The Prix Vicomtesse Vigier is a
Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to:
* Alkaline earth metal, a chemical element classification
* Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962
* Group 2 (racing), an FIA classification for cars in ...
flat
Flat or flats may refer to:
Architecture
* Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries
Arts and entertainment
* Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch
* Flat (soldier), ...
horse race in France open to
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...
s aged four 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 May.
History
The event was established in 1859 and named after the
Viscountess Vigier. It was originally the second leg of a pair of races called the Prix Biennal. The first leg, for three-year-olds, was created a year earlier. The version for older horses was initially contested over 3,200 metres. It was cancelled because of the
Franco-Prussian War in 1871, and it was cut to 3,000 metres in 1897. It was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1918.
Both legs of the Prix Biennal were given a new title, the Prix Jean Prat, in 1940. This was in memory of Jean Prat (1847–1940), a successful racehorse owner and breeder. The older horses' version was held at
Maisons-Laffitte
Maisons-Laffitte () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the northern Île-de-France region of France. It is a part of the affluent outer suburbs of northwestern Paris, from its centre. In 2018, it had a population of 23,611.
Maisons-Laf ...
from 1943 to 1945, and on the first occasion it was contested over 3,100 metres. It returned to Longchamp in 1946, and its regular distance was extended to 3,100 metres in 1955.
The Prix Jean Prat for older horses was renamed the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in 1985. This was in honour of Vicomtesse Vigier, Madeleine Double de Saint-Lambert (1869–1970), the niece of Jean Prat, who inherited her uncle's stable upon his death. The version for three-year-olds continued with the title
Prix Jean Prat
The Prix Jean Prat is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is sche ...
.
The Prix Vicomtesse Vigier used to be held several weeks before the
Prix du Cadran
The Prix du Cadran is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 4,000 metres (about 2 miles), and it is scheduled to ta ...
, but that race was switched from May to October in 1991. The leading contenders often go on to compete in the latter event, and the last to win both in the same year was Vazirabad in 2017.
Records
Most successful horse (3 wins):
* Vazirabad – ''2016, 2017, 2018''
----
Leading
jockey (6 wins):
*
Yves Saint-Martin
Yves Saint-Martin (born 8 September 1941 in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, France) is a retired champion jockey in French Thoroughbred horse racing. He is widely considered one of the greatest riders in French racing history.
Saint-Martin won his fir ...
– ''Cirio (1963), Danseur (1967), Zamazaan (1969), Paseo (1970), Recupere (1974), Buckskin (1977)''
*
Freddy Head
Freddy Head (born 19 June 1947, in Neuilly, France) is a retired champion jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing and currently a horse trainer. Known also as "Freddie", his grandfather was a jockey as was his father Alec Head who also became a succes ...
– ''Hallez (1971), Midshipman (1978), Campero (1979), Gold River (1981), Starski (1982), Dadarissime (1993)''
----
Leading
trainer (7 wins):
*
Alain de Royer-Dupré Alain de Royer-Dupré (born 24 September 1944http://www.breederscup.com/bio.aspx?id=2334 Breeders' Cup trainer profile) is a leading French thoroughbred racehorse trainer.
Early life
He grew up at the Haras de Saint Lô, a national stud farm in N ...
– ''Starski (1982) Tajoun (1998), Shamdala (2006), Ivory Land (2012), Vazirabad (2016, 2017, 2018)''
----
Leading owner (5 wins):
* Henri Delamarre – ''Pauvre Here (1861), Angus (1862), Clotaire (1872), Boiard (1874), Clio (1883)''
*
Marcel Boussac
Marcel Boussac (17 April 1889 – 21 March 1980) was a French entrepreneur best known for his ownership of the Maison Dior and one of the most successful thoroughbred race horse breeding farms in European history.
Born in Châteauroux, Indre, ...
– ''Marsyas (1944, 1945), Arbar (1948), Marveil (1950), Scratch (1951)''
*
Aga Khan IV
Shāh Karim al-Husayni (born 13 December 1936), known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Ismaili followers and elsewhere as Aga Khan IV, is the 49th and current Imam of Nizari Ismailis, a denomination within Shia Islam. He ha ...
– ''Tajoun (1998), Shamdala (2006), Vazirabad (2016, 2017, 2018)''
Winners since 1979
Earlier winners
* 1859: Tippler
* 1860: Light
* 1861: Pauvre Here
* 1862: Angus
* 1863: Grande Puissance
* 1864: Guillaume le Taciturne
* 1865: Fille de l'Air
* 1866: Fumee
* 1867: Fleurette
* 1868: Nemea
* 1869: Mortemer
* 1870: Cerdagne
* 1871: ''no race''
* 1872: Clotaire
* 1873: Revigny
* 1874: Boiard
* 1875: Bieville
* 1876: Solo
* 1877: Mondaine
* 1878: Jongleur
* 1879: Mourle
* 1880: Vignemale
* 1881: Beauminet / Le Destrier
* 1882: Forum
* 1883: Clio
* 1884: Satory
* 1885: Archiduc
* 1886: Lapin
* 1887: Alger
* 1888: Brisolier
* 1889: Galaor
* 1890: Pourtant
* 1891: Alicante
* 1892: Gouverneur
* 1893: Perdican
* 1894: Lagrange
* 1895: Canigou
* 1896: Quelus
* 1897:
* 1898: Patriarche
* 1899: Riverain
* 1900: Germain
* 1901: Codoman
* 1902: La Camargo
* 1903:
* 1904: Nordenskjold
* 1905: Gouvernant
* 1906: Genial
* 1907: Querido
* 1908: Elysee
* 1909: Sauge Pourpree
* 1910:
Oversight
Oversight may refer to:
Governance
*Regulation – rulemaking
*Separation of powers in state governance (checks and balances) - the concept of separate branches of government or agencies exercising authority over one another
*Checks and control ...
* 1911: Sablonnet
* 1912: Joyeux
* 1913: Predicateur
* 1914:
Nimbus
Nimbus, from the Latin for "dark cloud", is an outdated term for the type of cloud now classified as the nimbostratus cloud. Nimbus also may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Halo (religious iconography), also known as ''Nimbus'', a ring of ligh ...
* 1915–18: ''no race''
* 1919: Gave
* 1920: Juveigneur
* 1921: Odol
* 1922: Harpocrate
* 1923: Sens
* 1924: Massine
* 1925: Cadum
* 1926: Tomy
* 1927: Bois Josselyn
* 1928: Sachet
* 1929: Kantar
* 1930: Cabire
* 1931: Amfortas
* 1932: Dark Agnes
* 1933: Gris Perle
* 1934: Casterari
* 1935: Admiral Drake
* 1936: Quorn
* 1937: Fantastic
* 1938: Malkowicze
* 1939: Messines
* 1940: Birikil
* 1941: Maurepas
* 1942: Le Pampre
* 1943: Tornado
* 1944:
Marsyas
In Greek mythology, the satyr Marsyas (; grc-gre, Μαρσύας) is a central figure in two stories involving music: in one, he picked up the double oboe ('' aulos'') that had been abandoned by Athena and played it; in the other, he challenged ...
* 1945:
Marsyas
In Greek mythology, the satyr Marsyas (; grc-gre, Μαρσύας) is a central figure in two stories involving music: in one, he picked up the double oboe ('' aulos'') that had been abandoned by Athena and played it; in the other, he challenged ...
* 1946:
Chanteur
Chanteur (also known as Chanteur II; 1942–1962) was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and sire who was one of a group of French horses, including Caracalla, Marsyas, Arbar and Souverain, which dominated long-distance racing in Europe in t ...
* 1947:
Souverain
* 1948:
Arbar
* 1949: Espace Vital
* 1950: Marveil
* 1951:
Scratch
* 1952: Mat de Cocagne
* 1953: Feu du Diable
* 1954: Savoyard
* 1955:
Banassa
* 1956: Polar
* 1957: Oroso
* 1958: Vacarme
* 1959: Wallaby
* 1960: Bel Baraka
* 1961: Puissant Chef
* 1962: Taine
* 1963: Cirio
* 1964: Celadon
* 1965: White Label
* 1966: Alyscamps
* 1967: Danseur
* 1968: Pardallo
* 1969:
Zamazaan
* 1970: Paseo
* 1971: Hallez
* 1972: Parnell
* 1973: Parnell
* 1974: Recupere
* 1975: Le Bavard
* 1976: Citoyen
* 1977:
Buckskin
* 1978: Midshipman
See also
*
List of French flat horse races
A list of notable flat horse races which take place annually in France, under the authority of France Galop, including all conditions races which currently hold Group 1 Group 1 may refer to:
* Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Al ...
*
Recurring sporting events established in 1859 '' – this race is included under its original title, Prix Biennal.''
References
*
France Galop
France Galop is the governing body of flat and steeplechase horse racing in France. It was founded on May 3, 1995, as the result of the amalgamation of four different industry organizations. Prominent owner/breeder Jean-Luc Lagardère was elected ...
/
Racing Post:
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** , , , {{Racing Post, 813474, 2022, 05, 26, 211
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* galop.courses-france.com:
*
1859–18891890–19191920–19491950–19791980–present
----
– ''A Brief History: Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.''
galopp-sieger.de
– ''Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (ex Prix Jean Prat / Prix Biennal).''
ifhaonline.org
– ''International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (2019).''
pedigreequery.com
– ''Prix Vicomtesse Vigier – Longchamp.''
Open long distance horse races
Longchamp Racecourse
Horse races in France