1. Home
  2. Palais-Royal History: Fly or Mile

Palais-Royal History: Fly or Mile

28 May 2021

Palais-Royal History: Fly or Mile

Photo scoopdyga.com

May, ParisLongchamp

Prix du Palais-Royal

 

Group 3, 3-year-olds and above, 1,400m/7f, €56,000

Created in 1968

Last winner: Spinning Memories (F5 IRE by Arcano ex Hanalei Memories, by Hard Spun), owned by Pan Sutong Racing, bred by Mubarak Al Naemi, trained by Pascal Bary, ridden by Christophe Soumillon.

Record-time (over 7 furlongs at ParisLongchamp) : 1'17''4 by Dalghar in 2010.

The race is run in 2021 for the 54th time

 

The 2020 edition

Thursday, May 28, Deauville-Clairefontaine. - Fourth in this Prix du Palais-Royal (Gr3) last year in its usual ParisLongchamp setting, the 6-year-old mare Spinning Memories (Arcano) prevailed this time in a strong finish in midfield. She won by a length over the 7-furlong course of Clairefontaine, beating the front-running Azano (Oasis Dream), who was starting under the training of Francis-Henri Graffard for the first time and went towards the stands' rail into the last straight. Stunning Spirit (Invincible Spirit) had followed him up to then but stuck to the actual rail and was only beaten a short head for the second place. Stormbringer (Dutch Art) finished fourth three lengths further down, just ahead of 3-year-old contender Devil (Siyouni), who finished well.

Spinning Memories had just won a Listed on this very distance at ParisLongchamp for her second outing of the year after finishing 6th on the Chantilly all-weather for her comeback. She's for sale in the online Magic Millions auction set for next week.

Her two first dams were unraced but her third dam, Memories of Silver (Silver Hawk) is an American Gr1 winner, and the dam of several Group winners, including a Gr1 3yo filly.

History

When this race was created in 1968, there had already been disputed for several years at Saint-Cloud a Prix Palais Royal dedicated to an excellent horse, Palais Royal (1925 by Brûleur), winner of the Prix Hocquart, second of St Leger in Doncaster and above all known for having removed the famous Cambridgeshire Handicap in Newmarket.

The Prix du Palais Royal is named after one of the oldest monuments in Paris. Built for Cardinal Richelieu, Minister of Louis XIII, a palace, flanked by three galleries surrounding pretty gardens, now houses the Council of State. The Valois wing is assigned to the Ministry of Culture.

Since its creation, the Prix du Palais Royal has always been run over 7 furlongs. It left Longchamp only twice, in 1996, the year it was run in Deauville during a spring meeting quickly withdrawn from the calendar, and in 2020, when it was moved to Clairefontaine because racingwas still prohibited in the Paris region due to the health crisis.

 

Owners 

  • Daniel Wildenstein (4 wins): African Sky (1973), Gravelines (1976), Bon Vent (1988), Blu Air Force (2000).

  • Wertheimers (4 wins): Prince Mab (1981), Honeyland (1983) for Jacques, Attendu (2016), Polydream (2018) for Wertheimer & Frère;

  • Mohammed Al Maktoum (3 wins): Polish Precedent (1989), Cherokee Rose (1995) under his own gown, Inns of Court (2017) under that of Godolphin.

  • Marquise de Moratalla (2 wins): Prime Number (1997), Saratan (2003).

  • George Strawbridge (2 wins): Hidden Meadow (1998), Moonlight Cloud (2012).

 

Trainers

  • André Fabre (5 wins): Bon Vent (1988), Polish Precedent (1989), Lunasalt (2001), Art Master (2005), Inns of Court (2017).

  • Alain de Royer-Dupré (3 wins): Prime Number (1997), Puppeteer (2004), Dalghar (2010).

  • Max Bonaventure (2 wins): Aswan (1971), Sincerely (1974).

  • John Cunnington junior (2 wins): Hadrianus (1972), Spectacular Joke (1985).

  • François Boutin (2 wins): Pas de Deux (1978), Robin des Pins (1992).

  • Robert Collet (2 wins): By the Sea (1979), Polski Boy (1991).

  • Alec Head (2 wins): Prince Mab (1981), Honeyland (1983).

  • Christiane Head-Maarek (2 wins): Tightrope walker (1990), Dunkirk (2009).

  • John Hammond (2 wins): Voleris (1993), Cherokee Rose (1995).

  • Freddy Head (2 wins): Moonlight Cloud (2012), Polydream (2018)

 

Riders

  • Freddy Head (5 wins): Regent Street (1969), Prince Mab (1981), Honeyland (1983), Funambule (1990), Robin des Pins (1992);

  • Cash Asmussen (5 wins): Bon Vent (1988), Polish Precedent (1989), Polski Boy (1991) Voleris (1993), Cherokee Rose (1995).

  • Christophe Soumillon (3 wins): Puppeteer (2004), Art Master (2005), Spinning Memories (2020).

  • Olivier Peslier (2 wins): Hidden Meadow (1998), Blu Air Force (2000), Lunasalt (2001), Satri (2006).

  • Robert Litt (2 wins): Aswan (1971), Sincerely (1974).

  • Maurice Philipperon (2 wins): Hadrianus (1972), Spectacular Joke (1985).

  • Yves-Saint-Martin (2 wins): African Sky (1973), Gravelines (1976).

  • Christophe-Patrice Lemaire (2 wins): Garnica (2007), Dalghar (2010).