Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne

Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne

Group 3 race
Location	Vichy Racecourse Vichy, France
Inaugurated	1875
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Website	france-galop.com
Race information
Distance	2,000 metres (1¼ miles)
Surface	Turf
Track	Right-handed
Qualification	Three-years-old and up
Weight	53½ kg (3yo); 58 kg (4yo+) Allowances 1½ kg for fillies and mares Penalties 4 kg for Group 1 winners * 3 kg for Group 2 winners * 2 kg for Group 3 winners * * since January 1
Purse	€80,000 (2015) 1st: €40,000

The Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Vichy over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.

History

The event was established in 1875, and it was originally called the Grand Prix de Vichy. It was run as a handicap until 1899, and during this period its distance was frequently modified. For several years thereafter it was titled the Grand Prix International du Cercle de Vichy. It was abandoned in 1907, and became known as the Grand Prix de la Ville de Vichy the following year.

The title was appended with "et de la Société de Sport de France" in 1958. The Société de Sport de France owned the racecourse, and later merged with similar organisations to form France Galop.

The event reverted to its original name in 1965, and was run as a handicap in 1970. It was given Group 3 status in 1976.

The name of the region where Vichy is located, Auvergne, was added to the title in 2005.

The race has been contested over various distances, with spells over 2,600 metres (1900–41, 1943–64, 1966–75), 2,400 metres (1976–91) and 2,000 metres (1992–present).

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Shikani – 1960, 1961
• Perouges – 1979, 1980
• Marildo – 1993, 1995
• Touch of Land – 2005, 2006

---

Leading jockey (5 wins):

• Christophe Soumillon – Kerrygold (2000), Vangelis (2003), Bailador (2004), Daly Daly (2009), Saga Dream (2013)

---

Leading trainer (4 wins):

• James Cunnington – Marichette (1881), Dacis (1891), Machiavel (1898), Kerlaz (1900)
• Robert Denman – Gouvernant (1904), Marsa (1910), Checkmate (1923), Alguazil (1926, dead-heat)
• Antoine Lassard – Yakoba (1934), Ortolan (1935), Champittet (1941), Clodoche (1943)

---

Leading owner (7 wins):

• Marcel Boussac – Grillemont (1924, dead-heat), Alguazil (1926, dead-heat), Thaouka (1932), Dadji (1937), Coaraze (1947), Amphis (1952), Shaker (1954)

Winners since 1979

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
1979	Perouges	4	Jacques Le Deunf	Alain Lyon	André Rivière
1980	Perouges	5	Jacques Le Deunf	Alain Lyon	André Rivière
1981	Lord Jack	4	Jean Massard	Henri Gleizes	Mrs François Elion
1982	Karkour	4	Yves Saint-Martin	Joseph Audon	Ecurie Manhattan
1983	Terreno	5	Yves Saint-Martin	François Boutin	Gerry Oldham
1984	Nature	6	Jean Massard	François Elion	Mrs Jean Carlier
1985	Lauville	4	Guy Guignard	Gérard Philippeau	Marie-Louise Blain
1986	Agent Double	5	Gary W. Moore	Criquette Head	Jacques Wertheimer
1987	Sarepta	6	Robert Laplanche	Louis Boulard	Jacques Bedel	2:25.70
1988	Altashar	3	Eric Saint-Martin	Alain de Royer-Dupré	HH Aga Khan IV	2:29.45
1989	Prince Ruffian	4	Cash Asmussen	François Bellenger	Dominique Boulloche	2:34.40
1990	North Col	3	Tony Cruz	Jonathan Pease	Simon Emmet	2:29.00
1991	Danae de Brule	4	Robert Laplanche	Maurice Prod'homme	Léon Seile	2:34.50
1992	Goofalik	5	Cash Asmussen	John Hammond	David Thompson	2:03.30
1993	Marildo	6	Guy Guignard	David Smaga	David Smaga	2:02.30
1994	Mint Crisp	4	Olivier Doleuze	Dominique Sépulchre	Mrs A. Rogers	2:08.70
1995	Marildo	8	Guy Guignard	David Smaga	David Smaga	2:05.50
1996	Bulington	4	Cash Asmussen	Henri-Alex Pantall	Philippe Pierry	2:04.20
1997	Baroud d'Honneur	4	Franck Blondel	Jean-François Bernard	Axelle Nègre	2:05.10
1998	Steward	5	Sylvain Guillot	Dominique Sépulchre	Georges Coude	2:06.50
1999	Victory Cry	3	Olivier Peslier	André Fabre	Daniel Wildenstein	2:05.30
2000	Kerrygold	4	Christophe Soumillon	Pascal Bary	Antonia Devin	2:08.60
2001	Boismorand	5	Vincent Vion	Melchior Mathet	Maurice Clifford	2:09.20
2002	Cheshire	5	Yutaka Take	John Hammond	Peter Willmott	2:06.40
2003	Vangelis	4	Christophe Soumillon	Alain de Royer-Dupré	Napping Ltd	2:08.90
2004	Bailador	4	Christophe Soumillon	André Fabre	Edouard de Rothschild	2:08.64
2005	Touch of Land	5	Christophe Lemaire	Henri-Alex Pantall	Gary Tanaka	2:03.80
2006	Touch of Land	6	Olivier Peslier	Henri-Alex Pantall	Gary Tanaka	2:10.19
2007	Atlantic Air	5	Thierry Thulliez	Yves de Nicolay	Antonia Devin	2:35.15
2008	Hapsburg	4	Ioritz Mendizabal	Eric Libaud	Jean Luck	2:05.45
2009	Daly Daly	5	Christophe Soumillon	Robert Laplanche	Bernard Giraudon	2:12.12
2010	Agent Secret	4	François-Xavier Bertras	François Rohaut	Raoul Temam	2:15.12
2011	Cirrus des Aigles	5	Franck Blondel	Corine Barande-Barbe	Jean-Claude Dupouy	2:14.00
2012	No Risk at All	5	Ioritz Mendizabal	Jean-Paul Gallorini	Jean-Paul Gallorini	2:06.82
2013	Saga Dream	7	Christophe Soumillon	Freddy Lemercier	Freddy Lemercier	2:07.79
2014	Hippy	6	Eric Libaud	Pierre-Charles Boudot	Jacques Seror	2:10.18
2015	Elliptique	4	Amelie Foulon	André Fabre	Rothschild Family	2:07.48

Earlier winners

• 1875: Damoiseau
• 1876: Mondaine
• 1877: Giboulee
• 1878: Le Marquis
• 1879: Gift
• 1880:
• 1881: Marichette
• 1882–85: no race
• 1886: Prytanee
• 1887: Ary
• 1888: Bocage
• 1889: Etretat
• 1890: Belle Dame
• 1891: Dacis
• 1892: Le Cordouan
• 1893:
• 1894: Lanterne Magique
• 1895: Feuillet
• 1896:
• 1897:
• 1898: Machiavel
• 1899:
• 1900: Kerlaz
• 1901: Lady Killer
• 1902: Red Cedar
• 1903: Alpha
• 1904: Gouvernant
• 1905: Rataplan
• 1906: Eider
• 1907: no race
• 1908: Roi Herode
• 1909: Chulo

• 1910: Marsa
• 1911: Dor
• 1912: Predicateur
• 1913: Tripolette
• 1914–19: no race
• 1920: Astypalee
• 1921: Herlies
• 1922: Harpocrate
• 1923: Checkmate
• 1924: Grillemont / Seclin ¹
• 1925: Momus
• 1926: Alguazil / Javelot ¹
• 1927: Juveilin
• 1928: Rovigo
• 1929: Frolic ²
• 1930: Guernanville
• 1931: Hetre Pourpre
• 1932: Thaouka
• 1933: Casterari
• 1934: Yakoba
• 1935: Ortolan
• 1936: Vatellor
• 1937: Dadji
• 1938: Eclair au Chocolat
• 1939: Transtevere
• 1940: no race
• 1941: Champittet
• 1942: Tambourin
• 1943: Clodoche
• 1944: no race
• 1945: Achille
• 1946:

• 1947: Coaraze
• 1948: Pegase
• 1949: Astragram
• 1950: Monticola
• 1951: Ombrette
• 1952: Amphis
• 1953: Romantisme
• 1954: Shaker
• 1955: Bewitched
• 1956: Cambremer
• 1957: Jockero
• 1958: Makalu
• 1959: Wolfram
• 1960: Shikani
• 1961: Shikani
• 1962: Karol
• 1963: Signora
• 1964: Amertume
• 1965: Carvin
• 1966: Cantilius
• 1967: Dan Kano
• 1968: Crozier
• 1969: Manitoba
• 1970:
• 1971:
• 1972: Royal Land
• 1973: Sophora
• 1974: Authi
• 1975: Ambrellita
• 1976: Diagramatic
• 1977: Guadanini
• 1978: Tempus Fugit

¹ The 1924 and 1926 races were dead-heats and have joint winners.
² Le Chatelet finished first in 1929, but he was disqualified for obstruction.

See also

• List of French flat horse races
• Recurring sporting events established in 1875 – this race is included under its original title, Grand Prix de Vichy.

References

• France Galop / Racing Post:
  • 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
  • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
  • 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
  • 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

---

• france-galop.com – A Brief History: Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne.
• galop.courses-france.com – Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne – Palmarès depuis 1980.
• galopp-sieger.de – Grand Prix de Vichy.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne (2015).
• pedigreequery.com – Grand Prix de Vichy – Vichy.