Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris

The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris is a Group 1 steeplechase in France which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Auteuil over a distance of 6,000 metres, and during its running there are twenty-three fences to be jumped. It is the richest and most prestigious jumps race in France, and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May.

Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris
Group 1 race
LocationAuteuil Racecourse
Paris, France
Inaugurated1874
Race typeSteeplechase
SponsorGras Savoye
Websitefrance-galop.com
Race information
Distance6,000 metres
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationFive-years-old and up
Weight65 kg (5yo); 67 kg (6yo+)
Allowances
2 kg for mares
Purse€850,000 (2014)
Distribution
1st: 45%, 2nd: 22%, 3rd: 13%
4th: 9%, 5th: 5%, 6th: 3.5%
7th: 2.5%
Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris
2020
Docteur De Ballon Figuero Feu Follet

History

The event was first run on May 25, 1874, and it was initially known as the Grand National de France. It was intended to be the French equivalent of the Grand National, a famous steeplechase in England. It was originally a handicap race, and it was open to horses aged four or older. The inaugural running was contested over 6,400 metres, and this was cut to 6,000 metres in its second year. The race was given its present title, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, in 1876. Its distance was extended to 6,500 metres in 1889.

The race ceased to be a handicap in 1890, when a fixed "weight-for-age" system was introduced. Four-year-old horses were required to carry 62½ kg, five-year-olds 70 kg and older horses 72½ kg. A penalty of 6 kg was incurred on the previous winners of either this race or the Grand National. The basic weights were subsequently modified several times, and the penalty was gradually reduced until it was eventually discontinued.

The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1918. Its length was increased to 6,900 metres in 1924, and then restored to 6,500 metres in 1926. During World War II it was cancelled only once, in 1940. The minimum age of participating horses was raised to five in 1941. The race's distance was reduced to 6,300 metres in 1969, but it returned to 6,500 metres in 1971. The present format, 5,800 metres with twenty-three fences, was introduced in 1981.

The three most successful horses in the race's history are Hyeres III, Katko and Mid Dancer, who have all recorded three victories. A further seven have won the event twice, most recently Princesse d'Anjou in 2006 and 2008. Two winners, Jerry M and Troytown, also achieved victory in the Grand National. Twelve foreign-trained horses have won, the latest of which was Mandarin in 1962, trained in England by Fulke Walwyn. The most recent foreign contender to finish in second place was the Irish-trained Captain Christy in 1975.

Records

Leading jockey (5 wins):

  • Jean Daumas – Xanthor (1959), Cousin Pons (1961), Hyeres III (1964, 1965, 1966)

Leading trainer (6 wins):

  • Bernard Sécly – Mon Filleul (1978), Katko (1988, 1989, 1990), Al Capone II (1997), El Paso III (2002)
  • Guillaume Macaire - Arenice (1996), Bel La Vie (2013), Storm Of Saintly (2014), So French (2016, 2017), On The Go (2018)

Leading owner (6 wins):

  • Arthur Veil-Picard – Saint Caradec (1909), Blagueur II (1911), Ultimatum (1913), Fleuret (1935), Ingre (1937, 1939)

Winners since 1949
Year
 Winner
 Age
 Jockey
 Trainer
 Owner
1949 Bouzoulou 6 René Beche Daniel Lescalle André de Fels
1950 Meli Melo 8 René Emery William Head Lucienne Aurousseau
1951 Nagara 9 Paul Hiéronimus Noël Pelat James P. Philipps
1952 Tournay 5 Pierre Delfarguiel Robert Baril Georges Courtois
1953 Pharamond 7 Marcel Maschio Maurice Adèle René Landon
1954 Orleans 7 Paul Péraldi Valère Péraldi Roger Nachbaum
1955 Farfatch 5 Claude Maire Maurice Wallon Edouard Gugenheim
1956 Necor 8 Henri T'Kint Peter Head Jean Etchepare
1957 Bonosnap 6 Guy Chancelier Georges Pelat Antonin Mourrut
1958 Sidere 7 Maurice Prod'homme André Adèle Baron Henry de Blonay
1959 Xanthor 9 Jean Daumas Henri Gleizes James de Rothschild
1960 Kingcraft 10 Gérard Philippeau Peter Head Jean de Marcilly
1961 Cousin Pons 5 Jean Daumas Max Bonaventure Jean Stern
1962 Mandarin 11 Fred Winter Fulke Walwyn Peggy Hennessy
1963 Loreto 9 René Kirchhofer Pierre Pelat Pierre Mercier
1964 Hyeres III 6 Jean Daumas Léon Gaumondy Max Gadala
1965 Hyeres III 7 Jean Daumas Léon Gaumondy Max Gadala
1966 Hyeres III 8 Jean Daumas Léon Gaumondy Mrs Léon Gaumondy
1967 Cacao 6 Gérard Migeon Henri Gleizes Baron P. de Posson
1968 Haroue 6 Bernard Vanheeghe Léon Gaumondy Jérôme Blum
1969 Huron 5 Claude Drieu André Adèle Bernard Larrousé
1970 Huron 6 Claude Drieu André Adèle Bernard Larrousé
1971 Pot d'Or 5 J. J. Declercq Maurice Wallon Robert Weill
1972 Morgex 8 Jean-Paul Ciravegna Jean Sens Mrs Michel Marie
1973 Giquin 6 Jean-Pierre Creveuil André Adèle María Félix Berger
1974 Chic Type 7 Jean-Pierre Renard Jean-Jacques Beaumé Gaston Murray
1975 Air Landais 5 Patrick Beyer Georges Pelat Mrs Marie-Claire Frolich
1976 Piomares 5 Guy Négrel Domingo Perea Joseph Kalda
1977 Corps a Corps 5 André Fabre André Adèle Baron Thierry van Zuylen
1978 Mon Filleul 5 Jean-Luc Llorens Bernard Sécly Jean-Claude Weill
1979 Chinco 7 Patrice Brame Jean-Paul Gallorini Giuseppe Campanella
1980 Fondeur 7 Marc Legrand André Fabre Albert Bézard
1981 Isopani 7 Alain Chelet André Fabre Pierre David
1982 Metatero 9 Bruno Jollivet André Fabre Gérard Margogne
1983 Jasmin II 8 Michel Chirol André Fabre Michel Thibault
1984 Brodi Dancer 6 Denis Leblond Pierre Biancone Mrs Claude Diallo
1985 Sir Gain 6 Serge Bérard Léon Gaumondy Mrs Louis Belotti
1986 Otage du Perche 6 Serge Bérard Philippe Lamotte d'Argy Philippe Lamotte d'Argy
1987 Oteuil 7 Bruno Jollivet René Cherruau Mrs Raymond Saulais
1988 Katko 5 Dominique Vincent Bernard Sécly Pierre de Montesson
1989 Katko 6 Jean-Yves Beaurain Bernard Sécly Pierre de Montesson
1990 Katko 7 Jean-Yves Beaurain Bernard Sécly Pierre de Montesson
1991 The Fellow 6 Dominique Vincent François Doumen Marquesa de Moratalla
1992 El Triunfo 6 Dominique Vincent François Rohaut Mrs Francis Montauban
1993 Ucello II 7 Christophe Aubert François Doumen Marquesa de Moratalla
1994 Ucello II 8 Christophe Aubert François Doumen Marquesa de Moratalla
1995 Ubu III 9 Philippe Chevalier François Doumen Marquesa de Moratalla
1996 Arenice 8 Philippe Sourzac Guillaume Macaire Mrs Francis Montauban
1997 Al Capone II 9 Jean-Yves Beaurain Bernard Sécly Robert Fougedoire
1998 First Gold 5 Thierry Doumen François Doumen Marquesa de Moratalla
1999 Mandarino 6 Philippe Chevalier Marcel Rolland Mrs Didier Ricard
2000 Vieux Beaufai 7 Pierre Bigot Frédéric Danloux Ecurie Siklos
2001 Kotkijet 6 Thierry Majorcryk Jean-Paul Gallorini Daniel Wildenstein
2002 El Paso III [lower-alpha 1] 10 Laurent Métais Bernard Sécly Robert Fougedoire
2003 Line Marine 6 Christophe Pieux Christophe Aubert Mrs Georges Vuillard
2004 Kotkijet 9 Thierry Majorcryk Jean-Paul Gallorini Ecurie Wildenstein
2005 Sleeping Jack 6 Christophe Pieux Jacques Ortet Raoul Temam
2006 Princesse d'Anjou 5 Philip Carberry François-Marie Cottin Jean-Paul Sénéchal
2007 Mid Dancer 6 Cyrille Gombeau Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé Sean Mulryan
2008 Princesse d'Anjou 7 Philip Carberry François-Marie Cottin Jean-Paul Sénéchal
2009 Remember Rose 6 Christophe Pieux Jean-Paul Gallorini Ernst Iten
2010 Polar Rochelais 7 Jerôme Zuliani Patrice Quinton Ecurie des Dunes
2011 Mid Dancer 10 Sylvain Dehez Christophe Aubert Pegasus Farms Ltd
2012 Mid Dancer 11 Sylvain Dehez Christophe Aubert Pegasus Farms Ltd
2013 Bel La Vie 7 Bertrande Lestrade Guillaume Macaire Mme Patrick Papot
2014 Storm Of Saintly 5 Vincent Cheminaud Guillaume Macaire Jeannot Andt
2015 Milord Thomas 6 Jacques Ricou Dominique Bressou Magalen O Bryant
2016 So French 5 James Reveley Guillaume Macaire Magalen O Bryant
2017 So French 6 James Reveley Guillaume Macaire Magalen O Bryant
2018 On The Go 5 James Reveley Guillaume Macaire Mme Patrick Papot
2019 Carriacou 7 Davy Russell Isabelle Pacault Ecurie Mirande
2020 Docteur de Ballon[lower-alpha 2] 8 Bertrand Lestrade Louisa Carberry Mme Robert Gasche-Luc
  1. Double Car finished first in 2002, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
  2. The 2020 race was run in October due to the COVID-19 pandemic in France

Earlier winners
  • 1874 - Miss Hungerford
  • 1875 - La Veine
  • 1876 - Ventriloque
  • 1877 - Congress
  • 1878 - Wild Monarch
  • 1879 - Wild Monarch
  • 1880 - Recruit II
  • 1881 - Maubourguet
  • 1882 - Whisper Low
  • 1883 - Too Good
  • 1884 - Varaville
  • 1885 - Redpath
  • 1886 - Boissy
  • 1887 - La Vigne
  • 1888 - Parasang
  • 1889 - Le Torpilleur
  • 1890 - Royal Meath
  • 1891 - Saida
  • 1892 - Fleurissant
  • 1893 - Skedaddle
  • 1894 - Loutch
  • 1895 - Styrax
  • 1896 - Valois
  • 1897 - Solitaire
  • 1898 - Marise
  • 1899 - Tancarville
  • 1900 - Melibee
  • 1901 - Calabrais
  • 1902 - Gratin
  • 1903 - Veinard
  • 1904 - Dandolo
  • 1905 - Canard
  • 1906 - Burgrave II
  • 1907 - Grosse Mere
  • 1908 - Dandolo
  • 1909 - Saint Caradec
  • 1910 - Jerry M
  • 1911 - Blagueur II
  • 1912 - Hopper
  • 1913 - Ultimatum
  • 1914 - Lord Loris
  • 1915–18 - no race
  • 1919 - Troytown
  • 1920 - Coq Gaulois
  • 1921 - Roi Belge
  • 1922 - Hertes XII
  • 1923 - L'Yser
  • 1924 - Master Bob
  • 1925 - Silvo
  • 1926 - Portmore
  • 1927 - The Coyote
  • 1928 - Maguelonne
  • 1929 - Le Touquet
  • 1930 - Le Fils de la Lune
  • 1931 - La Fregate
  • 1932 - Duc d'Anjou
  • 1933 - Millionnaire II
  • 1934 - Agitato
  • 1935 - Fleuret
  • 1936 - Potentate
  • 1937 - Ingre
  • 1938 - Heve
  • 1939 - Ingre
  • 1940 - no race
  • 1941 - Kerfany
  • 1942 - Symbole
  • 1943 - Kargal
  • 1944 - Hahnhof
  • 1945 - Boum
  • 1946 - Lindor
  • 1947 - Lindor
  • 1948 - Rideo

References

See also


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.