horse race
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
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.
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
gelding
A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Castration, as well as the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male equine to be calmer and better-behaved, makin ...
s 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
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
(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)''
Maintenon
Maintenon () is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located southwest of the center of Paris.
Maintenon, together with the neighbouring commune of Pierres, form an urban area of 7,075 inhabitants (2017).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: Brantôme
* 1935: Bokbul
* 1936: Fantastic
* 1937: Victrix
* 1938:
Eclair au Chocolat
Eclair au Chocolat (1935 – ca. 1945) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. As a three-year-old he won the Grand Prix de la Ville de Vichy and then established himself as one of the best of a strong generation of European horses wit ...
* 1939–40: ''no race''
* 1941: Le Pacha
* 1942: Tifinar
* 1943: Verso II
* 1944: Samaritain
* 1945: Caracalla
* 1946:
Souverain
Souverain (foaled 1943) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. After winning his only race in 1945 he emerged as the leading European three-year-old of 1946 when his wins included the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix Royal Oak in France an ...
* 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
Reliance may refer to:
Companies
* Reliance Controls, an American electrical products company founded in 1909 in Wisconsin
* Reliance Home Comfort, a Canadian water heater rental and HVAC service company
* Reliance Industries, an Indian co ...
Racing Post
''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 6 ...