Muguet History: A source of great milers

Prix du Muguet

Group 2, 4-year-olds and above, 1,600m/1m, €90,000

Created in 1967

Last winner: Tribalist (h5 GB by Farhh ex Fair Daughter, by Nathaniel), owned by Godolphin, bred by Car Colston Hall Stud, trained by André Fabre, ridden by Mickaël Barzalona.

Record-time: 1’35’’90 by Redmead in 1984.

The race will be run in 2024 for the 56th time

The 2024 edition

Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saint-Cloud Racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine) – For the second consecutive year, Tribalist (Farhh) has claimed victory in the Prix du Muguet (Gr2), a first milers' championship of the season among older horses in France. Just as last year, the Godolphin-owned stalwart kicked off his campaign by securing the Prix Edmond Blanc (Gr3) at the same venue.

Setting the pace from the start, Tribalist established a clear lead early in the straight. He held on and kept a neck edge over the classic winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Muhaarar), who pressed hard after momentarily appearing outpaced by Dolayli (Siyouni), a newcomer to this level who admirably finished third.

Last year, the winning chestnut had more decisively beaten Facteur Cheval, then affirmed his form by carrying extra weight to victory in the Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines (Gr3) in June at Chantilly.

Bred by Car Colston Hall Stud, Tribalist was sold for £130,000 at Tattersalls to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock. His dam, Fair Daughter (Nathaniel), never raced. Tribalist is her first runner. Born in 2020, his younger sister, Mer Lunaire (Sea the Stars), was sold as a maiden for €35,000 to Atlas Bloodstock last December.

The pedigree boasts significant features, including the dam's sibling, Wiener Wald (Woodman), who directly produced five black-type performers, including Crowded House (Rainbow Quest), winner of the Racing Post Trophy (Gr1). In this illustrious family, one finds Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr1) winner Brando (Pivotal), Ticker Tape (Royal Applause), victor of the American Oaks Invitational and the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (Gr1), and Reckless Abandon (Exchange Rate), who was unbeaten as a two-year-old in five starts including victories in the Prix Morny and the Middle Park Stakes (Gr1).

History

As part of the meeting on 1 May, traditionally held at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, a race called the Prix de Muguet, contested by 3-year-olds over 1 mile 2 furlongs, was for a long time organised. In 1967, the conditions changed, and the Prix du Muguet became an event for 4-year-olds and over, run over 1 mile with a commensurate purse of 100,000 F to the winner. After gaining Group 3 status in 1972, the Prix du Muguet was elevated to Group 2 in 1995.

The race has been switched to Longchamp six times, in 1968, 1976, 1977, 1982, 1983 and 1985. In 1968 only, its distance was raised to 1 mile 2 furlongs.

Foreign raiders won the race 7 times with Jan Ekels (1973), American Prince (1980), Proudwings (2001), John Dunlop (Dandoun 2003), Martillo (2004, 2005) and Sommerabend (2014).

(*) In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was delayed and ran at the end of June as a Gr2 prep race for the following Prix d'Ispahan.

Owners