Prix Vermeille

Prix Vermeille
Group 1 race
Location Longchamp Racecourse
Paris, France
Inaugurated 1897
Race type Flat / Thoroughbred
Sponsor Qatar
Website france-galop.com
Race information
Distance 2,400 metres (1½ miles)
Surface Turf
Track Right-handed
Qualification Three-years-old and up
fillies and mares
Weight 54½ kg (3yo); 58 kg (4yo+)
Purse €350,000 (2014)
1st: €199,990
Prix Vermeille
2013
Treve Wild Coco Tasaday

The Prix Vermeille is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

History

The event is named after a filly foaled in 1853. She was initially known as Merveille, but was later renamed Vermeille. She did not have a remarkable racing career, but was highly successful as a broodmare.

The Prix Vermeille was established in 1897, and was originally restricted to fillies aged three. Due to World War I, it was abandoned from 1914 to 1918.

The event was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was temporarily switched to Le Tremblay in 1943 and 1944.

The race was opened to four-year-old fillies in 2004, and to older mares in 2006.

Preceded by the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane, the Prix Vermeille is the final leg of France's fillies' Triple Crown. The feat of winning all three has been achieved by six horses, most recently Zarkava in 2008.

The Prix Vermeille is held three weeks before the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and it sometimes serves as a trial for that event. The 2013 winner, Treve was the sixth horse to win both races in the same year.

Records

Most successful horse:

  • no horse has won this race more than once

Leading jockey (7 wins):

  • Yves Saint-Martin – Golden Girl (1963), Casaque Grise (1967), Saraca (1969), Allez France (1973), Paulista (1974), Sharaya (1983), Darara (1986)

Leading trainer (7 wins):

  • Alain de Royer-Dupré – Sharaya (1983), Darara (1986), Daryaba (1999), Shawanda (2005), Mandesha (2006), Zarkava (2008), Shareta (2012)

Leading owner (7 wins):

  • Marcel Boussac – Durban (1921), Merry Girl (1928), La Circe (1933), Corteira (1948), Janiari (1956), Arbencia (1957), Astola (1961, dead-heat)

Winners since 1965

Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1965 Aunt Edith 3 Lester Piggott Noel Murless John Hornung 2:31.50
1966 Haltilala 3 Jean Deforge Geoffroy Watson Guy de Rothschild 2:34.40
1967 Casaque Grise 3 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Mrs François Dupré 2:43.70
1968 Roseliere 3 Y. Josse Georges Bridgland Mrs Georges Bridgland 2:45.40
1969 Saraca 3 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Arpad Plesch 2:38.80
1970 Highest Hopes 3 Joe Mercer Dick Hern Brook Holliday 2:29.20
1971 Pistol Packer 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Ghislaine Head 2:34.70
1972
(dh)		 Paysanne
San San		 3
3		 Jean Deforge
Jean Cruguet		 Geoffroy Watson
Angel Penna		 Guy de Rothschild
Countess Batthyany		 2:35.60
1973 Allez France 3 Yves Saint-Martin Albert Klimscha Daniel Wildenstein 2:43.40
1974 Paulista 3 Yves Saint-Martin Angel Penna Daniel Wildenstein 2:33.60
1975 Ivanjica 3 Gary W. Moore Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:34.70
1976 Lagunette 3 Philippe Paquet François Boutin Marius Berghgracht 2:40.20
1977 Kamicia 3 Alain Badel Jean Laumain Mrs Henri Rabatel 2:30.50
1978 Dancing Maid 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:34.00
1979 Three Troikas 3 Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 2:30.30
1980 Mrs Penny 3 John Matthias Ian Balding Eric Kronfeld 2:34.90
1981 April Run 3 Philippe Paquet François Boutin Diana Firestone 2:32.90
1982 All Along 3 Greville Starkey Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 2:29.90
1983 Sharaya 3 Yves Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:42.10
1984 Northern Trick 3 Cash Asmussen François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 2:40.90
1985 Walensee 3 Eric Legrix Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 2:32.70
1986 Darara 3 Yves Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:38.70
1987 Bint Pasha 3 Pat Eddery Paul Cole Fahd Salman 2:31.70
1988 Indian Rose 3 Tony Cruz Jean-Marie Béguigné Guy de Rothschild 2:28.80
1989 Young Mother 3 Alain Badel Jean-Marie Béguigné Jean-Marie Béguigné 2:33.10
1990 Salsabil 3 Willie Carson John Dunlop Hamdan Al Maktoum 2:29.60
1991 Magic Night 3 Alain Badel Philippe Demercastel Mrs P. Demercastel 2:27.80
1992 Jolypha 3 Pat Eddery André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 2:32.80
1993 Intrepidity 3 Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 2:36.80
1994 Sierra Madre 3 Gérald Mossé Pascal Bary Jean-Louis Bouchard 2:35.30
1995 Carling 3 Thierry Thulliez Corine Barande-Barbe Ecurie Delbart 2:32.80
1996 My Emma 3 Cash Asmussen Rae Guest Matthews Breeding 2:31.30
1997 Queen Maud 3 Olivier Peslier Jean de Roualle Gary Tanaka 2:28.20
1998 Leggera 3 Richard Quinn John Dunlop Hildegard Focke 2:41.40
1999 Daryaba 3 Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:30.60
2000 Volvoreta 3 Michael Kinane Carlos Lerner Maria-Soledad Vidal 2:26.30
2001 Aquarelliste 3 Dominique Boeuf Elie Lellouche Daniel Wildenstein 2:29.40
2002 Pearly Shells 3 Christophe Soumillon François Rohaut 6C Racing Ltd 2:26.00
2003 Mezzo Soprano 3 Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 2:26.10
2004 Sweet Stream 4 Thierry Gillet John Hammond Team Valor 2:29.50
2005 Shawanda 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:32.00
2006 Mandesha 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Zahra Aga Khan 2:29.20
2007 Mrs Lindsay 3 Johnny Murtagh François Rohaut Bettina Jenney 2:27.00
2008 Zarkava 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:26.00
2009 Stacelita [a] 3 Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Schwartz / Monastic 2:29.10
2010 Midday 4 Tom Queally Henry Cecil Khalid Abdullah 2:32.40
2011 Galikova 3 Olivier Peslier Freddy Head Wertheimer et Frère 2:34.38
2012 Shareta 4 Christophe Lemaire Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:29.06
2013 Treve 3 Frankie Dettori Criquette Head-Maarek Sheikh Joaan al Thani 2:36.82
2014 Baltic Baroness 4 Maxime Guyon André Fabre Gestut Ammerland 2:28.22

a Dar Re Mi finished first in 2009, but she was relegated to fifth place following a stewards' inquiry.

Earlier winners

  • 1897: Ortie Blanche
  • 1898: Melina
  • 1899: Sesara
  • 1900: Semendria
  • 1901: La Camargo
  • 1902: Ophelia
  • 1903: Mater
  • 1904: Profane
  • 1905: Brienne
  • 1906: Bethsaida
  • 1907: Claudia
  • 1908: Medeah
  • 1909: Ronde de Nuit
  • 1910: Basse Pointe
  • 1911: Tripolette
  • 1912: Reveuse
  • 1913: Moia
  • 1914–18: no race
  • 1919: Stearine
  • 1920: Meddlesome Maid
  • 1921: Durban
  • 1922: Sainte Ursule
  • 1923: Quoi
  • 1924: Isola Bella
  • 1925: La Habanera
  • 1926: Dorina
  • 1927: Samphire
  • 1928: Merry Girl
  • 1929: Calandria
  • 1930: Commanderie
  • 1931: Pearl Cap
  • 1932: Kiddie
  • 1933: La Circe
  • 1934: Mary Tudor
  • 1935: Crisa
  • 1936: Mistress Ford
  • 1937: Tonnelle
  • 1938: Ma Normandie
  • 1939–40: no race
  • 1941: Longthanh
  • 1942: Vigilance
  • 1943: Folle Nuit
  • 1944: La Belle du Canet
  • 1945: Nikellora
  • 1946: Pirette
  • 1947: Procureuse
  • 1948: Corteira
  • 1949: Bagheera
  • 1950: Kilette
  • 1951: Orberose
  • 1952: La Mirambule
  • 1953: Radio
  • 1954: Philante
  • 1955: Wild Miss
  • 1956: Janiari
  • 1957: Arbencia
  • 1958: Bella Paola
  • 1959: Mi Carina
  • 1960: Lezghinka
  • 1961: Anne la Douce / Astola *
  • 1962: Monade
  • 1963: Golden Girl
  • 1964: Astaria

* The 1961 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

See also

References