La Haye Jousselin Chase History: The Autumn "Grand Steeple"

November, Auteuil

La Haye Jousselin Chase

Group 1, 5-year-olds and above, Steeple-chase, 5,500m/3½f , €360 000€

Created in 1880

Last winner: Docteur de Ballon (g8, FRA by Doctor Dino and Nile Breeze, by Phantom Breeze), owned by Monique and Bernard Gasche-Luc, bred by Monique and Bernard Gasche-Luc, trained by Louisa Carberry, ridden by Bertrand Lestrade.

The race is run in 2021 for the 135th time

The 2020 edition

Sunday, November 29, 2020, Auteuil. - Winner six weeks earlier of the €570,000 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Gr1), after a three-month absence and a fall at Compiègne, Docteur de Ballon (Doctor Dino) won the 134th edition of the €360,000 La Haye Housselin Chase (Gr1) in the end of a breathtaking sprint. 23 years after the same double achieved by Al Capone II, seven-time winner of the event to which this edition paid tribute, the 8-year-old gelding bred in the West of France by his owners Monique and Robert Gasche-Luc has revived old memories of the Al Capone, a little jumper always cautious on the Auteuil biggest fences, but able to sprint to the post when his rivals were getting desperate for a breather.

At the end of a 3m3 1/2f trip led by Cobra de Larre (Discover d´Auteuil), Docteur de Ballon was still sixth to jump the double barrier, the penultimate obstacle of the race. At that point, the 5-year-old Feu Follet (Kapgarde) who had taken over in the final turn seemed in the best position to win, even though he was under pressure as his main rival in this promotion, Figuero (Yeats), was looming wide. At the last hurdle, Docteur de Ballon seemed too far to catch the leaders, but the Luisa Carberry-trained bay gathered himself to sprint and he managed, after an impressive effort, to join a brave Feu Follet, passed by a length and a half in the last fifty yards, while Figuero was staying on well in third, beaten by a neck. The two horses had just taken the same places in the Grand Steeple, but in reverse order. A third 5-year-old, Bébé d´Or (Poliglote), finished fourth, at eleven lengths.
Docteur de Ballon is the 26th horse to win the two biggest chases of the French program.

Docteur de Ballon's dam, Nile Breeze (Phantom Breeze), ran 65 times from 3 to 9 years old, won 7 races over jumps, including two chases run at Enghien. Docteur de Ballon is the first of her four foals to date, two of which have won. A 4-year-old Barastraight filly is in training with Louisa Carberry but she has failed five times over hurdles - she was pulled up on October 2 at Nantes ...

Going back further, we find a second dam, Nile Turgeon (Turgeon), co-bred by the Gasche-Lucs and winner at Auteuil for her hurdling debut in March at 4, out of the Wildenstein homebred Nile Palace (Crystal Palace), the second dam in particular of Scarlet Row (Turgeon, the same crossing as Nile Turgeon), a second in the Maurice Gillois 4yo Chase (Gr1) who also gave birth to the champion chaser Politologue (Poliglote).

History

First run in 1880 under the name of the Prix de la Croix de Berny, it was rechristened the Prix La Haye Jousselin in 1903 in memory of one of the leading directors of the Société des Steeple-Chases de France. Not run in 1890, from 1914 to 1918 or in 1939, its distance has been changed several times from 2 miles 6 ½ furlongs to 3 miles 3 ½ furlongs from 1941.

Edmond de La Haye Jousselin (1839-1903)

After graduating from Saint-Cyr military academy in 1859 as a sub-lieutenant in the 1st Hussars, Edmond de La Haye Jousselin served in the cavalry for several years. In 1865, after two campaigns in Africa, he returned to civvy street, riding in races and dabbling with racehorse ownership, for which his colours were white jersey and blue sleeves & cap. The highpoint of his racing career came on 7 September 1868 at Craon, in a 2 ½ mile steeplechase where his protégés took the first two places, with the gelding Super Idem, ridden by Edmond de La Haye Jousselin himself, finishing just ahead of his stablemate Diane.

When the new Société des Steeple-Chases de France was created in 1873, he was one of the founding members, while also fulfilling the roles of steward and administrator. Aided by Comte Louis de Turenne and Aston Blount, he designed Auteuil’s tracks and oversaw the construction of the jumps. At the body’s Rue Royale headquarters, he was the right-hand man of the chairman, the Prince de Sagan. Moreover, when the latter fell ill, it was Edmond de La Haye Jousselin, due to his knowledge of the innermost workings of the Société, who was called upon to fulfil the role of vice-chairman. Abandoning his steward’s duties, he devoted himself to his new position, which he occupied until his sudden death on 1 January 1903.

An accomplished horseman, Edmond de La Haye Jousselin did not reserve the benefit of his knowledge for the Société des Steeples. He also served as chairman of the prestigious Société Hippique Française (or SHF, which organised horseracing events at the Grand Palais) after the death of its previous chairman Comte Gustave de Juigné in 1900, a small Normandy-based race body (Le Neubourg) and the illustrious Société des Guides, the meetings of which he would attend in a carriage drawn by teams of impeccably harnessed horses.

Al Capone and other multiple winners

The race’s history is marked by the amazing feat of Al Capone II, who triumphed seven times in a row between 1993 and 1999. On his eighth attempt, he, unfortunately, had to content himself with second place, but in his defence, he was then aged 12, whereas the winner First Gold was only 7.

Winning the same race seven times is a world record which Al Capone II shares with three other horses. English race-goers applauded the similar exploit of Doctor Syntax in the Preston Gold Cup from 1815 to 1821; French fans feted that of Franc Picard in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Dieppe between 1853 and 1861, and Belgians were blown away by the winning performances of Redpath in the Steeple-Chase des Flandres at Waereghem between 1877 and 1896.

But Al Capone II’s record should not be allowed to overshadow the achievement of the other horses which have prevailed more than once at Auteuil’s top autumn meeting. The first double was done by Basque (1880, 1881), followed by Killarney (1901, 1902), Sauveur (1909, 1910), Héros XII (1920, 1921), Mérigo (1942, 1944) and Méli Mélo (1947, 1949). By repeating his victory in 1950, the latter pulled off a treble that was unique until the advent of Al Capone II. Since then, however, Milord Thomas (2014-2016) and Bipolaire (2017-2019) also won the race three times. In the interim, further doubles were recorded by Le Pontif (1984, 1985), Remember Rose (2008-2009) and Rubi Ball (2010, 2011).

The Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris-Prix La Haye Jousselin double has been tried many times, but achieved by only 26 horses: La Vigne (1887), Solitaire (1897-1896), Marise (1898-1897), Dandolo (1904, 1908-1905), Héros XII (1922-1920, 1921), L'Yser (1923-1922), The Coyote (1927, 1926), Maguelonne (1928-1927), Millionnaire II (1933-1931), Fleuret (1935-1934), Symbole (1942-1945), Méli Mélo (1950-1947, 1949, 1950), Haroué (1968), Huron (1969, 1970-1969), Jasmin II (1983-1982), Otage du Perche (1986), Oteuil SF (1987-1986), Katko (1988, 1989, 1990-1989), The Fellow (1991-1990), Ucello II (1993, 1994-1992), Al Capone II (1997-1993 to 1999), First Gold (1998-2000), Mid Dancer (2007), Remember Rose (2008-2009), Milord Thomas (2015) and Docteur de Ballon (2020).

Owners

• Robert Fougedoire (8 wins): Al Capone II (de 1993 à 1999) & El Paso III (2001).
• Jules Finot (5 wins): Basque (1880, 1881), Vatan (1882), Baudres (1885) & La Vigne (1887) ;
• Max de Rivaud (3 wins): Heugon (1929) & Mérigo (1942, 1944) ;
• Léonide Aurousseau (3 wins): Méli Mélo (1947, 1949, 1950) ;
• Soledad de Moratalla (3 wins): The Fellow (1990), Ucello II (1992) & First Gold (2000).
• Magalen Bryant (3 wins): Milord Thomas (2014-2016).

Trainers

• Bernard Sécly (9 wins): Katko (1989), Al Capone II (from 1993 to 1999) & El Paso III (2001).
• André Adèle fils (6 wins): Siklos (1938), Fabiano (1946), Pirate IV (1960), Silfol (1962), Crésus (1965) & Huron (1969) - André Adèle Senior, Maurice and André junior won the race 12 times between 1911 and 1969.
• Alphonse Baresse (5 wins): Montgeroult (1888), Bandmaster (1889), Olifant (1894), Bucheron (1899) & Violon II (1904) ;
• William Head (5 wins): Yarlas (1933), Symbole (1945) & Méli Mélo (1947, 1949, 1950).
• Valère Péraldi (5 wins): Mérigo (1942, 1944), Rameau (1951), Le Phare (1954) & Meslay (1958) ;
• Maurice d'Okhuysen (5 wins): Heugon (1929), Manteau de Savoie (1935), Bao Daï (1937) & Jalgreya (1940).

Riders

• Jean-Yves Beaurain (8 wins): Katko (1989) & Al Capone II (from 1993 to 1999) ;
• Hatchet (4 wins): Basque (1880, 1881), Vatan (1882) & Baudres (1885) ;
• Paul Péraldi (4 wins): Rideo (1948), Rameau (1951), Le Phare (1954) & Quo Vadis (1955) ;
• Bruno Jollivet (4 wins): Le Pontif (1984, 1985), Oteuil SF (1988) & Tito l'Effronté (1991) ;
• Jacques Ricou (4 wins): Golden Flight (2005), Milord Thomas (2014 à 2016) ;
• Robert Bates (3 wins): Manteau de Savoie (1935), Bao Daï (1937) & Frère Victor (1941).
• David Cottin (3 wins): Rubi Ball (2010, 2011) & Shannon Rock (2013).