Prix du Gros Chêne
| Class | Group 2 |
|---|---|
| Location | Chantilly Racecourse Chantilly, France |
| Inaugurated | 1857 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Website | france-galop.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,000 metres (5f) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Straight |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up |
| Weight | 55 kg (3yo); 58 kg (4yo+) Allowances 1½ kg for fillies and mares Penalties 3 kg for Group 1 winners * 2 kg for Group 2 winners * 1 kg if two Group 3 wins * * since July 1 last year |
| Purse | €130,000 (2022) 1st: €74,100 |
| 2025 | ||
| White, violet cap | Royal blue, dark blue stripe, white sleeves, brown cap | Orange, white diamonds on body, white cap |
| Monteille | Lesslepasser | Ponntos |
| Previous years | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ||
| Orange, white diamonds on body, white cap | Light green, mauve sleeves, hooped cap | Royal blue, dark blue stripe, white sleeves, brown cap |
| Ponntos | Mgheera | Pradaro |
| 2023 | ||
| White, purple seams and cap | Maroon, beige braces and cap | White, black seams, white sleeves, black stars, white cap, black star |
| Game Run | Get Ahead | Marshman |
| 2022 | ||
| Maroon and yellow chevrons, maroon sleeves, yellow cuffs, yellow star on cap | Dark blue, light blue chevrons on sleeves, light blue cap | Grey, black seams, black cap, grey pom pom |
| Brostaigh | Air De Valse | White Lavender |
| 2021 | ||
| Royal blue, dark blue stripe, white sleeves, brown cap | Dark green, yellow epaulettes, yellow sleeves, yellow cap | Yellow, white sleeves, yellow cap |
| Pradaro | Berneuil | Batwan |
The Prix du Gros Chêne is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,000 metres (about 5 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June.
History
[edit | edit source]The event was established in 1857, and it was originally contested over 800 metres. Its title refers to a large oak tree which stood in the grounds of the racecourse – the English translation of Gros Chêne is "Great Oak". The race was abandoned because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. It was extended to 1,000 metres in 1881.
The Prix du Gros Chêne was cancelled throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1918. The first two post-war editions were run over 1,100 metres at Longchamp.
The race was abandoned once during World War II, in 1940. It was staged at Maisons-Laffitte from 1941 to 1943, and at Auteuil with a distance of 900 metres in 1944. It returned to Maisons-Laffitte in 1945, and it was transferred to Longchamp in 1946. Five successive runnings during the wartime period were won by one horse, Fine Art. The race returned to its original venue, Chantilly, in 1957.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Prix du Gros Chêne held Group 3 status. It was promoted to Group 2 level in 1988. The race is now held on the same day as the Prix du Jockey Club.
Records
[edit | edit source]Most successful horse (5 wins):
- Fine Art – 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946
Leading jockey (9 wins):
- Roger Poincelet – Fine Art (1944, 1945, 1946), Kalpack (1954), Palariva (1956), Jini (1957), Sly Pola (1960), High Bulk (1961), L'Epinay (1963)
Leading trainer (7 wins):
- François Mathet – Joshua (1953), Edellic (1958, 1959), Texanita (1964), Farhana (1967), Rockcress (1969), Adraan (1980)
- Robert Collet - Kind Music (1982), Last Tycoon (1986), Sainte Marine (1988, 1989), Beauty Is Truth (2007), Wizz Kid (2011, 2012)
Leading owner (5 wins):
- Claude-Joachim Lefèvre – Alaric (1872), Regane (1873), Octave (1883), Feuillage (1886), Frapotel (1888)
- Pierre Wertheimer – Epinard (1923), La Fayette (1929), Quartz (1933), Sanguine (1951), Kalpack (1954)
- Louis de La Rochette – Fine Art (1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946)
Winners since 1980
[edit | edit source]| Year |
Winner |
Age |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Adraan | 3 | Yves Saint-Martin | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | |
| 1981 | Sonoma | 3 | Freddy Head | Criquette Head | Haras d'Etreham | |
| 1982 | Kind Music | 3 | Cash Asmussen | Robert Collet | Bendar bin M. Al Kabir | 0:55.2 |
| 1983 | Gem Diamond | 5 | Alain Badel | C. da Meda | Mrs Pierre Poinsot | |
| 1984 | Royal Hobbit | 6 | Guy Guignard | Mick Bartholomew | Seamus McGrath | |
| 1985 | Parioli | 4 | Maurice Philipperon | John Cunnington, Jr. | Danny Arnold | |
| 1986 | Last Tycoon | 3 | Yves Saint-Martin | Robert Collet | Richard C. Strauss | 0:56.6 |
| 1987 | Tenue de Soiree | 3 | Gary W. Moore | Criquette Head | Haras d'Etreham | 0:57.6 |
| 1988 | Glifahda | 5 | Freddy Head | David Smaga | Baron Thierry van Zuylen | 0:59.6 |
| 1989 | Viva Zapata | 3 | Tony Cruz | Jonathan Pease | Ecurie I. M. Fares | 0:58.8 |
| 1990 | Nabeel Dancer | 5 | Pat Eddery | Alex Scott | Maktoum Al Maktoum | 0:58.8 |
| 1991 | Divine Danse | 3 | Freddy Head | Criquette Head | Ecurie Aland | 0:58.2 |
| 1992 | Monde Bleu | 4 | Dominique Boeuf | André Fabre | Daniel Wildenstein | 0:59.1 |
| 1993 | Surprise Offer | 3 | Bruce Raymond | Richard Hannon, Sr. | 7th Earl of Carnarvon | 0:58.6 |
| 1994 | Spain Lane | 3 | Walter Swinburn | André Fabre | Maktoum Al Maktoum | 0:58.7 |
| 1995 | Millyant | 5 | Cash Asmussen | Rae Guest | Chris Mills | 0:57.8 |
| 1996 | Anabaa [a] | 4 | Freddy Head | Criquette Head | Ghislaine Head | 1:00.0 |
| 1997 | Titus Livius | 4 | Cash Asmussen | Jonathan Pease | Niarchos Family | 0:59.5 |
| 1998 | Sainte Marine | 3 | Dominique Boeuf | Robert Collet | Richard C. Strauss | 0:58.8 |
| 1999 | Sainte Marine | 4 | Cash Asmussen | Robert Collet | Richard C. Strauss | 0:59.5 |
| 2000 | Nuclear Debate | 5 | Gérald Mossé | John Hammond | Bob Chester | 0:58.7 |
| 2001 | Dananeyev | 5 | Olivier Doleuze | Carlos Laffon-Parias | Wertheimer et Frère | 0:58.4 |
| 2002 | Porlezza | 3 | Christophe Soumillon | Yves de Nicolay | Erika Hilger | 0:57.4 |
| 2003 | Porlezza | 4 | Olivier Peslier | Yves de Nicolay | Erika Hilger | 0:56.8 |
| 2004 | Avonbridge | 4 | Steve Drowne | Roger Charlton | Daniel Deer | 0:58.1 |
| 2005 | The Trader | 7 | Ted Durcan | Michael Blanshard | Caroline Ward | 0:58.6 |
| 2006 | Moss Vale | 5 | Kieren Fallon | David Nicholls | Lady O'Reilly | 0:56.9 |
| 2007 | Beauty Is Truth | 3 | Thierry Thulliez | Robert Collet | Richard C. Strauss | 0:57.3 |
| 2008 | Marchand d'Or | 5 | Davy Bonilla | Freddy Head | Carla Giral | 0:57.2 |
| 2009 | Tax Free | 7 | Adrian Nicholls | David Nicholls | Ian Hewitson | 0:56.7 |
| 2010 | Planet Five | 4 | Christophe Lemaire | Pascal Bary | Niarchos Family | 0:58.6 |
| 2011 | Wizz Kid | 3 | Ioritz Mendizabal | Robert Collet | Maeve Mahony | 0:58.4 |
| 2012 | Wizz Kid | 4 | Gérald Mossé | Robert Collet | Maeve Mahony | 0:59.5 |
| 2013 | Spirit Quartz | 5 | Jamie Spencer | Robert Cowell | Qatar Racing Limited | 0:57.63 |
| 2014 | Rangali | 3 | Fabrice Veron | Henri-Alex Pantall | Henri-Alex Pantall | 0:57.32 |
| 2015 | Muthmir | 5 | Paul Hanagan | William Haggas | Hamdan Al Maktoum | 0:58.22 |
| 2016 | Son Cesio | 5 | Vincent Cheminaud | Henri-Alex Pantall | Yves Borotra | 0:59.58 |
| 2018 | Finsbury Square | 6 | Olivier Peslier | Mauricio Delcher Sanchez | Berend Van Dalfsen | 0:57.91 |
| 2019 | Inns Of Court | 5 | Mickael Barzalona | André Fabre | Godolphin | 0:57.64 |
| 2020 | Tour To Paris[b] | 5 | Christophe Soumillon | Pia Brandt | Jathiere / Augustin-Normand | 0:55.81 |
| 2021 | Pradaro | 6 | Aurélien Lemaitre | Sofie Lanslots | Stal Vie En Rose | 0:57.83 |
| 2022 | Brostaigh | 3 | Dylan Browne McMonagle | Joseph O'Brien | Scott C Heider | 0:58.59 |
| 2023 | Game Run | 4 | Marvin Grandin | Patrice Cottier | Stephane Grandin & Michel Nikitas | 0:55.81 |
| 2024 | Ponntos | 6 | Mickael Barzalona | Miroslav Nieslanik | Dr Eva Nieslanikova | 0:57.72 |
| 2025 | Monteille | 4 | Cristian Demuro | Mario Baratti | Gerard Augustin-Normand | 0:56.69 |
- ^ The 1996 running took place at Deauville
- ^ The 2020 running took place at Deauville due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Earlier winners
[edit | edit source]- 1857: Brassia
- 1858:
- 1859: Phenix
- 1860: Geologie
- 1861:
- 1862: Sauterelle
- 1863: Gentilhomme
- 1864: Partisan
- 1865:
- 1866: Anglo Saxon
- 1867: Czar
- 1868: Dragon
- 1869: Turco
- 1870: Manette
- 1871: no race
- 1872: Alaric
- 1873: Regane
- 1874: Tabellion
- 1875: Pensacola
- 1876: Pensacola
- 1877: Pensacola
- 1878: Gladia
- 1879: Porcelaine
- 1880: Mademoiselle Mars
- 1881: Feuille de Frene
- 1882: Beausejour
- 1883: Octave
- 1884: Richelieu
- 1885: Directrice
- 1886: Feuillage
- 1887: Oviedo
- 1888: Frapotel
- 1889: Lugano
- 1890: Eclair
- 1891: Reveille
- 1892: Reveille
- 1893: Hoche
- 1894: Hoche
- 1895: Soberano
- 1896:
- 1897: Double Tour
- 1898: Valparaiso
- 1899: Railleur
- 1900: Avant Garde
- 1901: Calapita
- 1902: Zulma
- 1903: Romulus
- 1904:
- 1905: Mandarin
- 1906: Chanaan
- 1907: Go to Bed
- 1908: Syphon
- 1909:
- 1910: Fils du Vent
- 1911: Racine
- 1912: Gilles de Rai
- 1913: Turlupin
- 1914: Mont d'Or
- 1915–18: no race
- 1919: Setauket
- 1920: Glorious
- 1921: Phusla
- 1922: Phusla
- 1923: Epinard
- 1924: Niceas
- 1925: Faraway
- 1926: Mackwiller
- 1927: Titan
- 1928: Songe
- 1929: La Fayette
- 1930: Baoule
- 1931:
- 1932: Lovelace
- 1933: Quartz
- 1934: Shining Tor
- 1935: Renette
- 1936: Limac
- 1937: Limac
- 1938:
- 1939: Romeo
- 1940: no race
- 1941: Thread
- 1942: Fine Art
- 1943: Fine Art
- 1944: Fine Art
- 1945: Fine Art
- 1946: Fine Art
- 1947: Thiercelin
- 1948: Solina
- 1949: Boree
- 1950: Skylarking
- 1951: Sanguine
- 1952: Luzon
- 1953: Joshua
- 1954: Kalpack
- 1955: Dictaway
- 1956: Palariva
- 1957: Jini
- 1958: Edellic
- 1959: Edellic
- 1960: Sly Pola
- 1961: High Bulk
- 1962: L'Épinay
- 1963: L'Épinay
- 1964: Texanita
- 1965: Holborn
- 1966: Yours
- 1967: Farhana
- 1968: Be Friendly / Klaizia[a]
- 1969: Rockcress
- 1970: Balidar
- 1971: Montgomery
- 1972: Montgomery
- 1973: Saulingo
- 1974: Flirting Around
- 1975: Realty
- 1976: Kala Shikari
- 1977: Madang
- 1978: Polyponder
- 1979: Sigy
- ^ The 1968 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix du Gros Chêne.
- galopp-sieger.de – Prix du Gros Chêne.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix du Gros-Chêne (2016).
- pedigreequery.com – Prix du Gros Chêne – Chantilly.