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Prix Vanteaux History : A classic springboard

10 April 2022

Mqse de Sevigné et Hugo Besnier remportant le Prix Vanteaux (Gr3), dimanche 10 avril 2022 sur l'hippodrome de Longchamp à Paris.

Photo scoopdyga.com

April, ParisLongchamp

Prix Vanteaux

 

Group 3, 3yo Fillies, 1,800m/9f, €80,000

Created in 1868

Last winner: Mqse de Sevigné (f3, (IRE) by Siyouni ex Penne, by Sèvres Rose), owned by Edouard de Rothschild, bred by Écurie de Meautry, trained by André Fabre, ridden by Hugo Besnier.

Record time: 1'51''69 by Platane in 2019 (ParisLongchamp), 1’50’’21 by Gold Luck in 2017 (Chantilly).

The race is run for the 151st time in 2023

The 2022 edition

April 10, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - In a very open 150th renewal of the €80,000 Prix Vanteaux (Gr3), one of the traditional stepping stones on the way to the French Oaks, Mqse de Sevigné (Siyouni) proved to be slightly ahead of the cast. Trained by André Fabre, she was cleverly steered behind the leading fillies and made her move early enough to take over the front-running Hot Queen (Recorder), finally beaten for second place by Know Thyself (Galileo), who came by trailing the eventual winner. Bred by Écurie de Meautry for Edouard de Rothschild, Mqse de Sevigné won by one and a half-length while a short neck separated the two placed fillies. The favourite Tonka (Nathaniel), unbeaten in two races until this, was never a threat in the rear.

As for Mqse de Sevigné, it was her third run and a seasonal comeback. An unlucky third for her debut in the Prix de la Cascade won here by Agave in September, she had won straight after that over 7 furlongs at Chantilly.

She's a sister to Méandre (Slickly), a winner of the Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1), whose full sister Ondoyante (Slickly), a maiden now aged 13, was sold barren for €2,500 to Paul Nataf at Arqana last February. A Saxon Warrior filly was born in 2020, and a Kodiac colt last season.

Mqse de Sevigné est engagée dans les trois Groupes 1 de pouliches du printemps.

 

History

The Prix Vanteaux was first run in 1868 when a sixth race was added to the five races making up the card at Longchamp’s second springtime meeting. It was created in tribute to a family of breeders at the forefront of thoroughbred breeding in France. Like the Prix de Guiche, its sister race for yearlings and juveniles, the Prix Vanteaux quickly attracted top fillies aiming for success in the Classics.

After being run over a mile and a quarter for nearly nine decades (from 1868 to 1952), the length of the Prix Vanteaux was then changed on a regular basis until it was set at 1,85à metres in 1987, and 1,800 metres en 2016. Due to war, the Prix Vanteaux was cancelled in 1871 and from 1915 to 1918. The race has always been held at Longchamp with the exception of the Second World War years 1944 and 1945, when Maisons-Laffitte provided the venue, and when Longchamp was rebuild in 2016 and 2017 as the race was moved to Chantilly.

Over the years several winners of the Prix Vanteaux have fulfilled their owners’ ambitions of winning a Classic. Some of the more illustrious names are listed below:

  • Prix de Diane: Sornette (1870), Mondaine (1876), Medeah (1908), Harbour (1982), Escaline (1983), Zainta (1998), Latice (2004).
  • Prix Vermeille: Bethsaida (1906), Medeah (1908), Tripolette (1911), Meddlesome Maid (1920), Durban (1921), Isola Bella (1924), Kiddie (1932), Longthanh (1941), Casaque Grise (1967), Dancing Maid (1978), Three Troikas (1979), Queen Maud (1997).
  • One Thousand Guineas: Camaree (1950).
  • Oaks: La Lagune (1968).
  • Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe: Three Troikas (1979).

The Faulte de Vanteaux family

The Vanteaux boast various members who were among France’s first racehorse breeders, the family operating out of the Saint-Jean-Ligoure stud farm in the Haute Vienne region. Gabriel Faulte de Vanteaux (1779-1854) began breeding by crossing mares from the Limousin region with Arab stallions. It was by such means that he produced a horse called Cerf, who gave him his first win at Aurillac in 1823, and the mare Lucie, who claimed the Prix du Dauphin at Paris’s Champ de Mars in 1828. Shortly afterwards he focused his attentions on the patently superior English thoroughbreds. The Société d’Encouragement paid homage to Gabriel de Vanteaux by giving his name to a race on their Longchamp card in 1868.

His son Psalmet de Vanteaux (1822-1893) took over at Saint-Jean-Ligoure in 1850. As well as selling some stud produce to the state, he also raced, mainly in central France and the Bordeaux region. Monsieur de Saint-Jean (Derby du Midi 1855), Bissextil (Grand Saint Léger de Midi and second in the Derby du Midi 1859) and Darius (Derby du Midi 1876) were the finest representatives of his colours – sky blue silks, white sleeves, black cap. Elected a joint member of the Societe d’Encouragement in 1877, he was named an executive member in 1891.

 

Owners

  • Rothschild family (12 wins): Floraison (1912), Honeysuckle (1922), Coriandre (1928), Vareuse (1933), Reine Isaure (1934), Asheratt (1938) and Bulle de Savon (1939) for Édouard, Favreale (1959), Fermina (1966) and Grise Mine (1984) for Guy, Esotérique (2013) and Mqse de Sevigné (2022) for Édouard.

  • Wertheimer Family (6 wins): Dancing Maid (1978), Rivière d’Or (1988) and Corrazona (1993) for Jacques, America (2000), Gold Luck (2017) and Platane (2019) for Wertheimer&Frère.

  • Frédéric de Lagrange (4 wins): Mousie (1868), L’Oise (1869), Confiance (1875) et Bichette (1883).

  • Auguste Lupin (3 wins): Astrée (1877), Voilette (1880) et Liria (1884).

  • Paul Aumont (3 wins): Bulgarie (1885), Hervine (1887) et Verveine (1888).

  • Marcel Boussac (3 wins): Durban (1921), Palencia (1944) et Dekeleia (1977).

  • Mme Jean Couturié (3 victoires): Kypris (1953), Toscanella (1960) et Dame des Ondes (1972).

  • HH Aga Khan (3 wins): Masslama (1991), Zainta (1998) et Vazira (2014).

 

Trainers

  • Christiane Head-Maarek (7 wins): Three Troikas (1979), Harbour (1982), Fitnah (1985), Rivière d’Or (1988), Corrazona (1993), America (2000) et Dénomination (2009).

  • André Fabre (7 wins): Grise Mine (1984), Louveterie (1989), Qirmazi (1990), Bonash (1994), Luna Wells (1996), Ésotérique (2013), Mqse de Sevigné (2022).

  • Jean-Claude Rouget (5 wins): Star of Akkar (1999), Danzon (2006), Just Little (2007), Zagora (2010) et Zghorta Dance (2016).

  • Tom Jennings (4 wins): Mousie (1868), L’Oise (1869), Confiance (1875) et Bichette (1883).

  • Fred Carter (4 wins): Venise (1879), Bulgarie (1885), Hervine (1887) et Verveine (1888).

  • Lucien Robert (4 wins): Vareuse (1933), Reine Isaure (1934), Asheratt (1938) et Bulle de Savon (1939).

  • François Boutin (4 wins): La Lagune (1968), Dame des Ondes (1972), Reine de Naples (1973) et Bernica (1981).

  • Georges Rothera (3 wins): Voilette (1880), Liria (1884) et Floride (1894).

  • Robert Denman (3 wins): Clarisse (1891), Medeah (1908) et Royal Mistress (1923).

  • Frank Carter (3 wins): M’Amour (1910), Frisette (1925) et Finsovino (1930).

  • René Pelat (3 wins): Bisbille (1943), Haridelle (1954) et Altissima (1963).

  • Etienne Pollet (3 wins): Kypris (1953), Avilon (1957) et Toscanella (1960).

  • Geoffroy Watson (3 wins): Favreale (1959), Dreida (1964) et Fermina (1966).

  • John Cunnington junior (3 wins: Fast Ride (1969), Bon Appétit ( (1970) et Luth de Saron (1980).

  • Pascal Bary (3 wins): Secret Quest (1995), Mare Nostrum (2001) et Epic Love (2011).

  • Alain de Royer-Dupré (3 wins): Masslama (1991), Zainta (1998) et Vazira (2014).

 

Riders

  • R. Hunter (5 wins): Régane (1872), Mondaine (1876), Linotte (1878), Willye (1882), Liria (1884)

  • Charles Bouillon (5 wins): Coriandre (1928), Vareuse (1933), Reine Isaure (1934), Asheratt (1938), Bulle de Savon (1939).

  • Jean Deforge (4 wins): All Risk (1955), Tour de Londres (1956), Dreida (1964) et Fermina (1966).

  • Roger Poincelet (4 wins): Avilon (1957), Toscanella (1960), Altissima (1963) et La Sarre (1965).

  • Maurice Philipperon (4 wins): Fast Ride (1969), Bon Appétit ( (1970), Luth de Saron (1980) et Escaline (1983).

  • Freddy Head (4 wins): Theia (1976), Dancing Maid (1978), Three Troikas (1979) et Harbour (1982).

  • George Stern (4 wins): Medeah (1908), Babette II (1913) et Durban (1921).

  • Arthur Esling (3 wins): Isola Bella (1924), Rayon de Soleil (1926) et Lithography (1927).

  • Emile Mantelet (3 wins): Farfadette (1935), Ephèse (1946) et Parade d’Amour (1952).

  • Yves Saint-Martin (3 wins): Casaque Grise (1967), Sea Sands (1975) et Grise Mine (1984).

  • Cash Asmussen (3 wins): Louveterie (1989), Qirmazi (1990) et Queen Maud (1997).

  • Dominique Bœuf (3 wins): Sheba Dancer (1992), Secret Quest (1995) et Dénomination (2009).

  • Christophe Soumillon (3 wins): Latice (2004), Zagora (2010) et Vazira (2014).