Cambacérès Hurdle History: The early light

November, Auteuil

CAMBACÉRÈS 3YO HURDLE RACE
 

Group 1, 3-year-olds, Hurdle race, 3,600m/2m2f, €175,000

Created in 1942

Last winner: Thélème (g3, FRA by Sidestep et Utopia Jem, par Okawango), owned by JDG Bloodstock Services, bred by SCEA BIssons, trained by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, ridden by Thomas Coutant.

The race is run in 2021 for the 80th time

The 2020 edition

Sunday, November 8, 2020, Auteuil. - Just like Hotesse du Chenêt minutes earlier in the Haras d’Etreham Bournosienne 3yo Fillies Hurdle race (Gr2), the favourite of the €175,000 Cambacérès 3yo Hurdle race (Gr1), Thélème (Sidestep) brilliantly confirmed, without much hassle, his previous victory at this level. The representative of JDG Bloodstock, that is British owner James-Douglas Gordon, took over going into the final turn, jumped the 2nd last hurdle with the leader Raffles Face (Authorized), then dominated and accelerated in the run-in to score by ten lengths. After travelling behind them, Baladin de Mesc (Chœur du Nord) finished third at twelve lengths, with Le Listrac (Balko). One of the best challengers, Hermès Baie (Crillon) fell at the first hurdle, which he approached behind an opponent who swerved slightly in front of him.

Trained at Royan-La Palmyre by Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, Thélème had so far only raced twice over hurdles but after finishing second for his debut less than a length behind Baladin de Mesc, he was withdrawn late in the Prix Robert Lejeune 3yo Hurdle race(Gr3). This did not prevent him from brilliantly winning the Georges de Talhouët-Roy 3yo Hurdle race (Gr2) before this triumph in the Prix Cambacérès.

It is a fifth victory in this race for trainer Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé after those of Kiko (2004), Bonito du Berlais (2014), Beaumec de Houelle (2018) and Nirvana du Berlais (2019). Owner James-Douglas Gordon, for his part, saw his colours triumph for the third time after the successes of Bonito du Berlais (2014) and Beaumec de Houelle (2018).

Thélème is out of Utopia Jem (Okawango), a mare sold for € 5,000 last December in Deauville, and whose fourth foal, a Cloth of Stars colt born this year is in the next breeding sales in Deauville.

History

Created in 1942 under the name of the Grande Course de Haies des 3 Ans – a description it retained as a subtitle – this race became the Prix Cambacérès in 1960 to honour the memory of one of the leading administrators of the Société des Steeple-Chases de France (read below). Its distance has varied often: 2 miles 1 ½ furlongs in 1942, 2 miles 2 ½ furlongs in 1943 and 1944, 2 miles 3 furlongs from 1945 to 1963, 2 miles 1 ½ furlongs from 1964 to 1966, and 2 miles 2 furlongs since 1967. In 2013, the Prix Cambacérès will be run for the 72nd time.

The Prix Cambacérès has unearthed some excellent breeders. After the phenomenal Wild Risk (1943), these real finds have included Samaritain (2^nd in 1944), Verdi (1950), Vieux Château (3^rd in 1959), Quart de Vin (1975), Kadalko (1991) and Villez (1995).

Fillies have accumulated 12 victories in the Prix Cambacérès: La Nouba (1947), Go Ahead (1948), Hunorisk (1954), La Moutarde (1959), Moisson du Ciel (1962), Bournosienne (1982), Tikiti Dancer (1990), Kotkita (2001), Maia Eria (2003), Tanais du Chenet (2010), Chimère du Berlais (2014), De Bon Cœur (2015).

Jean Delaire de Cambacérès (1889-1960)

After having served in the cavalry during the Great War, which he finished in the rank of captain, Comte Delaire de Cambacérès saw his colours (red jersey, yellow Maltese cross, red cap, declared in 1913) take the honours at Auteuil in 1919 courtesy of the great stayer Albanais, who prevailed in the Prix des Drags after having battled gamely with Troytown in the Grand Steeple. Eleven years later, a representative of the Maltese cross jersey would again come within a whisker of winning the Grand Steeple, when Mercure II lost out by a head to Le Fils de la Lune. These two horses and the rest of his roster had all been “unearthed” by Comte Delaire de Cambacérès himself, who purchased them after seeing them run on an informal basis.

Made a member of the Société des Steeple-Chases de France in 1918, Comte Delaire de Cambacérès became a steward in 1920 after joining the executive committee in 1919 and proving to be the most active member along with Colonel Maurice Gillois. In November 1928, after the death of the Baron de Neuflize, he took over his post of acting administrator and vice-chairman of the body. Then, in December 1932, he was called upon to succeed Prince Joachim Murat as chairman of jumps racing’s governing body, a role he fulfilled until his death in May 1960.

His twenty-eight years at the helm represent the longest mandate ever exercised in the history of the Société des Steeples, which was founded in 1863. His successor, Comte Gérald de Rochefort, said of Comte Delaire de Cambacérès: "He was a tireless driving force behind the Société des Steeple-Chases, which was defended, renewed and developed by his constant and permanent activity […] driven by his lucid and creative authority, both traditionalist and innovative, combining passion with prudence, intelligence with intuition, simplicity with splendour. He had an ability to ally useful aims with brilliant results and always went right to the heart of the matter with tenacious activity and intent."

Almost three decades of jumps racing life in France were shaped by the actions of the Cambacérès-Gillois pairing. While the technical matters were entrusted to Colonel Gillois, Comte Delaire de Cambacérès took care of the administration and finances of the Société des Steeples during two critical periods: the 1930s marked by the economic crisis, and then the Second World War.

Owners

• Magalen Bryant (3 wins): Royal Honor (2006), Tanais du Chenet (2010) & Extrême Cara (2012) ;
• James-Douglas Gordon & JDG Bloodstock Services (3 wins): Bonito du Berlais (2014), Beaumec de Houelle (2018) & Thélème (2020) ;
• Marquis de Triquerville (2 wins): Wild Risk (1943) & Hunorisk (1954) ;
• Gustave Beauvois (2 wins): Prince Nigel (1949) & Verdi (1950) ;
• Robert Weill (2 wins): Moisson du Ciel (1962) & Rush (1966) ;
• Mme Jean Stern (2 wins): Furibard (1964) & Moët (1967) ;
• Daniel Wildenstein (2 wins): Grandak (1980) & Villez (1995) ;
• Pierre de Montesson (2 wins): Cokeland (1984) & Kotkita (2001) ;
• Jean-Pierre May (2 wins): Isabey (1987) & Satan des Mottes (1989) ;
• Bernard Boutboul (2 wins): Old Gringo (1992) & Double Détente (1993) ;
• Jean-Pierre Sénéchal (2 wins): Silver Top (1998) & Royaleety (2002).

Trainers

• Bernard Sécly (7 wins): Fly Round (1981), Cokeland (1984), Satan des Mottes (1989), Kadalko (1991), Old Gringo (1992), Double Détente (1993) & Kotkita (2001) ;
• Jean-Paul Gallorini (7 wins): Grandak (1980), Isabey (1987), Villez (1995), Tit For Tat (1997), Silver Top (1998), Don Lino (2007) & Hippomène (2013) ;
• Noël Pelat (5 wins): Wild Risk (1943), Go Ahead (1948), Hunorisk (1954), Quart de Vin (1975) & Riko (1978) ;
• Jean Laumain (5 wins): Serpent (1952), Melanos (1965), Bang Bang (1970), Tofano (1972) & Kashnil (1979).
• Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé (5 wins): Kiko (2004), Bonito du Berlais (2014), Beaumec de Houelle (2018), Nirvana du Berlais (2019) & Thélème (2020).

Riders

• Jean-Yves Beaurain (3 wins): Kadalko (1991), Old Gringo (1992) & Double Détente (1993) ;
• Christophe Pieux (3 wins): Royaleety (2002), Maia Eria (2003) & Don Lino (2007).