Héros XII Chase history: An Auteuil icon

October, Auteuil*

Héros XII Chase

Group 3, 5-year-olds and above, Steeple Chase, 4,500m/22.5f, €100,000

Created in 1924

Last winner: Edgeoy (g6 FRA by Saddler Maker and Ireland, by Kadalko), owned by Jacques Détré, François Seigneur, Edward Walsh, Olivier Rauscent & Thierry Cyprès, bred by Thierry Cyprès & Jean-François Naudin, trained by François Nicolle, ridden by Angelo Zuliani.

The race is run in 2020 for the 76th time

The 2019 edition

Sunday, June 7, 2020, Compiègne. - Winner of the Heros XII Chase (Gr3) at Auteuil in October, his first success at the Group level, the 6-year-old AQPS Edgeoy (Saddler Maker) achieved the double only eight months later by winning the same race at Compiègne! Trained by François Nicolle, bred by Thierry Cyprés and the late Jean-François Naudin in the Nièvre, he led most of the way and took several lengths in the final turn. Srelighonn (Martaline) and Carriacou (Califet), tried to chase him home but had to let go. They finished second and third respectively at eight and fourteen lengths. Feu Follet (Kapgarde) travelled behind the leading group and finished close to Carriacou in fourth. Note the fall of the favourite Crystal Beach (Network) at the first jump.

Edgeoy has now established himself as a major player within the French chasing elite. Second in the Georges Courtois Chase (Gr2) last year after his first "Heros XII" win, he finished seventh in the Troytown Chase (Gr3) in the spring and had not reappeared since. He is out of Ireland (Kadalko), winner at Auteuil and dam also of Puerto Rico (Video Rock), who scored no less than seven times and is Group-placed at Auteuil, or of Vicente (Dom Alco), twice winner of the Grand Scottish national (Gr3).

Ireland is also a sister to Lettiland (Ragmar), second dam of the 3-year-old filly Ha La Land (Poliglote), the winner this same Sunday at Compiègne of the Haras d'Etreham Iena 3yo Fillies Hurdle Race (L). After Edgeoy, Ireland gave Giglio (Samum), bought back for € 20,000 at 2 at the Arqana Summer sale, and Hopen Land (Cokoriko), now 3 years old and still unraced. Giglio ran three times without winning yet, but he finished fourth in the Yonne #AQPS 3yo Hurdle for his only trial at Auteuil, in March, for his breeder Thierry Cyprés.

History

The first Prix Héros XII was held at Auteuil on 1 November 1924 to honour the memory of an exceptional jumps horse, Héros XII, who had passed away at this same racetrack one year earlier, to the very day. The inaugural edition of this steeplechase open to horses not having won during the year went to the 4-year-old Merrimac, owned and trained by Georges Cornu-Langy and ridden by François Hervé. After its conditions were relaxed, the Prix Héros XII rapidly became a stepping stone en route to the top two steeplechases of the autumn, the Prix La Haye Jousselin and Prix Montgomery. Before the Second World War, its winners’ list included the names of Hydravion (1928), Jean Victor (1935) and Fierabras (1937). In the mid-20^th century, it was won for the first time by that year’s winner of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris: Pharamond III (1952). From the 1960s onwards, Grand Steeple winners figured prominently on the honours list of the event: Hyères III (1965), Haroué (1967, 1968), Morgex (1969), Chinco (1978), Jasmin II (1982, 1983), Otage du Perche (1987), Oteuil SF (1988), Katko (1989), Ucello II (1991, 1993, 1994), The Fellow (1992), Al Capone II (1997, 1998, 1999), First Gold (2000), El Paso III (2001, 2002), Kotkijet (2003), Mid Dancer (2009, 2010), Milord Thomas (2014, 2016).

(*) In 2020, the Héros XII Chase was run in June at Compiègne because of the lockdown on Parisian racecourses due to the coronavirus epidemic.

Héros XII

It was not a fall that led to the death of Héros XII at Auteuil on 1 November 1923. He broke a leg after stepping into a hole while in the lead just before the final jump in the Prix du Cinquantenaire, an event celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the racecourse. In what was his sixty-fourth race, this incident brought an abrupt end to this bay gelding’s career that had been marked by twenty-two victories and twenty-three places. Born in 1915 in the Hautes-Pyrénées at the stables of C. Lafforgue, Héros XII was always destined to compete over the jumps, due to his sire Ex Voto and his dam Historienne, a winner of the Prix Montgomery.

He made a slow start to his racing career, obtaining his first win as a 4-year-old in August at Boulogne-sur-Mer. But at the end of the year, with six steeplechase victories to his name, including one at Auteuil that was notable not only for the unusual date (31 December) but also for the fact that, carrying 11st5lbs, he was coaxed to victory by his rider, a young army officer named Aimery Blacque-Belair, who gave confidence to this delicate horse by stroking it and talking to it throughout the race.

As a 5-year-old, after six fruitless outings and 50 days rest, Héros XII went to post at Enghien under the new colours of Henri Coulon. The instigator behind his purchase was the trainer Roch Filippi, who discovered that, due to toothache, the horse was not eating well. After treating him, he duly turned into an extraordinary jumps horse. Four outings in June brought three wins and a second place in the Grand Steeple between Coq Gaulois and the English champion Troytown. Four more forays in the autumn offered his owner as many victories, carrying 11st6lbs, 11st9lbs, 11st12lbs and 12st. The last of these came in the Prix La Haye Jousselin, where he was at a twenty-six-pound disadvantage to Ultimatum, one of the old guard at 11 but a Grand Steeple winner in 1913.

At 6, having finished third in the Prix Murat carrying 12st4lbs, Héros XII bore the top weight of 12st2lbs to victory in the Prix du Président de la République. With no overweight, the Grand Steeple seemed a formality for this accomplished jumper (he was 8/10 favourite) and so it proved... up until the last sixth of the course, that is. At this point, in what was an unbelievable error, his jockey Parfrement steered Héros XII on an incorrect course, followed by the rest of the chasing pack, apart from two stragglers, Roi Belge and Master Bob, who proceeded to take the first two places. So it was a third place only for Héros XII who, after being put back on track by his jockey was booed by the crowd and promptly banned until the end of the year by the stewards. In the autumn, he secured three new victories carrying 11st7lbs, 12st (Prix Richard Hennessy) and 11st4lbs (Prix La Haye Jousselin).

As a 7-year-old, he won carrying 12st in the Prix Adolphe Abeille, after which the handicapper assigned him a whopping 12st6lbs in the Prix du Président de la République. It was unsure if he would run but, sportingly, his entourage gave him the nod and Héros XII duly prevailed. Finally, two months later, he lifted the Grand Steeple that had previously eluded him. In the autumn, the mini-ware with the handicapper continued when he was assigned 13st in the Prix Montgomery. Héros XII took up the challenge again, but this time, even he could not overcome the odds stacked against him, finishing only seventh: the winner Odoacre carried only 11st and the second-placed L'Yser 11st11lbs. Three weeks later, he was back in the  La Haye Jousselin Chaser carrying 12st, Héros XII lost only by a short head to L'Yseri, who was twenty pounds the lighter.

His eighth year brought a second success in the Prix Adolphe Abeille carrying 76 kilos, but not a third triumph in the Prix du Président de la République, where he carried 12st13lbs. In the Prix Saint Sauveur, his jockey took a tumble after fierce but fair combat. Then, as the winner of the previous year’s Grand Steeple, he was forced to carry an overweight of 24lbs but remained the bookmakers’ favourite (17/10). However, he had to content himself with third place behind L'Yser and Master Bob. Five days later, he beat the latter by four lengths at level weights in the Prix des Drags Chase. After the summer break, it was back to Auteuil on 1 November for the Prix du Cinquantenaire, run over a record distance of 4 miles 4 furlongs and with a 100,000-F purse for the winner. With the top-weight of 76 kilos, Héros XII lined up as the favourite ahead of L'Yser, who was only 2lbs better off. He seemed to have the race won when he suddenly pulled up and was still, standing on three legs with his head lowered. He had just broken his anterior pastern. And so it was that this horse, admired by the crowds for his incomparable capacity to carry weight, fell on the battlefield.

N.B. Extracts from the book Auteuil, hier and aujourd'hui (volume 2, 1916-2003) by Guy THIBAULT (Editions du Castelet).

The Chase Héros XII and the La Haye Jousselin Chase

Fourteen horses have won both these chases, but rarely in the same year. They are Merigo (H. XII 1943, H.J. 1942 and 1944), Haroué (H. XII 1967 and 1968, H.J. 1968), Dom Helion (1977), Jasmin II (H. XII 1982 and 1983, H.J. 1982), Otage du Perche (H. XII 1987, H.J. 1986), Oteuil SF (1988), Katko (1989), Ucello II (H. XII 1991, 1993 and 1994, H.J. 1992), The Fellow (H. XII 1992, H.J. 1990), Al Capone II (H. XII 1997, 1998 and 1999, H.J. 1993 to 1999), El Paso III (H. XII 2001 and 2002, H.J. 2001), Golden Flight (2005), Milord Thomas (H. XII 2014, 2016, H.J. 2014, 2015, 2016), Bipolaire (H. XII 2017, H.J. 2017, 2018, 2019).

Owners

• Mrs de Moratalla (5 wins): Ucello II (1991, 1993, 1994), The Fellow (1992), First Gold (2000).
• Robert Fougedoire (5 wins): Al Capone II (1997, 1998, 1999), El Paso III (2001, 2002).
• Wildenstein Family (3 wins): Silvery Moon (1973), Lapo d’Or (1980) for Daniel, Kotkijet (2003) for Ecurie Wildenstein.
• Jacques Détré (3 wins): Bipolaire (2017), Edgeoy (2019, 2020).

Trainers

• Léon Gaumondy (7 wins): Villars (1955), Primesautière (1957), Rubis Rose (1961), Envergure (1963), Hyères III (1965), Haroué (1967, 1968).
• Bernard Sécly (6 wins): Katko (1989), Al Capone II (1997, 1998, 1999), El Paso III (2001, 2002).
• Georges Pelat (5 wins): Taïga (1946), Prince de la Tour (1956), Yoko II (1962), Silvery Moon (1973), Rusée (1975).
• François Doumen (5 wins): Ucello II (1991, 1993, 1994), The Fellow (1992), First Gold (2000).
• Jean-Paul Gallorini (4 wins): Lapo d’Or (1980), Doelan (1985), Kotkijet (2003), Kario de Sormain (2004).
• Léon Barré (3 wins): Hydravion (1928), Montecasino (1932, 1933).
• Charles Bariller (3 wins): Espalion (1930), Fandango IV (1938), Kid’s Legend (1941).
• Valère Péraldi (3 wins): Merigo (1943), Diablora (1958), Belle Rose (1960).
• André Adèle (3 wins): Morgex (1969), Parandero (1970), Le Pompier (1976).
• Emmanuel Clayeux (3 wins): Rhialco (2011), Net Lovely (2012), Vézelay (2015).
• François Nicolle (3 wins): Bipolaire (2017), Edgeoy (2019, 2020).
   

Riders

• Christophe Pieux (6 wins): Chamberko (1995), Staff (1996), El Paso III (2002), Cyrlight (2006), Mid Dancer ( 2010), Rhialco (2011).
• Jacques Ricou (4 wins): Or Noir de Somoza (2007), Mid Dancer (2009), Milord Thomas (2014, 2016).

N. B. Nathalie Desoutter is the only winning female-rider, with Kario de Sormain (2004).