Prix du Gros Chêne

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Group 2 race
Prix du Gros Chêne
Location	Chantilly Racecourse Chantilly, France
Inaugurated	1857
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat race
Website	France-Galop.com
Race information
Distance	1,000 metres (5f)
Track	Turf, 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 (2008) Distribution 1st: 57%, 2nd: 22% 3rd: 10.5%, 4th: 7% 5th: 3.5%

The Prix du Gros Chêne is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old and above thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 1,000 metres (approximately 5 furlongs) at Chantilly Racecourse annually in late May or early June.

It was first run on May 17, 1857, taking place at its present venue on the same day as the Prix de Diane. The title of the race refers to a large oak tree which stood in the grounds of the racecourse – the English translation of Gros Chêne is "Great Oak".

Initially the race was contested over 800 metres, which was increased to 1,000 metres in 1881. It has remained at this distance with the exception of three races – in 1919 and 1920 it was run over 1,100 metres at Longchamp and in 1944 it was cut to 900 metres at Auteuil. Other runnings to have taken place away from Chantilly have been at Maisons-Laffitte (1941–43, 1945), Longchamp (1946–56) and Deauville (1996).

Several horses have recorded multiple victories in the Prix du Gros Chêne. The most wins by a single horse is five, achieved by Fine Art in consecutive years during the 1940s.

Contents 1 Records 2 Winners since 1980 3 Earlier winners 4 References 5 See also

[edit] Records

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)

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Leading trainer (7 wins):

• François Mathet – Joshua (1953), Edellic (1958, 1959), Texanita (1964), Farhana (1967), Rockcress (1969), Adraan (1980)

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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)
• Baron Louis de La Rochette – Fine Art (1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946)

[edit] Winners since 1980

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 Mohamed Al Kabir	0:55.2
1983	Gem Diamond	5	Alain Badel	C. da Meda	Mrs Pierre Poinsot
1984	Royal Hobbit	6	Guy Guignard	C. W. 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. Farès	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	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	C. J. Mills	0:57.8
1996	Anabaa	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 J. Deer	0:58.1
2005	The Trader	7	Ted Durcan	Michael Blanshard	Mrs C. J. 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	Mrs Jean-Louis Giral	0:57.2

[edit] Earlier winners

* The 1968 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

[edit] References

• France-Galop.com
• PedigreeQuery.com
• Racing Post:
  • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997
  • 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
  • 2008

[edit] See also

• List of French flat horse races