Quincey History: A smaller Marois

August, Deauville

Barrière Prix Quincey

Group 3, 4-year-old and up, 1,600m/1m, €56,000

Created in 1919 (Prix de la Plage Fleurie)

Last winner: Stunning Spirit (h6, GB by Invincible Spirit ex Stunning View, by Dynaformer), owned by Haras de la Gousserie, bred by George Strawbridge, trained by Frédéric Rossi, ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Record-time: 1’32’’8, Penny’s Gold (2000).

The race is run in 2021 for the 101st time

The 2020 edition

Sunday, August 30, 2020, Deauville. – Third in the Grand Handicap de Deauville with 9st8lb, after having already finished third this season in the Prix du Palais-Royal (Gr3) and the Prix de la Porte Maillot (Gr3) over 7 furlongs, Stunning Spirit (Invincible Spirit) finally won his first Group race, the Barrière Prix Quincey (Gr3), run over the Deauville straight mile, after having finished seven times 2nd or 3rd at this level.

Owned by the Chehboub family’s Haras de la Gousserie, the 6-year-old horse led a trio along the rail, while the other three runners took to the stands’ side, led by Manjeer (Footstepsinthesand).

The inside rail proved to be the good one as it took gained the upper hand about 2 furlongs out and Stunning Spirit won “his” race easily, posting a three and a half lengths victory over the second-placed We Ride The World (Orpen), who had trailed the rail trio behind the fourth-placed Aviateur (Intense Focus), beaten for third place by Les Vertus (Shakespearean), “winner” on the other side.

Trained by Frédéric Rossi and his nephew Cédric, the first two come both from Calas, the Marseilles training centre.

Stunning Spirit was bought for € 65,000 at the Arqana Arc sales last October by bloodstock agent Paul Nataf after starting his career for his breeder, George Strawbridge. He had previously finished second in the same event behind Skalleti, also trained near Marseilles.

His 4-year-old sister by Champs Elysees, winner of one race, fetched € 47,000 at the Arqana breeding sales in December when bought by Blandford, and she has been exported to Ireland.

A 2-year-old colt by Le Havre in training with Freddy Head and a yearling by Kingman follow.

Click here to get the sectional timing of the race.

History

It was immediately after the First World War in 1919 that a new race was introduced at Deauville bearing the name of the Prix de la Plage Fleurie. Contested over the newly created straight mile course, it adopted the name of the Prix Quincey in 1925 in memory of one of the most eminent members of the Société d'Encouragement who had passed away the previous year. Held in late August, the Prix Quincey today serves as a consolation event after the Prix Jacques Le Marois (first run in 1921), one of the Deauville meeting’s flagship events.

The race was opened to 3-year-olds up until 2017.

The Prix Quincey has remained faithful to the Plage Fleurie racecourse, taking place there every year apart from when it closed during the Second World War. Cancelled in 1940 and 1944, it was transferred to Longchamp in 1941, 1942 and 1945, and to Maisons-Laffitte in 1943. Its distance has remained fixed at one mile, with a single exception of 1 mile 2 furlongs in 1920.

Three horses have won the Prix Quincey twice: Golden Hope (1924, 1925), Sultanabad (1950, 1951) and Sparkler (1971, 1972). They are accompanied on the Prix Quincey honours list by other high-quality performers like Sourbier (1920), Zariba (1922), Select (1923), Dickens (1928), Balthazar (1942), Clarion (1947), Damnos (1948), Dynastie (1953), Djanet (1956), El Relicario (1957), Nice Guy (1962), Habitat (1969), Lorenzaccio (1970), African Sky (1973), Liloy (1974), Brinkmanship (1975), Trepan (1977), Bellypha (1979), Kilijaro (1980), Teleprompter (1984), My Risk (2003), Elusive Wave (2010), Solow (2014).

Foreign winners 

The first foreign success was recorded by England’s St Padarn (1967). There followed 12 more wins for his compatriots: Habitat (1969), Lorenzaccio (1970), Sparkler (1971, 1972), Ellora (1976), Teleprompter (1984), Always Fair (1988), Pollen Count (1994), Two O'Clock Jump (1995), Autumn Glory (2004), Laa Rayb (2008), Fire Ship (2013), Johnny Barnes (2015).

Comte de Quincey (died in 1924)

A former cavalry officer and instructor at Saumur, Comte de Quincey raced a few horses in his own colours (red and white-ringed jersey, black sleeves and cap) but without any great success. In 1910, he was made an executive member of the Société d'Encouragement, and fulfilled the role of steward from 15 January 1912 until 23 August 1924, with an interruption from December 1915 to December 1918, three years during which he resumed his military career to serve as a commander of the remount depot at Montrouge. For almost six years (1919 to 1924) as chief steward – an important role at the time – he was the instigator of the main decisions taken by the Société d'Encouragement after the First World War, which included the taking of steps to remedy the breeding crisis caused by the war, the merger with the Société des Courses de Deauville, the introduction of electronic timekeeping at Longchamp and the printing of the pari mutuel at Suresnes, the acquisition of the land at Rue du Cirque for the set-up of the Société’s headquarters and, above all, the creation in 1919 of the Fédération nationale des sociétés de courses, and of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in 1920.
 

Owners

• Wertheimer Family (5 wins): Select (1923) for Paul, Djanet (1956) for Pierre, Bellypha (1979) for Jacques, Solow (2014), Attendu (2017) for Wertheimer & Frère.
• Jefferson-Davis Cohn (4 wins): Imaginaire (1919), King Arthur (1926), Lion Hearted (1929), Slipper (1930).
• Daniel Wildenstein : African Sky (1973), Liloy (1974), Héraldiste (1985), Dampierre (1992).
• Marcel Boussac (3 wins): Zariba (1922), Cuadrilla (1946), Damnos (1948).
• Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum & Godolphin (3 wins): Pollen Count (1994) for Sheikh Mohammed, Fractional (2012), Graphite (2018) for Godolphin.
• Jacques Wittouck (2 wins): Golden Hope (1924, 1925).
• Marquis de Llano (2 wins): Songe (1927), Ziani (1932).
• Stéphane Vagliano (2 wins): Dickens (1928), Skylight (1937).
• Ralph-Beaver Strassburger (2 wins): Tara (1935), Clarion (1947).
• Alec Weisweiller (2 wins): Sultanabad (1950, 1951).
• Khalid Abdullah (2 wins): Masterclass (1991), Bon Point (1993).
• Hamdan Al Maktoum (2 wins): Mahboob (1999), Racinger (2009).

Trainers

• André Fabre (7 wins): Tobin Lad (1987), Masterclass (1991), Dampierre (1992), Bon Point (1993), Devious Indian (2002), Fractional (2012), Graphite (2018).
• Alec Head (4 wins): Dynastie (1953), Djanet (1956), Baba au Rhum (1958), Bellypha (1979).
• Emile Charlier (3 wins): Golden Hope (1924, 1925), Tara (1935).
• George Newton (3 wins): King Arthur (1926), Lion Hearted (1929), Slipper (1930).
• Charles Cunnington (3 wins): Songe (1927), Ziani (1932), Pamina (1936).
• John Cunnington (3 wins): Clarion (1947), Fairey Gannet (1960), Clarionneur (1961).
• Freddy Head (3 wins): Racinger (2009), Solow (2014), Siyoushake (2016).

Riders

• Jean Deforge (5 wins): Finarosa (1954), Dog and Cat (1955), Fairey Gannet (1960), Clarionneur (1961), Seawell (1964).
• Freddy Head (5 wins): Discordia (1966), Bellypha (1979), Kilijaro (1980), Phydilla (1981), Go Milord (1989).
• Yves Saint-Martin (4 wins): Sparkler (1971), African Sky (1973), Liloy (1974), Brinkmanship (1975).
• Gérald Mossé (3 wins): Héraldiste (1985), Tobin Lad (1987), Two O’Clock Jump (1995).
• Thierry Jarnet (3 wins): Masterclass (1991), Dampierre (1992), Bon Point (1993).