The Prix du Gros Chêne is a
Group 2 flat horse race in
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
open to
thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...
s 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
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
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the War of 1870, was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the North German Confederation led by the Kingdom of Prussia. Lasting from 19 July 1870 to 28 Janua ...
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
Most successful horse (5 wins):
* Fine Art – ''1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946''
Leading
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), 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 ...
(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
Earlier winners
* 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
* 1969: Rockcress
* 1970: Balidar
* 1971: Montgomery
* 1972: Montgomery
* 1973: Saulingo
* 1974:
Flirting Around
* 1975: Realty
* 1976: Kala Shikari
* 1977: Madang
* 1978: Polyponder
* 1979:
Sigy
See also
*
List of French flat horse races
References
*
France Galop /
Racing Post:
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----
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.''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prix Gros Chene
Open sprint category horse races
Chantilly Racecourse
Horse races in France
Recurring sporting events established in 1857
1857 establishments in France