Prix d'Hédouville History: Back over the classic distance

Last winner: In Swoop (h4, IRE by Adlerflug ex Iota, by Tiger Hill), owned by Gestüt Schlenderhan, bred by Stall von Ullmann, trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, ridden by Olivier Peslier.

Record-time: 2’28’’3 by Allied Powers in 2010

The race would be run in 2022 for the 118th time

The 2021 edition

May 13, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - Second to Sottsass in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1) last year, the German Derby-winner In Swoop (Adlerflug) failed to hold off Sublimis (Shamardal) for his comeback this season in the Prix Lord Seymour (L). His defeater had the edge because he had already made his seasonal bow and benefitted from a 3lbs penalty his rival had to deal with. They had to square off in the Prix d’Hédouville (Gr3), again over 1m4f, at level weights and this time, In Swoop was never really threatened by Sublimis, who had to fight hard to keep the third place. In Swoop, who'd never won a Group race on French soil before, took the lead about one out and stayed on, beating a great The Good Man (Manduro), who never tackled such opposition and finished a brave second for Capt. Adrian Pratt, Sublimis beating Influx (Golden Horn), who never faded after he led the field, by a short neck.

It is another step towards the Arc for the Von Ullmann Family and Gestüt Schlenderhan colt. There are many others to take before the first Sunday in October.

In Swoop is the 8th foal out of Iota (Tiger Hill), a German Oaks (Gr1) winner in 2005, also the dam of Ito (Adlerflug), a Group 1 winner in his home Germany.

History

The race commemorates the memory of Charles d’Hédouville, one of the oldest and most eminent members of the Société d’Encouragement. It was contested for the first time on 25 May 1890 at Chantilly, as part of the Prix de Diane meeting. The winner was the celebrated Le Sancy, then aged 6. Originally, it was open to horses aged 3 and over, with 3-year-olds not being excluded until 1978.

The history of the race can be divided into two periods. During the first (1890-1964), it was contested at Chantilly, apart from in the war years (1915 to 1918, 1940) when it was cancelled, and for four years when it was switched twice to Longchamp (1919, 1920) and twice to Tremblay (1943, 1944). After having been removed from the programme between 1965 and 1971 (due to an average of 4.1 starters for the previous ten years), the Prix d’Hédouville resurfaced in September open only to 3-year-olds, at Longchamp in 1972 and 1973, and then at Chantilly in 1974. After a further three-year interruption (1975 to 1977), the Prix d’Hédouville was reincarnated at Longchamp in the spring of 1978, restricted to horses aged 4 and over.

The race’s distance has been modified on several occasions. Fixed for a long time (1890 to 1953) at 10 furlongs, it has been run over a mile and a half since 1962. The Prix d’Hédouville gained Group III status in 1985. 

Nine horses have succeeded in winning the Prix d’Hédouville on two occasions. They are: Callistrate (1894, 1895), Champaubert ( (1897, 1898), Caius (1904, 1905), Moulins la Marche (1908, 1909), Nino (1927, 1928), Djebel (1941, 1942), Violoncelle (1950, 1951), Robore (1989, 1990) and Allied Powers (2010, 2012).

In addition to these nine high-quality horses, the Prix d’Hédouville honours list includes the names of such celebrated performers as Le Sancy (1890), Chalet (1891), Gouverneur (1892), Fra Angelico (1893), Le Justicier (1893), Gardefeu (1899), Semendria (1901), Codoman (1902), La Camargo (1903), Prestige (1906), Sardanapale (1914), Ramus (1922), Zariba (1923), Irismond (1925), Macaroni (1932), Goyescas (1933), Corrida (1936), Sanguinetto (1937), Sylvanire (1938), Cillas (1939), Un Gaillard (1944), Ardan (1945), Djeddah (1949) and Night and Day (1961).

The second period of the Prix d’Hédouville has produced fewer winners of great renown. It does, however feature the names of Rex Magna (1978), Noir and Or (1979), Lancastrian (1981), Balitou (1984), Baby Turk (1986), Vert Amande (1992), First Magnitude (2000), Martaline (2003), Short Pause (2004), Fracassant (2005), Champs Elysées (2007) and Waldgeist (2018).

Comte Charles Théodore Ernest d’Hédouville (1809-1890).
Having commenced his career as an officer in the 1^st hussars of Chartres, this friend of the Princes d’Orléans left the army to enter the house of lords. A skilled horseman and distinguished amateur rider, he was elected as a deputy member of the Société d’Encouragement committee in 1837, before becoming an executive member in 1849. He occupied this post for forty years, during which time he made a sizeable contribution to the development of Chantilly racecourse and the creation of Longchamp. A keen advocate of the sport, he raced several horses in his colours (white jersey, black cap) in partnership with his friend, the Baron de La Rochette, even training them himself. The most notable of these was Moustique (1850), who obtained 6 wins as a 3-year-old (including the Prix du Printemps, the Poule d’Essai, the Omnium and a 3^rd place in the Jockey Club) and 5 victories as a 4-year-old (including the Prix de la Ville de Paris). He worked tirelessly for the Société d’Encouragement, not only assuming the important duties of steward for nine years (from 1838 to 1841 and from 1849 to 1853), but also those of starter, finish judge and track monitor. He was also one of those loyal to the Chantilly hunts. One day, he was asked: – “Do you still ride a horse?” – “Yes, I’m a firm believer in it,” he replied: “All my friends who stopped are dead! In an obituary to him, the newspaper Le Sport stated: "He was also a supreme gentleman and, in the racing environment where it is so difficult not to have a few enemies, he had only friends ".

Owners

• Marcel Boussac (12 wins): Ramus (1922), Zariba (1923), Irismond (1925), Goyescas (1933), Corrida (1936), Cillas (1939), Djebel (1941, 1942), Hiéroclès (1943), Ardan (1945), Narses (1947), Djeddah (1949).
• Adolphe Abeille (5 wins): Callistrate (1894, 1895), Champaubert ( (1897, 1898), La Camargo (1903).
• Khalid Abdullah (5 wins): Glorify (1991), Martaline (2002), Short Pause (2004), Bellamy Cay (2006), Champs Elysées (2007).
• Arthur de Schickler (4 wins): Le Sancy (1890), Fra Angelico (1893), Le Justicier (1896), Semendria (1901).
• Jean Stern (4 wins): Scaramouche (1924), Sanguinetto (1937), Night and Day (1961), Sourire (1962).

Trainers

• André Fabre (11 wins): Luth Dancer (1988), Glorify (1991), First Magnitude (2000), Martaline (2003), Short Pause (2004), Fracassant (2005), Bellamy Cay (2006), Champs Elysées (2007), Not Just Swing (2008), Pirika (2013), Waldgeist (2018).
• Charles Semblat (5 wins): Djebel (1942), Hiéroclès (1943), Ardan (1945), Narses (1947), Djeddah (1949).
• William Webb (4 wins): Le Sancy (1890), Fra Angelico (1893), Le Justicier (1896), Semendria (1901).
• Elie Lellouche (4 wins): Vert Amande (1992), Sharp Counsel (1993), Bonnet Rouge (2001), Magadan (2009).
• Alain de Royer Dupré (4 wins): Baby Turk (1986), Malakim (1987), Ivory Land (2011), One Foot in Heaven (2016).
• William Hall (3 wins): Nino (1927, 1928), Goyescas (1933).
• Percy Carter (3 wins): Djebel (1941), Gérocourt (1952), Clairvoie (1956).
• Geoffroy Watson (3 wins): Violoncelle (1950, 1951), Rafaï (1963).
• François Mathet (3 wins): Super (1959), Wanderer (1972), Kalpour (1973).
• François Boutin (3 wins): Flushing (1974), Rex Magna (1978), Scorpio (1980).
• David Smaga (3 wins): Lancastrian (1981), Darly (1985), Percutant (1996).

Riders

• Christophe Soumillon (6 wins) : Martaline (2003), Fracassant (2005), Bellamy Cay (2006), Ivory Land (2011), Spiritjim (2014), One Foot in Heaven (2016).
• George Stern (5 wins) : Caius (1904, 1905), Ramus (1922), Zariba (1923), Irismond (1925).
• Edouard Watkins (3 wins): Champaubert ( (1897, 1898), Gardefeu (1899).
• Charles Elliott (3 wins): Goyescas (1933), Corrida (1936), Cillas (1939).
• Jacques Doyasbère (3 wins): Djebel (1942), Hiéroclès (1943), Ardan (1945).
• Roger Poincelet (3 wins): Un Gaillard (1944), Narses (1947), Djeddah (1949).
• Jean Laumain (3 wins): Tharsis (1948), Violoncelle (1950, 1951).
• Dominique Bœuf (3 wins): Robore (1989), Vert Amande (1992), Sharp Counsel (1993).
• Sylvain Guillot (3 wins): Steward (1997), Oa Baldixe (1998), Persian Ruler (1999).
• Olivier Peslier (4 wins): First Magnitude (2000), Bonnet Rouge (2001), Tiberian (2017), In Swoop (2021).