2 June 2024
Photo scoopdyga.com
June, Chantilly
Grand Prix de Chantilly
Group 2, 4-year-olds and above, 2,400m / 1m4f, €130,000
Created in 1973 (as the Grand Prix d’Evry)
Last winner: Junko (h5, GB by Intello ex Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), owned by Wertheimer&Frère, bred by Wertheimer&Frère, trained by André Fabre, ridden by Maxime Guyon.
Record-time (at Chantilly) : 2'24''6 by Aspetar in 2019.
The race will be run in 2025 for the 52nd time
The 2024 edition
Sunday, June 2, 2024, Chantilly Racecourse (Oise). – Leading from the start of the €130,000 Grand Prix de Chantilly (Gr2), a race for aged horses over 1m4f, the British contender Al Qareem (Awlaad) set a fairly moderate pace early on, flanked by the favourite, the globetrotting Junko (Intello). Patiently trailing them were the stablemates Marquisat (Zarak) and Galashiels (Australia), ahead of the outsider Just Light (Hunter’s Light), Dubai Honour (Pride of Dubai), and Goliath (Adlerflug), a bit keen in last.
In the turn, Al Qareem gradually increased the pace, while Junko positioned himself right behind him.
Junko made his move going up the hill and soon took a clear lead over a weakening Al Qareem, while Marquisat started to move forward on the outside. In the final stages, Junko faced an increasingly strong challenge from Marquisat, managing to hold on by a nose at the finish line.
A strong finisher, Dubai Honour crossed the line in third place ahead of Goliath, whose late run was also noteworthy. Al Qareem and Galashiels finished a little further back.
A dual Group 1 winner over 1m1/2 as a 4-year-old, winning on the Münich track in November 2023 and then at Sha Tin (Hong Kong) in December, Junko was coming off a disappointing run in the Sheema Classic (Gr1) in Dubai, where he only trailed the field.
Wertheimer & Frère acquired his dam, the Group 3-placed US runner Lady Zuzu (Dynaformer), a sister to Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Optimizer (English Channel), sold in foal to War Front for $2,350,000 at the Fasig-Tipton breeding stock sales in 2016.
Since then, she has given a gelded son by Frankel, now 4 years old, who finished sixth over 1m4f at Saint-Cloud in his only outing before being sold for €38,000 to John Daniel Moore at the Arqana summer sales. He has since failed twice over hurdles.
A War Front filly, purchased at the same time as her dam Lady Zuzu, won a race and was first sold by Wertheimer & Frère, then by Haras d’Étreham in December 2021 at Tattersalls, in foal to Persian King, for £115,000 to Chantilly Bloodstock Agency (Gérard Larrieu). A filly was born in 2022, followed by her full sister in 2023. Both are bred by Haras d’Étreham.
History
The Grand Prix de Chantilly is a brand-new race, first run at the Condé racecourse in 1997. That year, it was brought in to enliven the Prix de Diane meeting after the closure of Evry racecourse. Essentially, it took over from the Grand Prix d'Evry, which had been created in 1973 when that racetrack was opened by the Société de Sport de France. Run in the second half of May, the Grand Prix d'Evry had been the racing body’s flagship event, along with the Grand Prix du Tremblay held from 1927 until 1947, when it was replaced by the Grand Handicap du Tremblay until Evry shut down at the end of 1967. In 2005, the Grand Prix de Chantilly was brought forward by one week to become part of the Prix du Jockey Club meeting instead of that of the Prix de Diane. In 2020, it was moved to Deauville because racing was still prohibited in the Paris region due to the health crisis.
Coming three weeks before the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the Grand Prix de Chantilly is an ideal trial for older horses. Five horses have succeeded in winning both the Grand Prix de Chantilly and the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud: Un Kopeck (1975), Diamond Shoal (1983), Pistolet Bleu (1992), Fragrant Mix (1998) and Ange Gabriel (2003). The first four of the above did the double as 4 year-olds. Ange Gabriel, in contrast, finished second as a 4-year-old at Chantilly in 2002 before triumphing at Saint-Cloud. He then returned to win both races in 2003.
Owners
- Casaque Wildenstein (5 wins): Star Lift (1989), Ode (1990), Pistolet Bleu (1992), Serrant (1993), Bright Moon (1994) for Daniel, then Policy Maker (2004, 2006) for Écurie Wildenstein.
- Wertheimer & Frère (3 wins): Poliglote (1996), Egyptband (2001), Junko (2024).
- Karim Aga Khan (2 wins): Karoon (1973), Sharaniya (1987).
- Michael Sobell (2 wins): Admetus (1974), Lancastrian (1981).
- Mahmoud Fustok (2 wins): Magwal (1984), Something True (1988).
- Jean-Luc Lagardère (2 wins): Long Mick (1985), Fragrant Mix (1998).
- Gestüt Schlenderhan (2 victoires) : In Swoop (2021), Mare Australis (2022).
Trainers
- André Fabre (12 wins): Magwal (1984), Galla Placidia (1986), Star Lift (1989), Wajd (1991), Serrant (1993), Bright Moon (1994), Fragrant Mix (1998), Daring Miss (2000), Manatee (2015), Waldgeist (2019), Mare Australis (2022), Junko (2024).
- Elie Lellouche (4 wins): Ode (1990), Pistolet Bleu (1992), Policy Maker (2004, 2006).
- John Cunnington Jr (3 wins): Admetus (1974), Un Kopeck (1975), Noir et Or (1979).
- François Boutin (2 wins): Vagaries (1978), Scorpio (1980), Long Mick (1985).
- Stéphane Wattel (2 victoires) : Tôt ou Tard (1995), Simca Mille (2023)
Riders
- Cash Asmussen (4 wins): Diamond Shoal (1983), Long Mick (1985), Galla Placidia (1986), Star Lift (1989).
- Christophe Soumillon (4 wins): Daring Miss (2000), Anabaa Blue (2002), Spiritjim (2014), One Foot In Heaven (2016).
- Maurice Philipperon (3 wins): Admetus (1974), Un Kopeck (1975), Noir et Or (1979).
- Thierry Jarnet (3 wins): Serrant (1993), Bright Moon (1994), Ange Gabriel (2003).
- Olivier Peslier (3 wins): Fragrant Mix (1998), Doctor Dino (2008), Silver Pond (2011).