Congress 3yo Chase History: The sooner the better

November, Auteuil

Congress 3yo Chase

Group 2, 3-year-olds, 3,600m/2m2f, Steeple-Chase, €140,000

Created in 1880

Last winner: Magic Dream (c3, FRA by Saint des Saints ex Magic Poline, by Trempolino), owned by Écurie Castillon Bloodstock, bred by SCEA des Prairies & Philippe Cochard, trained by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, ridden by Thomas Coutant.

The race is run in 2021 for the 135th time

The 2020 edition

Sunday, November 8, 2020, Auteuil. - Four runners were still in contention at the last in the Congress 3yo Chase (Gr2), the "Grand Steeple des 3ans". Always in the lead, Hades (Mastrestroke) first contained the favourite I'm Walkin (Martaline) and Losange Vert (Montmatre), who had sneaked between horses, but Magic Dream (Saint des Saints), who had long followed in the rear guard, was coming late and finally had the last word.

The only entire colt in the race, Magic Dream ended up winning by a length over Jean-Pierre Raymond's AQPS, who also beat I’m Walkin by a good length.

Trained at Royan-La Palmyre by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, Magic Dream started with a distant (15 lengths) third place in the Pride of Kildare Hurdle, a beginners race at Auteuil, and then had largely dominated for his chasing debut.

Magic Dream is the fourth foal out of Magic Poline (Trempolino), who did not win at Auteuil but was fifth in a Ferdinand Dufaure 4yo Chase (Gr1) for trainer Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé and owner Sylviane Jeffroy. The colt is a brother to Liberatore (Poliglote), third in an Aguado 3yo Hurdle race (Gr3), to Magic Saint (Saint des Saints), winner of four consecutive races at Auteuil before being exported to Great Britain, and to Always Magic (Sunday Break), notably third in a Maisons-Laffitte Hurdle race (Gr3). Magic Poline also gave two fillies by Manatee born in 2018 and 2019.

History

Named after the fourth winner of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, this race was first held in 1880, the year when the fledging Société des Steeple-Chases de France (founded in 1873) decided not to increase the incentives for hurdle races “in the aim of bringing into the steeplechases as great a possible number of good horses that might otherwise remain too long racing over hurdles". To this end, a series of chases were created, with purses that increased with the difficulty of the run, the distance and the weight carried. Thus, two richly rewarded events were created – with FF10,000 to the winner - the Prix de La Croix-de-Berny (which became the Prix La Haye Jousselin in 1903) for horses aged 4 and over, and the Prix Congress for the 3-year-olds. Initially contested at Auteuil on the last Sunday in August, the Prix Congress was added to the autumnal meeting in 1892 – held generally in early November –, becoming one of is main events courtesy of valuable prize money in 1902 (FF35,000) approaching that of the showpiece races (Prix Montgomery and Prix La Haye Jousselin), which boasted purses of FF40,000.

Originally run over 1 mile 7 furlongs, the Prix Congress has seen its distance progressively extended to 2 miles 2 furlongs or 2 miles 1 ½ furlongs since 1978. The race was not held in 1887 (the late August meeting was cancelled), during the five years of the Great War (from 1914 to 1918), or in 1939.

In 1884, the race was won by Virelan, who was owned, trained and ridden by H. Andrews. He saw off the favourite, Bride Abattue, the famous filly owned by Baron Finot that was victorious no less than twelve times over the jumps that year, finishing off by winning 2 races on the same day (27 November) at Auteuil, first over the hurdles in the Prix du Brasero (1 mile 5 furlongs carrying 74 kilos) and then in the Prix Doublon (handicap, 2 miles 3 furlongs) carrying 73.5 kilos, including six pounds incurred by her victory acquired an hour earlier. These exploits earned Bride Abattue a race in her name at Auteuil, perhaps most memorable for the 1973 edition tainted by fraud.

Six winners have also won the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris: La Vigne (as a 4-year-old in 1887), Le Torpilleur (at 4 in 1889), Bouzoulou (at 6 in 1949), Cacao (at 6 in 1967), Mandarino (at 6 in 1999) and Remember Rose (at 6 in 2009). The race’s winners’ list also features the names of two future winners of the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, Baudres (aged 4 in 1884) and Paiute (aged 6 and 7 in 1979 and 1980). Without managing to win these two showpiece Auteuil events, other winners of the Prix Congress have proven to be excellent jumps competitors, such as Colombo (1928), Strelitz (1929), Amor (1945), Fanfaron IV (1955), Bluff (1956), Pirate IV (1957), Blaps (1961), Noiro (1962), Mister Magoo (1970), Encore Un Peu (1990), Silver Top (1998) and Cyrlight (2003).

Congress
This English gelding, sired by Compromise and foaled by Countess (Slane) in 1866, holds the record for carrying the highest weight to victory, 80 kilos in 1877, in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, which was a handicap until 1879. Congress took part in the Grand Steeple on three occasions: first in 1876 – after being beaten only by a neck in the Grand National at Aintree – also carrying 80 kilos, when he finished third after completing two-thirds of the course with a damaged hoof; in 1877 – again after coming second in the Grand National, where he lost out by four lengths to Austerlitz carrying twenty-seven pounds less – when he (ridden by James Jewitt) outstripped his compatriot Revenge (67.5 kilos) and Wild Monarch (72.5 kilos); and lastly in 1878, when loaded with 82.5 kilos, he proved himself to be the best of the eight English participants (out of eighteen starters) by taking fourth place, while the victory went to Wild Monarch (72.5 kilos).

In reality, Congress was an exceptional steeplechaser, garnering fourteen victories in his homeland, including a pair of successes in the Grand Sefton Chase at Aintree (1873 and 1876), the Leamington Grand Annual (1875), the Warwick Grand Annual (1875) and the Grand International at Sandown (1877) carrying 79.5 kilos, thirty-two pounds less than the second. Before the 1877 Grand National, Congress was purchased by Lord Lonsdale, whose colours (white jersey, yellow stitching, red cap) he would wear to victory at Auteuil. Lord Lonsdale (1857-1944) was an unusual character who had inherited a vast fortune at the age of twenty-five (175,000 acres of land in Westmorland and Cumberland), which he made extensive use of, even spending his last years in what had been the house of his stud groom. A remarkable connoisseur of both horses and dogs, he was also brave and generous, instantly recognisable on account of his bright yellow coach with its magnificent horses, his eccentric yet elegant clothing, bushy sideburns and trademark cigar. His spirit and Regency lifestyle were those of an entirely bygone age.

Owners

• Wildenstein Family (6 wins): Kyo (1972), Cofimvaba (1973), Paiute (1976), Tell Harmall (1980), Marathon Dancer (1981) for Daniel, Nile Prince (1989) for his wife Sylvia.
• Jules Finot (4 wins): Baudres (1883), La Vigne (1886), Tarantasse (1890), Caucase (1893).
• Charles Liénart (4 wins): Fragoletto (1897), Master (1898), Jardin (1901), Murano (1906).
• Max de Rivaud (4 wins): Colombo (1928), Strelitz (1929), Le Miracle (1930) en son nom ; il était aussi associé avec ses trois frères dans l’indivision « comte de Rivaud », propriétaire de Lagobette (1923).
• Jean-Pierre Sénéchal (4 wins): Silver Top (1998), Sun Storm (2000), Mon Villez (2002), Le Tranquille (2010).
• Mme Patrick Papot (4 wins): Un Nononito (2005), Saint Macaire (2009), Échiquier Royal (2017), Dream Wish (2019).
• Georges Ledat (3 wins): Le Torpilleur (1888), Saint Claude (1889), Voilier (1895).
• Gaston-Dreyfus (3 wins): Philippe (1903), Bachot (1904), Milo (1910).
• Arthur Veil Picard (3 wins): Pimlico (1907), Sea King (1909), Lucullus III (1911).

Trainers

• Guillaume Macaire (10 wins): Parika (1993), Grivery (1999), Balko (2004), Un Nononito (2005), Saint Macaire (2009), Roi de Trêve (2011), Bébé Star (2013), Kobrouk (2014), Punch Nantais (2015), Edward d’Argent (2016).
• Maurice d’Okhuysen (8 wins): Colombo (1928), Strelitz (1929), Le Miracle (1930), Un Grisard (1936), Fascination (1937), Chéri Bibi (1941), Stanley (1948), Zéphyr (1959).
• Jean-Paul Gallorini (6 wins): Marathon Dancer (1981), Nile Prince (1989), Soliburn (1991), Silver Top (1998), Remember Rose (2006), Sanouva (2012).
• Henri Gleizes (5 wins): Sirfranc (1944), Sofi (1947), Le Chéri (1949), Reymin (1951), Cacao (1964).
• George-W. Lawrence (4 wins): Torrent (1896), Philippe (1903), Bachot (1904), Milo (1910).
• Charles Carter (4 wins): Fragoletto (1897), Master (1898), Jardin (1901), Murano (1906).
• André Adèle (4 wins): Pirate IV (1957), Blaps (1961), Kintoki (1971), Cartero (1975).
• Georges Pelat (4 wins): Mister Magoo (1970), Kyo (1972), Cofimvaba (1973), Paiute (1976).
• John Harper (3 wins): La Vigne (1886), Tarantasse (1890), Caucase (1893).
• Charles Bariller (3 wins): Chatterbox (1913), Elseneur (1920), La Main de Massiges (1921).
• Jean Sens (3 wins): Yanick (1943), Bluff (1956), Senappe (1965).
• Jean Dasque (3 wins): Perle d’Alcanada (1985), Sweet Waters (1986), Trésor du Mont (1988).
• Thomas Carter junior (2 wins): Le Torpilleur (1888), Saint Claude (1889).
• Joseph Desbons (2 wins): Gilbert (1899), Nicolaief (1900).
• Alphonse Baresse (2 wins): Cineas (1905), Pimlico (1907).
• Wallace Davis (2 wins): Sea King (1909), Lucullus III (1911).
• Edouard Haes (2 wins): Lagobette (1923), Le Digard (1926).
• Daniel Lescalle (2 wins): Bouzoulou (1946), Mylord II (1950).
• Pierre Pelat (2 wins): Heredia (1967), Talego (1983).
• Dominique Sartini (2 wins): Boy Scout (1968), Terence (1969).
• Pierre Biancone (2 wins): Mister Jack (1982), Brinkmanchic (1984).
• Bernard Sécly (2 wins): Kotkito (1992), Pasadono (1995).
• François-Marie Cottin (2 wins): Oculi (2007), Le Tranquille (2010).
• Dominique Bressou (2 wins): Échiquier Royal (2017), Dream Wish (2019).
• Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé (2 wins): Cyrlight (2003), Magic Dream (2020).

Marie-Laetitia Mortier is the only female trainer to saddle a winner, Misérable (2008).

Rider

• George Parfrement (3 wins): Pimlico (1907), Sea King (1909), Lucullus III (1911).
• Marcel Fruhinsholtz (3 wins): Colombo (1928), Strelitz (1929), Le Miracle (1930).
• Philippe Sourzac (3 wins): Parika (1993), Grivery (1999), Cyrlight (2003).
• Jacques Ricou (3 wins): Balko (2004), Un Nononito (2005), Échiquier Royal (2017).
• Kevin Nabet (3 wins): Kobrouk (2014), Edward d’Argent (2016), Polirico (2018).