frédéric de Lagrange – Palestro (1861), Fille de l'Air (1864), Gladiateur (1865), Nelusco (1868), Inval (1878), Zut (1879)

Winners since 1969
Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1969 Le Chouan 3 André Jézéquel Freddie Palmer Geoffroy de Waldner 3:41.30
1970 Sassafras [lower-alpha 1] 3 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Arpad Plesch 3:21.30
1971 Bourbon 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Germaine Wertheimer 3:32.50
1972 Pleben 3 Marcel Depalmas Geoffroy Watson Baron de Redé 3:30.60
1973 Lady Berry 3 Marcel Depalmas Geoffroy Watson Guy de Rothschild 3:26.10
1974 Busiris 3 Freddy Head Maurice Zilber Nelson Bunker Hunt 3:25.90
1975 Henri le Balafre 3 Henri Samani François Mathet Claude Puerari 3:29.00
1976 Exceller 3 Gérard Dubroeucq François Mathet Nelson Bunker Hunt 3:33.80
1977 Rex Magna 3 Philippe Paquet François Boutin Elisabeth Couturié 3:28.70
1978 Brave Johnny 3 Henri Samani Mick Bartholomew Mireille Darc 3:30.10
1979 Niniski 3 Willie Carson Dick Hern Lady Beaverbrook 3:39.90
1980 Gold River 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 3:39.50
1981 Ardross 5 Lester Piggott Henry Cecil Charles St George 3:37.70
1982 Denel 3 Yves Saint-Martin Bernard Sécly Mrs Salomon Nathan 3:44.20
1983 Old Country 4 Pat Eddery Luca Cumani Mrs O. Abegg 3:24.90
1984 Agent Double 3 Freddy Head Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 3:42.20
1985 Mersey 3 Jean-Luc Kessas Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 3:22.70
1986 El Cuite 3 Steve Cauthen Henry Cecil Sheikh Mohammed 3:29.60
1987 Royal Gait 4 Alfred Gibert John Fellows Manuel Pereira-Arias 3:34.60
1988 Star Lift 4 Cash Asmussen André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 3:29.80
1989 Top Sunrise 4 Freddy Head André Fabre Charles Schmidt 3:22.00
1990
(dh)		 Braashee
Indian Queen		 4
5		 Michael Roberts
Walter Swinburn		 Alec Stewart
Lord Huntingdon		 Maktoum Al Maktoum
Sir Gordon Brunton		 3:38.40
1991 Turgeon 5 Tony Cruz Jonathan Pease George Strawbridge 3:23.40
1992 Assessor 3 Richard Quinn Richard Hannon Sr. Bjorn Nielsen 3:35.80
1993 Raintrap 3 Pat Eddery André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 3:45.80
1994 Moonax 3 Pat Eddery Barry Hills Sheikh Mohammed 3:28.90
1995 Sunshack 4 Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 3:16.20
1996 Red Roses Story 4 Vincent Vion Corine Barande-Barbe Corine Barande-Barbe 3:38.40
1997 Ebadiyla 3 Gérald Mossé John Oxx Aga Khan IV 3:26.50
1998 Tiraaz 4 Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:58.40
1999 Amilynx 3 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 3:40.60
2000 Amilynx 4 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 3:33.40
2001 Vinnie Roe 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Sheridan / Balzarini 3:37.80
2002 Mr Dinos 3 Dominique Boeuf Paul Cole Constantine Shiacolas 3:38.50
2003 Westerner 4 Dominique Boeuf Elie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 3:31.20
2004 Westerner 5 Stéphane Pasquier Elie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 3:28.90
2005 Alcazar 10 Michael Fenton Hughie Morrison Repard / Melrose et al. 3:27.30
2006 Montare 4 Olivier Peslier Jonathan Pease George Strawbridge 3:20.30
2007 Allegretto 4 Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute Cheveley Park Stud 3:15.50
2008 Yeats 7 Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Nagle 3:19.30
2009 Ask 6 Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute Patrick Fahey 3:32.17
2010 Gentoo 6 Christophe Lemaire Alain Lyon Serge Tripier-Mondancin 3:36.00
2011 Be Fabulous 4 Maxime Guyon André Fabre Godolphin 3:21.47
2012 Les Beaufs 3 Julien Guillochon Valérie Seignoux Stéphane Seignoux 3:36.22
2013 Tac de Boistron 6 Martin Harley Marco Botti Aust Thoroughbred Bldstck 3:38.12
2014 Tac de Boistron 7 Martin Harley Marco Botti Aust Thoroughbred Bldstck 3:32.73
2015 Vazirabad[lower-alpha 2] 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:27.61
2016 Vazirabad[lower-alpha 2] 4 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:29.23
2017 Ice Breeze[lower-alpha 2] 3 Vincent Cheminaud Pascal Bary Khalid Abdullah 3:25.40
2018 Holdthasigreen[lower-alpha 3] 6 Tony Piccone Bruno Audoin Jean Gilbert 3:18.17
2019 Technician 3 Pierre-Charles Boudot Martyn Meade Team Valor 1 3:40.13
  1. Hallez finished first in 1970, but he was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry
  2. The 2015, 2016 and 2017 runnings took place at Saint-Cloud while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment
  3. The 2018 running took place at Chantilly to allow track maintenance to take place at Longchamp[1]

Earlier winners
  • 1861: Palestro
  • 1862: Souvenir
  • 1863: La Toucques
  • 1864: Fille de l'Air
  • 1865: Gladiateur
  • 1866: Etoile Filante
  • 1867: Patricien
  • 1868: Nelusco
  • 1869: Clotho
  • 1870–71: no race
  • 1872: Barbillon
  • 1873: Boiard
  • 1874: Mignonette
  • 1875: Perplexe
  • 1876: Kilt
  • 1877: Jongleur
  • 1878: Inval
  • 1879: Zut
  • 1880: Beauminet
  • 1881: Perplexite
  • 1882: Clio
  • 1883: Stockholm
  • 1884: Archiduc
  • 1885: Escarboucle
  • 1886: Gamin
  • 1887: Bavarde
  • 1888: Galaor
  • 1889: Pourtant
  • 1890: Alicante
  • 1891: Berenger
  • 1892: Chene Royal
  • 1893: Ramleh
  • 1894: Gouvernail
  • 1895: Bombon
  • 1896: Champaubert
  • 1897: Chambertin
  • 1898: Le Roi Soleil
  • 1899: Perth
  • 1900: Ivoire
  • 1901: Jacobite
  • 1902: Fer
  • 1903: Torquato Tasso
  • 1904: Macdonald II
  • 1905: Clyde
  • 1906: Maintenon
  • 1907: Anemone
  • 1908: Medeah
  • 1909: Aveu
  • 1910: Reinhart
  • 1911: Combourg
  • 1912: Gorgorito
  • 1913: Bruleur
  • 1914–18: no race
  • 1919: Stearine
  • 1920: Embry
  • 1921: Ksar
  • 1922: Keror
  • 1923: Filibert de Savoie
  • 1924: Uganda
  • 1925: Priori
  • 1926: Biribi
  • 1927: Fiterari
  • 1928: Cacao
  • 1929: Calandria
  • 1930: Taicoun
  • 1931: Deiri
  • 1932: Laeken
  • 1933: Jumbo
  • 1934: Brantome
  • 1935: Bokbul
  • 1936: Fantastic
  • 1937: Victrix
  • 1938: Eclair au Chocolat
  • 1939–40: no race
  • 1941: Le Pacha
  • 1942: Tifinar
  • 1943: Verso II
  • 1944: Samaritain
  • 1945: Caracalla
  • 1946: Souverain
  • 1947: Tourment
  • 1948: Spooney
  • 1949: Ciel Etoile
  • 1950: Pan
  • 1951: Stymphale
  • 1952: Feu du Diable
  • 1953: Buisson d'Or
  • 1954: Sica Boy
  • 1955: Macip
  • 1956: Arabian
  • 1957: Scot
  • 1958: Wallaby
  • 1959: Vamour
  • 1960: Puissant Chef
  • 1961: Match
  • 1962: Sicilian Prince
  • 1963: Relko
  • 1964: Barbieri
  • 1965: Reliance
  • 1966: Vasco de Gama
  • 1967: Samos
  • 1968: Dhaudevi
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See also
  • List of French flat horse races
  • Recurring sporting events established in 1861 – this race is included under its original title, Grand Prix du Prince Impérial.

References
  1. Burton, Scott (12 October 2018). "Longchamp loses final pair of Group 1s as ground maintenance takes priority". Racing Post.


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