Prix de la Grotte History: The French One Thousand trial

April, ParisLongchamp

Prix de la Grotte

Group3, 3-year-old fillies, 1,600m/1M, €80,000

Created in 1889, run as a trial since 1952

Last winner: Rosacea (f3, IRE by Soldier Hollow ex Relizane, by Zamindar), owned by Haras de la Pérelle, bred by Haras de la Pérelle, trained by Stéphane Wattel, ridden by Mickaël Barzalona.

Record time: 1'36''7 by Shaketheyoke (1996).

The race as it is today will be run in 2023 for the 72nd time

The 2022 edition

April 17, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - Deauville training centre, represented by Stéphane Wattel with Rosacea (Soldier Hollow) and Yann Barberot with Daisy Maisy (Wootton Bassett), took over the favourites in the 71st renewal of the Prix de la Grotte (Gr3), an Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas, Gr1) trial, run four weeks before the first French Classic.

The odds-on unbeaten Raclette (Frankel) and Mangoustine (Dark Angel), who had won her three races to date, finished respectively 8th and 3rd, the former having never given any hope to her backers while the second only produced a short-lived effort about one furlong out, only to stay on after that.

Mangoustine, at least, made a move early in the straight after travelling on the 3rd rank by the rail, but she was unable to keep up with Daisy Maisy, who had trailed the leading Batz (Bated Breath) after a good start, and she was also unable to resist Rosacea in the end, as she rushed from the rear to score an easy half-length victory with Mickaël Barzalona on board. Mangoustine is beaten by a length for third place.

Rosacea finished 5th for her debut, early in August last year at Clairefontaine. Then when went on to win three consecutive races, ending her first campaign with an easy win in the Prix des Réservoirs (Gr3).

Bred in Ireland, Rosacea is owned by her breeder, Jurgen Winter's Haras de la Pérelle. She was never taken to the sales but her Tamayuz sister was consigned a day after her Reservoirs win at Deauville and made €125,000, paid by John Hammond for Sumbe. She's now named Retrouvaille and is partly owned by Gérard Augustin-Normand. Rosacea is the third foal but she was the first winner out of Relizane (Zamindar), a winner at Clairefontaine and a sister to the E P Taylor Stakes (Gr1) winner Reggane (Red Ransom).

History

The Prix de la Grotte in its original form was introduced at Longchamp in 1889. Open to ages 3 and over, it became a regular fixture on the programme at the Bois de Boulogne racecourse, albeit with frequently changing conditions and sometimes as a claiming race. It was not until 1952 that the Prix de la Grotte became, for 3-year-old fillies the equivalent of the Prix de Fontainebleau for the colts. Set at one mile, the distance was cut to 7 furlongs in 1965, to 6 ½ furlongs in 1966, and 7 ½ furlongs in 1967, before being restored to the mile from 1968. 

In 2020, as racing had been halted by a coronavirus pandemic, the race was held on May 11, 2020, on the day the lockdown was lifted for racing in France.

The Grotte as a French One Thousand Guineas trial

Winners of the Prix de la Grotte have regularly played starring roles in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Since 1952, 43 finished in the first three places of the French classic. The winners were Apollonia (1956), La Sega (1962), Gazala (1967), Pola Bella (1968), Koblenza (1969), Pampered Miss (1970), Bold Fascinator (1971), Riverqueen (1976), Aryenne (1980), River Lady (1982), Houseproud (1990), Danseuse du Soir (1991), Matiara (1995), Always Loyal (1997), Zalaiyka (1998), Divine Proportions (2005), Darjina (2007), Zarkava (2008), Golden Lilac (2011), Beauty Parlour (2012) and Castle Lady (2019). 

Devinette (1952), Myriade (1955), Epine Dorée (1957), Reluisante (1958), Felicia (1963), Tonnera (1966), Nobiliary (1975), Nonoalca (1979), Mystérieuse Etoile (1983), Sakura Reiko (1987), Shake the Yoke (1996), Maiden Tower (2003), Grey Lilas (2004) and Tamazirte (2009) were placed second while Baghicheh (1954), Fiorenza (1959), Clear River (1965), If (1972), Dahlia (1973), Sophisticat (2002), Mexican Gold (2015) and Qemah (2016) finished 3rd.

Owners

• Mohammed Al Maktoum & Godolphin (7 wins): Baya (1993), Flagbird (1994), Quarter Note (2001) & Maiden Tower (2003) for Sheikh Mohammed, Anna Salai (2010), Musis Amica (2018) & Castle Lady (2019) for Godolphin.
• Nelson-Bunker Hunt (5 wins): Gazala (1967), Pampered Miss (1970), Dahlia (1973), Nobiliary (1975) & Hartebeest (1977).
• François Dupré (4 wins): La Sega (1962), Felicia (1963), Mirna (1964) & Tonnera (1966).
• Casaque Wildenstein (4 wins): Keniant (1989) & Danseuse du Soir (1991) for Daniel, Beauty Parlour (2012) for the Wildenstein family.
• Mahmoud Fustok (3 wins): Mystérieuse Etoile (1983), Northern Premier (1986) & Silver Lane (1988).
• Aga Khan (3 wins): Zalaiyka (1998), Daltaya (2006) & Zarkava (2008).

Trainers

• André Fabre (9 wins): Houseproud (1990), Baya (1993), Flagbird (1994), Grey Lilas (2004), Anna Salai (2010), Golden Lilac (2011), Mexican Gold (2015), Musis Amica (2018), Tropbeau (2020).
• François Mathet (7 wins): La Sega (1962), Felicia (1963), Mirna (1964), Tonnera (1966), Pola Bella (1968), Koblenza (1969) & Hartebeest (1977).
• Maurice Zilber (5 wins): Dahlia (1973), Nobiliary (1975), Tropicaro (1981), Treizième (1984) & Silver Lane (1988).
• Alain de Royer-Dupré (4 wins): Zalaiyka (1998), Daltaya (2006), Darjina (2007) & Zarkava (2008).
• Henri-Alex Pantall (4 wins): Quarter Note (2001), Maiden Tower (2003), Kenhope (2013) & Castle Lady (2019).
• John Cunnington junior (3 wins): Fiorenza (1959), Gazala (1967) & Pampered Miss (1970).
• François Boutin (3 wins): If (1972), River Lady (1982) & Absurde (1992).
• Elie Lellouche (3 wins): Danseuse du Soir (1991), Shake the Yoke (1996) & Beauty Parlour (2012).
• Jean-Claude Rouget (3 wins): Tamazirte (2009), Lesstalk in Paris (2014) & Qemah (2016)

Riders

• Yves Saint-Martin (7 wins): La Sega (1962), Felicia (1963), Mirna (1964), Tonnera (1966), Pola Bella (1968), Koblenza (1969) & Captive Island (1985).
• Christophe Soumillon (5 wins): Daltaya (2006), Darjina (2007), Zarkava (2008), Beauty Parlour (2012) & Lesstalk in Paris (2014)
• Freddy Head (4 wins): Riverqueen (1976), Absurde (1992), Matiara (1995) & Always Loyal (1997).
• Mickaël Barzalona (4 wins): Musis Amica (2018), Castle Lady (2019), Tropbeau (2020), Rosacea (2022).
• Maurice Philipperon (3 wins): Gazala (1967), Pampered Miss (1970) & Aryenne (1980).
• Lester Piggott (3 wins): Nobiliary (1975), River Lady (1982) & Treizième (1984).
• Alfred Gibert (3 wins): Tayyara (1978), Nonoalca (1979) & Mystérieuse Etoile (1983).
• Thierry Jarnet (3 wins): Baya (1993), Flagbird (1994) & Kenhope (2013).
• Christophe Lemaire (3 wins): Maiden Tower (2003), Divine Proportions (2005) & Tamazirte (2009).
• Maxime Guyon (3 wins): Anna Salai (2010), Golden Lilac (2011), Cirona (2021).