- Prix Marcel Boussac
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Group 1 race
Prix Marcel Boussac
Critérium des PoulichesLocation Longchamp Racecourse
Paris, FranceInaugurated 1969 Race type Flat / Thoroughbred Sponsor Total Website france-galop.com Race information Distance 1,600 metres (1 mile) Track Turf, right-handed Qualification Two-year-old fillies Weight 56 kg Purse €300,000 (2009)
Distribution
1st: 57.14%, 2nd: 22.86%
3rd: 11.43%, 4th: 5.71%
5th: 2.86%The Prix Marcel Boussac is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.
It is the only Group 1 event in France reserved exclusively for juvenile fillies. The leading participants usually become major contenders for the following year's fillies' Classics, such as the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches or the 1,000 Guineas Stakes.
Contents
History
The event was established in 1969, and it was originally called the Critérium des Pouliches. There had been no comparable race in France before this – the best two-year-old fillies had previously competed against male horses in the Grand Critérium.
The present title of the race, the Prix Marcel Boussac, was introduced in 1980. This was in memory of Marcel Boussac (1889–1980), a highly successful racehorse owner and breeder. Boussac was the champion owner in France fourteen times, and the champion breeder seventeen times. He also served as the chairman of the Société d'Encouragement, a former governing body of racing in France.
In its early years the race took place on Longchamp's middle track (the moyenne piste). It was switched to the main track (the grande piste) in 1987.
The Prix Marcel Boussac is held on the same day as the most prestigious event in French racing, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. The meeting is traditionally scheduled for the first Sunday in October.
Records
Leading jockey (3 wins):
- Lester Piggott – Vela (1969), Play It Safe (1981), Midway Lady (1985)
- Yves Saint-Martin – Allez France (1972), Theia (1975), Aryenne (1979)
- Alain Lequeux – Tropicaro (1980), Triptych (1984), Mary Linoa (1988)
- Willie Carson – Ashayer (1987), Salsabil (1989), Shadayid (1990)
Leading trainer (5 wins):
- Pascal Bary – Sierra Madre (1993), Amonita (2000), Six Perfections (2002), Denebola (2003), Divine Proportions (2004)
- Criquette Head-Maarek – Gold Splash (1992), Macoumba (1994), Loving Claim (1997), Juvenia (1998), Proportional (2008)
Leading owner (4 wins): (includes part ownership)
- Niarchos Family – Six Perfections (2002), Denebola (2003), Divine Proportions (2004), Rumplestiltskin (2005)
Winners
Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1969 Vela Lester Piggott Richard Carver S. Sokolov 1:40.3 1970 Two to Paris Jean-Claude Desaint John Cunnington L. P. Doherty 1:42.1 1971 Dark Baby Georges Doleuze Jean Laumain Maurice Fournier 1:39.5 1972 Allez France Yves Saint-Martin Albert Klimscha Daniel Wildenstein 1:38.0 1973 Hippodamia Bill Pyers Maurice Zilber Nelson Bunker Hunt 1:43.0 1974 Oak Hill Y. Josse Georges Bridgland Mrs Serge Houyvet 1:47.8 1975 Theia Yves Saint-Martin Raymond Touflan Baroness S. de Lopez 1:44.3 1976 Kamicia F. Flachi Jean Laumain Mrs Henri Rabatel 1:49.7 1977 Tarona Philippe Paquet François Boutin Gerry Oldham 1:41.9 1978 Pitasia Alfred Gibert Aage Paus Sir Douglas Clague 1:48.3 1979 Aryenne Yves Saint-Martin John Fellows D. G. Volkert 1:41.3 1980 Tropicaro Alain Lequeux Maurice Zilber Benjamin Coates 1:43.4 1981 Play It Safe Lester Piggott François Boutin Diana Firestone 1:46.9 1982 Goodbye Shelley John Lowe Steve Norton Mrs S. R. Brook 1:47.4 1983 Almeira Dominique Vincent J. C. Cunnington Countess Batthyany 1:38.8 1984 Triptych Alain Lequeux David Smaga Alan Clore 1:46.7 1985 Midway Lady Lester Piggott Ben Hanbury Harry Ranier 1:37.9 1986 Miesque Freddy Head François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1:37.5 1987 Ashayer Willie Carson John Dunlop Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:37.4 1988 Mary Linoa Alain Lequeux David Smaga David Smaga 1:41.2 1989 Salsabil Willie Carson John Dunlop Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:40.3 1990 Shadayid Willie Carson John Dunlop Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:40.7 1991 Culture Vulture Richard Quinn Paul Cole Christopher Wright 1:40.6 1992 Gold Splash Gérald Mossé Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 1:44.9 1993 Sierra Madre Gérald Mossé Pascal Bary Jean-Louis Bouchard 1:45.4 1994 Macoumba Freddy Head Criquette Head Haras d'Etreham 1:43.8 1995 Miss Tahiti Olivier Peslier André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 1:40.2 1996 Ryafan Frankie Dettori John Gosden Khalid Abdullah 1:39.8 1997 Loving Claim Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:37.6 1998 Juvenia Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Wertheimer et Frère 1:43.0 1999 Lady of Chad Olivier Peslier Richard Gibson John D. Martin 1:44.9 2000 Amonita Thierry Jarnet Pascal Bary Mrs Paul de Moussac 1:36.3 2001 Sulk Frankie Dettori John Gosden James Wigan 1:43.0 2002 Six Perfections Thierry Thulliez Pascal Bary Niarchos Family 1:37.9 2003 Denebola Christophe Lemaire Pascal Bary Niarchos Family 1:40.9 2004 Divine Proportions Christophe Lemaire Pascal Bary Niarchos Family 1:36.7 2005 Rumplestiltskin Kieren Fallon Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Tabor / N'chos F. 1:37.3 2006 Finsceal Beo Kevin Manning Jim Bolger Michael Ryan 1:34.9 2007 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:37.0 2008 Proportional Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek Khalid Abdullah 1:36.0 2009 Rosanara Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:37.2 2010 Misty for Me Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Smith / Magnier 1:42.5 2011 Elusive Kate William Buick John Gosden Magnolia Racing / Rachel Hood 1:38.1 References
- Racing Post:
- galop.courses-france.com:
- france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Marcel Boussac.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Marcel Boussac (2009).
- pedigreequery.com – Prix Marcel Boussac – Longchamp.
See also
- List of French flat horse races
- Recurring events established in 1969 – this race is included under its original title, Critérium des Pouliches.
Categories:- Flat horse races for two-year-old fillies
- Horse races in France
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