12 September 2020
Photo scoopdyga.com
SeptembER, ParisLongchamp
QATAR PRIX FOY
Group 2 – 4-year-olds and above, 2,400m/1m4f, €90,000
Created in 1955
Last winner: ANTHONY VAN DYCK (c4, Ire by Galileo ex Believe 'n Succeed, by Exceed and Excel), owned by Sue Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith, bred by Orpendale, Cheslton & Wynatt, trained by Aidan O'Brien, ridden by Mickaël Barzalona.
Record-time: 2’26’’9, Ruler of the World (2014)
The race is run in 2021 for the 67th time.
The 2020 edition
Sunday, September 13, 2020, ParisLongchamp. - At the end of a heated fight, the last of the “Arc Trials” of the day -for aged horses- went to a brave Anthony Van Dyck (Galileo), winner of the 2019 Epsom Derby, who managed to hold the big favourite Stradivarius (Sea the Stars) over the Qatar Prix Foy (Gr3)'s 1m4f trip. The two horses had already met this year in the Coronation Cup (Gr1), in July over this same distance at Newmarket, and they had finished in that order in the wake of Ghaiyyath. Both were making their comeback and a new verdict was to be expected, but it never came, although the margin between them fell from two and a half lengths to a short neck.
Anthony van Dyck hadn't won since his Epsom triumph in June 2019 and his last run, in the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr2) at Ascot, ended in a disappointing fifth place on a soft ground that maybe doesn't favour him. Quickly in the lead this time, he showed all his courage to win again.
Click here to read the sectional timing of the race.
History
This race honours the memory of the tenth president of the Société d'Encouragement committee. Initially known as the Prix Henry Foy from 1955 to 1968, it was given its current name in 1969. Held at Longchamp, the Prix Foy was open to 3 year-olds and above until 1966, before being restricted to older horses from 1967 onwards. This was due to 3-year-old runners also enjoying access to a special Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe trial called the Prix de Chantilly, which became the Prix Niel in 1972. From 1972 the two races (Prix Niel and Prix Foy) would be held on the same day, three weeks prior to the Arc de Triomphe. Originally set at a distance of 1 mile 3½ furlongs, the Prix Foy was reduced to 1 mile 3 furlongs from 1961-78 and then brought to its present distance of 1 mile 4 furlongs in 1979.
The Prix Foy was promoted to Group 2 status in 2000.
Henri Foy (1872-1954).
Great-grandson to General Foy, a noted figure from the time of the First Empire, Henri was a Naval Engineer who spent his youth based at Saint-Nazaire in Chantiers de la Loire. He was also a keen horse enthusiast, who wasted little time in following the example of his father Comte Foy, a breeder at the Barbeville stud farm near Bayeux, and that of his uncle, the Comte de Berteux – owner of the Cheffreville stud. A fine horseman, Baron Foy lead the list of flat-racing gentleman-riders in 1901 and 1902 and won the Prix des Lions in 1904 and 1905. He also spent a few years as a horse trainer. With a base at Compiègne, near the Putois hippodrome set up by his father, both Henri Delamarre and the Comte de Berteux placed a number of their animals in his charge. In the event, however, his greatest success came via a horse wearing his own colours (white jersey with sky-blue polka dots, yellow cap), the filly Affection, the 1902 winner of the Omnium at Longchamp. She was ridden by a little-known apprentice rider called Alec Carter, who would go on to become a famous figure within the sport.
Having joined the Société d'Encouragement committee in 1914, Baron Foy would exercise the role of steward from 1928-31. After Hocquart de Turtot’s retirement on 30 January 1951, he was handed the presidency of the Société as the most senior member of the committee, a post he would hold until his death on 9 February 1954.
His lively intelligence and encyclopaedic knowledge of racing history meant that Baron Foy was always on hand to jog the collective memory of the Société’s committee throughout his 40-year involvement with the overseers of French flat racing. While known to have great respect for tradition, he was also not afraid of progress. This fact is backed up by the minutes of the Société’s meetings, which record his countless contributions to the decision-making process. He was the only Société d'Encouragement president to have been a gentleman-rider, trainer, owner and breeder, all at the same time.
Preparing for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe
The Foy-Arc de Triomphe double has only been achieved in the same year by three horses: Allez France (1974), Sagace (1984) and Waldgeist (2019), who'd also won the Foy in 2018. Another Prix Foy victor, Exbury, also triumphed in the Arc de Triomphe, winning the prestigious race as a 4-year-old in 1963, one year on from his Foy success.
Also worthy of mention are seven Prix Foy winners who finished second or in the frame at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: Right Royal (1961, 2nd), Misti (1963, 3rd), Sigebert (5 years old, 1966, 2nd), Park Top (1969, 2nd), Trillion (1978, 2nd), El Condor Pasa (1999, 2nd), Orfèvre (2012, 2nd).
Meanwhile, two other runners have finished in the frame at the Prix Foy, only to beat all comers at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe three weeks later: All Along (1983) and Subotica (1992).
Owners
- Wildenstein family (9 wins): Pétrone (1968), Allez France (1974, 1975), Sagace (1984, 1985), Mersey (1986) & Star Lift (1989) for Daniel, Aquarelliste (2002) & Policy Maker (2004) for Wildenstein Family.
- Mohammed Al Maktoum & Godolphin (4 wins): In the Wings (1990), Richard of York (1994), Carnegie (1995) & Swain (1996).
- Khalid Abdullah (3 wins): Ordinance (1987), Zambezi Sun (2008) & Spanish Moon (2009).
Trainers
- André Fabre (10 wins): Ordinance (1987), Star Lift (1989), In the Wings (1990), Richard of York (1994), Carnegie (1995), Swain (1996), Shirocco (2006), Manduro (2007), Waldgeist (2018 & 2019).
- François Boutin (4 wins): Malacate (1977), Pevero (1979), Le Marmot (1980) & April Run (1982).
- Patrick Biancone (3 wins): Sagace (1984, 1985) & Mersey (1986).
Riders
- Yves Saint-Martin (9 wins): Suffren (1960), Acer (1964), Pétrone (1968), Snow Castle (1972), Allez France (1974, 1975), Sagace (1984, 1985) & Mersey (1986).
- Jean Deforge (4 wins): Norman (1955), Blockhaus (1957), Bel Baraka (1959) & Exbury (1962).
- Lester Piggott (4 wins): Park Top (1969), Lorenzaccio (1970), Trillion (1978) & April Run (1982).
- Thierry Jarnet (3 wins): Carnegie (1995), Swain (1996) & Ange Gabriel (2003).
- Christophe Soumillon (3 wins): Shirocco (2006) & Orfèvre (2012, 2013).