Maurice de Gheest History: The longest sprint

8 August 2021

Photo scoopdyga.com

The atypical distance of this inter-generational event, namely 1,300 metres (6.5 furlongs) over a straight course, exceeds the more common 6-furlong trip of the other main long sprints of the European program. This is both a small and a major difference, as sprinters' stamina deteriorates very quickly beyond 5 furlongs - much like that of athletes sprinters beyond 200 metres. It is therefore sometimes the scene, like the Prix d'Ispahan on a longer spectrum, of an unprecedented confrontation between "flyers", specialists in intermediate distances between the sprint and the mile, and the pure sprinters, who rarely exceed 6 furlongs. Either way, it's a very popular sport for the British, the European kings of sprinting, but the distance a little longer than usual allows the French to defend themselves well!

August, Deauville

LARC PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST

Group 1, 3-year-old & up, 1,300m/6.5 furlongs, €380,000

Created in 1922

Last winner: ADVERTISE (c3, GB by Showcasing ex Furbelow, by Pivotal), owned by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, bred by Cheveley Park Stud, trained by Martyn Meade, ridden by Lanfranco Dettori.

Recordtime: 1'14"3, Moonlight Cloud (2013)

The LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest will be run in 2020 for the 98^th time.

The 2021 edition

August 8, 2021, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse (Calvados). - The French-trained Marianafoot (Footstepsinthesand) won his first Gr1 with disconcerting ease over the LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr1) straight 6.5 furlong straight. Homebred by Jean-Claude Seroul, trained in Provence by the astute Jérôme Reynier, the 6-year-old horse beat another French-trained competitor, Lady Bamford's 4-year-old filly Tropbeau (Showcasing), who travelled in the centre for her first tilt over such a short distance. One of the British favourites, July Cup (Gr1) winner Starman (Dutch Art) stayed on in 3rd, in front of the 2017 winner 9-year-old Brando (Pivotal).

The American favourite Campanelle (Kodiac), winner of the Darley Prix Morny (Gr1) on the same course one year earlier, jumped at the start and almost got rid of Frankie Dettori, and then went to the centre of the course to lead Thunder Moon (Zoffany), but both were never a factor anymore and finished last and second last.

Marianafoot now counts 14 wins with 8 straight wins lately. He hasn't been beaten again since February 2020 in Qatar. It is also his 4th straight win on turf as he used to run more over all-weather earlier.

Marianafoot is the second foal out of Marianabaa (Anabaa), a winner at Marseille-Vivaux who ran a claimer under the colours of her breeder Jean-Claude Seroul before entering stud. She was nevertheless sent to Kendargent and then to Footstepsinthesand. The mare gave six foals including the good Padron (Gris de Gris), a Listed-winner and Gr3-placed in Germany for the same connections. More recently, the mare gave a full sister to Marianafoot who won at Marseille-Borély at 2, then a 2-year-old by Authorized in training with Jérôme Reynier, and finally another filly by Footstepsinthesand born in 2020.

History

Created in 1922, the Prix Maurice de Gheest was made a Group 1 race in 1994. Cancelled in 1940, it was staged at Maisons-Laffitte in 1941-1943 and 1945 and once at Auteuil in 1944. Until 1993, the Prix Maurice de Gheest was a handicap. Run over the straight at Deauville, it was shortened from 7 furlongs to 6 ½ furlongs in 1966.

Three horses have won the Prix Maurice de Gheest twice: filly Azyadé in 1936 and 1937; Nice Guy in 1961 and 1962; Boitron in 1979 and 1980. Two horses has won it three times, Marchand d'Or in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and Moonlight Cloud, between 2011 and 2013. The race is named after Maurice de Gheest. In 2011, the race was sponsored by Wertheimer & Frère to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their stables, which were founded in 1911 by Pierre Wertheimer, grandfather of Alain and Gérard who currently own the famous blue and white colours. Since 2013, it is sponsored by the Latioamericana Racing Channel, the organization that promotes and market the TV and betting rights of South-American Racing throughout the World.

Maurice de Gheest (1850-1920)

He was a member of the Société des courses de Deauville (where he became a steward in 1913), the Société du Demi-Sang, and the Société des Steeple-Chases de France, which he presided over from 1912 until his sudden death on 31 October 1920. He died the day after being named chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. A man "with a heart more generous than you can imagine”, Maurice de Gheest*, chairman of the Société des mines de Marres, was also a "great sportsman" – as men of his stature were often described at the start of the 20th century. His colours were aboard the winner of the Grand Prix de Deauville on three occasions. His split yellow/blue silks and blue cap gave him his first victory on 6 December 1892 at Saint-Ouen in the Prix Nestor (10,000 F) on Nicolette, a horse he purchased for 7,000 F nine days earlier, after seeing it win at Auteuil. Some may have called that beginner’s luck, but Merlin (bred at Marcadieu near Tarbes), a yearling he bought at Deauville for just 700 F, showed he owed his success to more than just luck. As a 3-year-old in 1895, some fourteen races and 193,075 F later, Merlin won the Grand Prix de Deauville and the Prix Monarque. His best horses were subsequently Liane (surprising winner of the Prix de Diane in 1896), Bohême (2nd in the Poule d'Essai the same year), Van Diemen (Grand Prix de Deauville 1897), Volnay (Prix de la Salamandre and Prix de Condé 1897), Géographie (2^nd in the Prix Vermeille of 1897 and winner of the Prix du Président de la République at Auteuil in 1899), Velasquez (2^nd in the Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris 1899) and Kremlin (Prix des Sablons 1901). In 1894, Maurice de Gheest joined forces with the marquis de Nicolay, owner of the Montfort stud farm (in the Sarthe, on the right bank of the Huisne), where he had been breeding since 1864. Merlin’s failure to sire winners was a massive disappointment to the pair, who had been banking on him at stud, but 1904 import Rabelais (son of the classy St Simon) made up for this. His son Verdun, who they sold at Deauville, won the Poule d'Essai, the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix du Président de la République in 1909 for Baron Maurice de Rothschild. Rabelais was three times champion sire for flat horses and once for the jumps.

*Not to be confused with his cousin Charles de Gheest, whose filly Galette won the Grand Prix de Deauville as a 4-year-old in 1893.

Maurice de Gheest and the Abbaye de Longchamp

Since 1957 (the year the Prix de l'Abbaye was founded), these two races have often been a common aim for sprinters, despite the fact that the Prix Maurice de Gheest was run over 7 furlongs, whereas the Prix de l’Abbaye is over 5 furlongs. Only four horses have won both races though, two in the same year - Sweet Revenge in 1971 and Marchand d'or in 2008. Lianga won the Abbaye at the age of 4 in 1975, one year after triumphing in the Maurice de Gheest. Moorestyle did it the other way around, winning the Abbaye first, at the age of 3 in 1970, before following up with the Maurice de Gheest the following year. Four winners of the Maurice de Gheest have been placed in the Abbaye: Yours (1965) was placed three times; 2nd in 1964 and 1966, 3rd en 1967; Abergwaun (1972) was 3rd in 1973 as a 5 year-old; Cherokee won the Rose (1995) was 2^nd the same year; as was Anabaa (1996) when he was pipped at the post by his training partner Kistena.

Fillies

Fillies have had a good deal of success in the race, winning on thirty-one occasions, most recently in the shape of May Ball (2002), Porlezza (2003) and Moonlight Cloud (2011, 2012). Victory in the Prix Maurice de Gheest has often been an important stepping stone in their careers - Zariba (1922), Midget (1957), Lianga (1974), Flying Water (1977) have all gone on to greater things, as has Seeking the Pearl (1998), who came from the Land of the Rising Sun to carry off the first Group 1 victory on European soil for a Japanese thoroughbred.

Owners

Wertheimer Family (6 wins): Sonny Boy (1933), Djanet (1956), Midget (1957), Tomahawk (1959) for Pierre, Occupandiste (1997) & Polydream (2018) for Wertheimer & Frère.
Marcel Boussac (4 wins): Zariba (1922), Grillemont (1923), Theano (1943), Windorah (1947).
Ralph B. Strassburger (3 wins): Mordicus (1927), Guam (1952), Vamarie (1954).
Théodore P. Cozzika (3 wins): Azyadé (1936, 1937) et Le Koh I Noor (1939).
Stavros Niarchos (3 wins): Boitron (1979, 1980) et Dolphin Street (1994).
Mme Jean-Louis Giral (3 wins): Marchand d’Or (2006, 2007, 2008).
George Strawbridge (3 wins): Moonlight Cloud (2011, 2012, 2013).

Entraîneurs

Freddy Head (7 wins): Marchand d’Or (2006, 2007, 2008), Moonlight Cloud (2011, 2012, 2013), Polydream (2018).
Charles Cunnington (4 wins): Ziani (1932), Azyadé (1936, 1937), Le Koh I Noor (1939).
Alec Head (3 wins): Djanet (1956), Midget (1957), Tomahawk (1959).
Vincent O'Brien (3 wins): Abergwaun (1972), Beaudelaire (1983), College Chapel (1993).
John Cunnington junior (3 wins): King of Macedon (1978), Exclusive Order (1982), Spectacular Joke (1985).  
Christiane Head (3 wins): Blue Note (1988), Anabaa (1996), Occupandiste (1997).

Jockeys

Lester Piggott (4 wins): Mountain Call (1968), Abergwaun (1972), Moorestyle (1981), College Chapel (1993).
Gérald Mossé (4 wins): Cricket Ball (1989), Dolphin Street (1994), May Ball (2002), Garswood (2014).
Guy Garner (3 wins): Zariba (1922), Lézignan (1925), Tivoli (1929).
André Dupuit (3 wins): Azyadé (1936, 1937), Le Koh I Noor (1939).

Maurice Philipperon (3 wins): King of Macedon (1978), Exclusive Order (1982), Spectacular Joke (1985).
Pat Eddery (3 wins): Beaudelaire (1983), Lead on Time (1986), Interval (1987).
Davy Bonilla (3 wins): Marchand d’Or (2006, 2007, 2008). 
Thierry Jarnet (3 wins): Moonlight Cloud (2011, 2012, 2013).