Diane Longines History: The French Oaks

June, Chantilly

Prix de Diane LONGINES

Group 1, 3-year-old Fillies, 2,100m/1 mile 2 ½ furlongs, €1,000,000

Created in 1843

Last winner: Joan of Arc (f3, IRE by Galilero ex Youresothrilling, by Storm Cat), owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Sue Magnier, bred by Coolmore, entraînée par Aidan O'Brien, montée par Ioritz Mendizabal..

Record-time: 2'3"7, Trève (2013)

The Prix de Diane Longines will be run in 2022 for the 173rd time. 

The 2021 edition

June 20, 2021, Chantilly Racecourse. - Five weeks after St Mark’s Basilica's triumph in the French 2,000 Guineas, and then in the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, the improvised duo formed by Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and the French rider Ioritz Mendizabal struck once again in the Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, Gr1) with Joan of Arc (Galileo). Soon next to the front-running Sibila Spain (Frankel), who set a moderate pace after an early effort from stall 15, the regally bred Irish filly took some time to find momentum but she finally made a difference one out and kept her head in front of a closing favourite Philomène (Dubawi) who also took her time to find the right gait. She was finally beaten by less than a length, a short head in front of her stablemate at André Fabre's Burgarita (Sea the Stars), who missed her start, and a brave Sibila Spain.

Rougir (Territories) finished well in 5th in a finish dominated by the favoured fillies.

Joan of Arc was running for the 7th time, a first out of Ireland. Second, beaten by a nose, for her debut on Dundaks all-weather last year at 2, she won her maiden at first asking this term at the Curragh over 7 furlongs, and got beaten after that in a 1,000 Guineas trial. However, she came back with a win in an Irish Guineas trial and was only caught home in the very end in the Curragh Classic, by her stablemate Empress Josephine, since then only 8th in the Coronation Stakes (Gr1) at Royal Ascot.

A month later, she is finally crowned in the French Oaks ...

Joan Of Arc's pedigree is amongst the finest in the World. She's by Galileo and You’resothrilling (Storm Cat), dam of the classic winner and famed sire Gleneagles, also by Galileo. Her 2nd dam is the American mare Mariah’s Storm (Rahy), a champion on the tracks and a hero who inspired the movie "Dreamer", but also the dam of the iron horse Giant’s Causeway.

History

(Open the complete list of past winners)

The very first Prix de Diane was run at Chantilly on Thursday 18 May 1843 over 1 mile 2 ½ furlongs. This race for 3-year-old fillies was created by the Société d'Encouragement pour l'amélioration des races de chevaux in France as a French equivalent to the Oaks Stakes which had been run at Epsom, in England, since 1779. The English race, however, was 300 metres (1 1/2 furlong) longer.

The Prix de Diane wasn’t run in 1871, from 1915 to 1918, in 1940 and in 1975. It was run in Versailles in 1848; at Longchamp in 1919, 1920, 1936, 1941, 1942, 1945, 1946, 1947; and at Tremblay in 1943 and 1944 over 1 mile 2 ¾ furlongs. The race was postponed six times because of war. In 1975, when Ivanjica was the favourite, it was also postponed because the stable lads went on strike on the race's day. In 2020, it was staged on the same card than the Prix du Jockey Club, on July 5th, because of the delayed imposed on the French program by the coronavirus pandemic.

The first running brought together six horses and was won by the favourite, Nativa, owned by prince Marc de Beauveau, trained by Henry Jennings and ridden by his brother Tom. His victory was facilitated, however, when Mam'zelle Amanda’s jockey lost a stirrup when he seemed all set to pip the favourite to the post.

This first Prix de Diane was hardly a big event. La Presse reported that only three ladies watched the race from the stands "Mesdames de Vatry, de Thorigny and a new bride". In fact, the death of the Duke of Orléans (son of King Louis-Philippe) in July 1842 meant that the royal family weren’t present at Chantilly. The royal entourage generally came to watch the races at Chantilly which took place within sight of the chateau windows. As the quality of participating fillies increased, so the Prix de Diane became known as the “Derby for Fillies".

Generally speaking, the Prix de Diane attracts a large field. Twenty fillies have gone to post on twenty-five occasions. The record number, 27, went to post in 1946 when Pirette triumphed. Twenty-five have gone to post on 4 occasions (1926, 1927, 1959, 1973).

Between 1843 and 1851, the post-race report doesn’t mention by what distance the winning filly won the race. Thereafter, for a number of years, winning post judges noted the victory not by lengths but with the words: "long" for Etoile du Nord (1858), "easy" for Géologie (1859) and "very easy" for La Toucques (1863) and Deliane (1865). We can, therefore, assume that these fillies won the Prix de Diane at a canter! After them, Two fillies have triumphed by 5 lengths: Dorina in 1926 and Northern Trick in 1984 and 11 by 4 lengths: Jouvence (1853), Fille de l'Air (1864), Tyrolienne (1875), Liane (1896), Moïa (1913), Quenouille (1919), Lysistrata (1939), Apollonia (1956), Madam Gay (1981), Indian Skimmer (1987), Treve (2013).

The race has finished in a dead-heat twice. Both times the owners decided to re-run the distance to decide on a winner. The two winning fillies on these occasions were Destinée in 1874 and Tyrolienne in 1875. Three horses won by the shortest distance, - a nose – Pistol Packer, who just pipped Cambrizzia in 1971, Dunette just ahead of Three Troikas in 1979 and Shemaka just in front of Baya in 1993. Short head victories were registered by Qu'elle Est Belle II over Porte Maillot in 1912, Perruche Bleue over stable companion Ligne de Fond in 1932, La Sorellina over Banassa in 1953, Mrs Penny over Aryenne in 1980, Lypharita over Fitnah in 1985 and Zainta over Abbatiale in 1998.

The interval between the running of the Prix de Diane and the Oaks has varied over the years. When the two races have been run with a two-week gap between them it has been possible for a filly to run in both races: Fille de l'Air owned by Frédéric de Lagrange triumphed at Chantilly then at Epsom in 1864 and Pawneese owned by Daniel Wildenstein won on 4 June 1976 at Epsom and on 13 June at Chantilly.

Sponsorship

The Prix de Diane was sponsored from 1977 to 1982 by Revlon. Then from 1983 to 2007, the reins were taken over by Hermès, who created a village on part of the lawn in front of the stands to accommodate the numerous guests who responded to Hermès’ invitation to "Let elegance reign!". After three years without a sponsor, in 2011 the Prix de Diane found a new patron in the shape of Longines, who manufacture luxury watches and high-precision timekeeping equipment. This 2020 edition is the 10th Longines supports.

Visitors

12 foreign-trained winners to date.

Like the Prix du Jockey Club, the Prix de Diane was, until 1946, reserved for fillies born and bred in France. When this restriction was lifted, the horses from abroad did not make the trip to Chantilly immediately, and it was not until 1970 that one of these overseas visitors was victorious. The filly in question was Ireland’s Sweet Mimosa, owned by her trainer Seamus McGrath, who finished just ahead of England’s Highest Hopes. Since then, the victorious visitors have included Highclere (1974), owned by Queen Elizabeth II of England, Mrs Penny (1980), Madam Gay (1981), Indian Skimmer (1987), Rafha (1990) and Sil Sila (1996), all of whom came from the United Kingdom. Since 2000, the overseas raiders had to content themselves with places, including second for Time Ahead in 2003, fourth for Ireland’s Alexander Goldrun in 2004, third for the German Paita in 2005 and finally a winner in the shape of Confidential Lady in 2006, followed by Star of Seville in 2015, Laurens in 2018, Fancy Blue, a winner for Ireland, 50 years have Sweet Mimosa, followed in 2021 by Joan of Arc, trained by Aidan O'Brien, while the previous winner was handled by his son Donnacha O'Brien!

Sires

Sires of at least three winners of the Prix de Diane :

• Belfonds (4 winners), sire of Commanderie (1930), Vendange (1933), Péniche (1935), Lysistrata (1939).
• Gladiator (3 winners), sire of Honesty (1854), Mademoiselle de Chantilly (1857), Surprise (1860).
• The Baron (3 winners), sire of Dame d’Honneur (1856), Etoile du Nord (1858), La Toucques (1863).
• Ruy Blas (3 winners), sire of Destinée (1874), Nubienne (1879), Serpolette II (1881).
• Galileo (2 winners) : Golden Lilac (2011), Joan of Arc (2021).

Broodmares

Prix de Diane winners who foaled another winner:

• Surprise (1860), dam of Sornette (1870).
• Deliane (1865), dam of La Jonchère (1877).
• Brie (1878), dam of Brisk (1894).
• Kasbah (1895), dam of Kizil Kourgan (1902).
• Uganda (1924), dam of Ukrania (1929).
• Fairy Legend (1927) mère de Féerie (1938).

Dams of multiple Prix de Diane winners:

• Naïad, dam of Nativa (1843) & Dorade (1846).
• Elvira, dam of Lanterne (1844) & Suavita (1845).
• Annetta, dam of Bounty (1852) & Dame d’Honneur (1856).
• Congressiste, dam of Fairy Legend (1927) & Mary Legend (1928).

Owners

• Aga Khan (7 wins): Shemaka (1993), Vereva (1997), Zainta (1998), Daryaba (1999), Zarkava (2008), Sarafina (2010), Valyra (2012). 
• Auguste Lupin (6 wins): Suavita (1845), Jouvence (1853), Deliane (1865), Jeune Première (1867), La Jonchère (1877), Presta (1886).
• Marc de Beauvau (5 wins): Nativa (1843), Lanterne (1844), Dorade (1846), Sérénade (1848), Fleur de Marie (1850).
• Frédéric de Lagrange (5 wins): Mademoiselle de Chantilly (1857), Etoile du Nord (1858), Finlande (1861), Fille de l’Air (1864), Jenny (1868).
• Edmond Blanc (5 wins): Nubienne (1879), Profane (1904), Médéah (1908), Union (1909), Marsa (1910).
• Edouard de Rothschild (5 wins): Quenouille (1919), Flowershop (1920), Perruche Bleue (1932), Vendange (1933), Péniche (1935).
• Marcel Boussac (5 wins): Adargatis (1934), Caravelle (1943), Corteira (1948), Apollonia (1956), Crepellana (1969).
• Henri Delamarre (4 wins): Victorieuse (1866), Campêche (1873), Verte Bonne (1883), Kasbah (1895).
• Wildenstein family (5 wins): Allez France (1973), Pawneese (1976), Madelia (1977), Aquarelliste (2001) for Daniel, Bright Sky (2002) for Écurie Wildenstein.
• Niarchos (4 wins): Northern Trick (1984), East of the Moon (1994), Divine Proportions (2005), Senga (2017). 


Trainers

• Henry Jennings (9 wins): Nativa (1843), Lanterne (1844), Dorade (1846), Sérénade (1848), Fleur de Marie (1850), Géologie (1859), Surprise (1860), Destinée (1874), Tyrolienne (1875).
• Tom Jennings (7 wins): Hervine (1851), Dame d’Honneur (1856), Mademoiselle de Chantilly (1857), Etoile du Nord (1858), Finlande (1861), Fille de l’Air (1864), Jenny (1868).
• Alain de Royer Dupré (6 wins): Shemaka (1993), Vereva (1997), Zainta (1998), Daryaba (1999), Zarkava (2008), Sarafina (2010).
• Thomas-Richard Carter (4 wins): Victorieuse (1866), Campêche (1873), Verte Bonne (1883), Kasbah (1895).
• George Cunnington (4 wins): Barberine (1885), Bavarde (1887), Primrose (1891), Liane (1896).
• Robert Denman (4 wins): Profane (1904), Médéah (1908), Union (1909), Marsa (1910).
• Frank Carter (4 wins): Uganda (1924), Dorina (1926), Pearl Cap (1931), Mistress Ford (1936).
• Lucien Robert (4 wins): Ukrania (1929), Perruche Bleue (1932), Vendange (1933), Péniche (1935).
• Geoffroy Watson (4 wins): Cerisoles (1957), Timandra (1960), Hermières (1961), Rescousse (1972).
• François Boutin (4 wins): Northern Trick (1984), Lacovia (1986), Resless Kara (1988), East of the Moon (1994).
• André Fabre (4 wins): Lypharita (1985), Jolypha (1992), Nebraska Tornado (2003), Golden Lilac (2011).
• Jean-Claude Rouget (4 wins): Stacelita (2009), Valyra (2012), Avenir Certain (2014), La Cressonnière (2016). 

Two women saddled Prix de Diane winners:

• Christiane Head : Harbour (1982), Egyptband (2000) et Trêve (2013) ;
• Corine Barande-Barbe : Carling (1995).

Riders

• Spreoty (5 wins): Sérénade (1848), Hervine (1851), Dame d’Honneur (1858), Mademoiselle de Chantilly (1857), Etoile du Nord (1858) ; à Charles Pratt : Géologie (1859), Finlande (1861), Stradella (1862), Fille de l’Air (1864), Sornette (1870).
• Yves Saint-Martin (5 wins): La Sega (1962), Rescousse (1972), Allez France (1973), Pawneese (1976), Madelia (1977) ; et à Gérald Mossé : Resless Kara (1988), Shemaka (1993), Vereva (1997), Zainta (1998), Daryaba (1999).
• George Stern (4 wins): Profane (1904), Médéah (1908), Union (1909), Marsa (1910).
• Freddy Head (4 wins): Pistol Packer (1971), Reine de Saba (1978), Harbour (1982), Lacovia  (1986).
• Gérald Mossé (4 wins): Resless Kara (1988), Vereva (1997), Zainta (1998), Daryaba (1999).

A French rider won the 2nd edition of the race, Hardy Junior with Lanterne. A second one, Zacharie Caillotin, won ten years later with Honesty (1854) but there was a 60 year spell before a third Gallic jockey passed the post in first, that was Maurice Barat, riding Alerte VI in 1914.