Guillaume d’Ornano History: A new road to the Autumn summits

August, Deauville

Prix Guillaume d’Ornano

Group 2, 3-year-olds, 2,000m/1m2f, €400,000

Created in 1952 as the Prix de la Côte Normande

Last winner: Economics (c3, GB by Night of Thunder and Pomme d'Amour, by Peintre Célèbre), owned by Sheikh Isa Salman Hamad Al Khalifa, bred by Grangemore Stud, trained by William Haggas, ridden by Tom Marquand.

Record-time: 2’02’’0, Northern Baby (1979)

The race is run in 2025 for the 74th time

The 2024 edition
 

Thursday, 15 August 2024, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse (Calvados). – The hot favourite for the €400,000 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (Gr2), the 3-year-old Grand Prix over 1m2f, the British colt Economics (Night of Thunder), held back until the final stages, chased down the runaway leader Jayarebe (Zoffany), who had attempted to break away at the top of the straight. These two pulled clear of the field, with Economics finishing two lengths ahead at the post, a combined eight lengths ahead of third-placed Almaqam (Lope de Vega).

The winner had not raced since his victory in the Dante Stakes (Gr2) in May, one of the key Epsom Derby (Gr1) trials, his third start and second win.

Despite his previous success, Economics was not penalised in this Group 2 race.

Economics was purchased as a foal for £42,000 by Hazelwood, who resold him as a yearling for £160,000 at Tattersalls to Highclere. He is out of Pomme d’Amour (Peintre Célèbre), dual winner of the Prix de Pomone (Gr3) under the silks of Guy Reed before she finished her career in the Prix Vermeille (Gr1).

A full brother to Economics by Nathaniel was born in 2023.

History
 

First run in 1952 under the name of the Prix de la Côte Normande, this race reserved for 3-year-olds became the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano in 1987 to honour the memory of an influential owner and breeder with a special connection to Deauville. Set at 1 mile 7 furlongs that the first year, the race’s distance was reduced to 1 mile 2 furlongs in 1953. It has remained unchanged since then, except in 1958 and 1959, when it was increased to a mile and a half. In 1994, a deadheat was recorded between Lassigny and Just Happy. The record for the event is held by Northern Baby, who covered the 1 mile 2 furlongs in 2' 02'' in 1979. The race has always been held at the La Touques racecourse.

Few fillies participated in this race, and only five won: Chutney (1963), La Bamba (1964), La Troublerie (1972), New Bruce (1985), and Galikova (2011).

Foreign visitors have enjoyed particular success in this event, accumulating 20 wins, the first in 1970 for Gold Rod ridden by Lester Piggott. Crimson Beau (1978), Broken Hearted (1987), Great Palm (1992), Just Happy (1994, dead-heat), Montjoy (1995), Sasuru (1996), Best of the Bests (2000), Masterful (2001), Highdown (2002), Mister Monet (2004), Multidimensional (2006), Sri Putra (2009), Scalo (2010), Eminent (2017), Knight to Behold (2018), Headman (2019), Mishriff (2020), Dubai Honour (2021), Economics (2024) followed on. The British trainer Paul F. Cole has done exceptionally well with four wins (see below).

Guillaume d'Ornano (1894-1985)
 

Great-grandson of Marie Walewska, whom General Ornano married in 1816, Guillaume d'Ornano was attached to the Warsaw embassy after the First World War. On returning to Paris, he became an advisor to the perfumer François Coty and, on the latter’s death, founded the Lancôme perfume house. In 1946, he and his two sons, Michel and Hubert, created the Jean d'Albret and Orlane perfumes.

Mayor of Moulins-sur-Céphon and general councillor for the Indre region for twenty-five years, Comte Guillaume d'Ornano, declared his racing colours in 1934 (red and yellow-striped jersey, yellow sleeves, red cap). Chairman of the Société des Courses de Chateauroux, he was made a member of the Société d'Encouragement in 1964, sitting on the committee until 1983, when he became an honorary member. In the meantime, from 1971 to 1978, he served as chairman of the Société des Courses du Pays d'Auge, the body which ran the Clairefontaine-Deauville racecourse.

Renowned for his courteous manner and the hospitality he offered at his “Mirasol” villa in Deauville, Comte Guillaume d'Ornano had a keen interest in historical books – he collected the memoirs of famous men from the 18th century – and in horses.

It was during the 1960s that the count’s silks enjoyed their heyday, both with horses bought at the Deauville sales and his produce. In 1957, he assembled some broodmares at the Manneville stud farm (founded in 1927 by Henri Coulon) in Calvados, a property he owned from 1969 until 1982.

It was the broodmare Mist (a grey sired by Tornado in 1953), acquired by the owner as a yearling and the dam of seven winners, who provided him with his finest runner, Misti. This son of Méridien was victorious in eight races and was placed fifteen times between the ages of 2 and 5. As a 2-year-old, he triumphed in the Prix des Chênes and came 3rd in the Grand Critérium. At 3, he added the Prix Henry Delamarre to his growing honours list, finished 2^nd in the Grand Prix du Centenaire de Deauville (behind Molvedo) and also 3rd in the Arc de Triomphe (behind Molvedo and Right Royal). At 4, further successes came in the Prix Ganay and the Gran Premio del Jockey Club at Milan and 3rd place in the Grand Prix de Deauville. At 5, he clinched the Prix Henri Foy, was the runner-up in the Prix du Cadran and the Ascot Gold Cup, and finished 3rd in the Arc de Triomphe for the second time.

Stationed later at the Manneville stud, Misti proved to be a great breeder. Sire of Roselière (Prix de Diane and dam of Rosebowl), Mistigri (Irish St Leger), Toulon and Ambrellita, he excelled at producing jumpers, becoming champion jumps stallion five times (1976, 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1982) and siring in particular two winners of the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil, Les Roseaux and Roselier (who also had an excellent career as a sire of jumps horses in Ireland).

Guillaume d'Ornano’s other top performers were Crossen (1959), winner of the Prix Lagrange, who was one of the victims of the mass fall involving seven horses in the English Derby at Epsom; Le Vieux Castel (1959), winner of the Prix de la Concorde and 2^nd in the Grand Prix du Printemps; Moderne (1959), winner of the Prix de Menneval, 2^nd in the Prix de Guiche and Henry Delamarre, 3rd in the Prix Jean Prat and Grand Prix du Printemps; Firstborn (1961), winner of the Prix Maurice de Nieuil as a 3-year-old; Futur (1962), winner of the Prix Finot at Auteuil; Messire (1963), winner of the Prix Fleuret at Auteuil; and Cabhurst (1965) who was considered the best performer of his 2-year-old crop on account of his victories in the Prix Eclipse and de la Forêt but who, as a 3-year-old, had to content himself with five places, including a 2^nd spot in the Prix de Seine-and-Oise, 3rd place in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and 4th in the Poule d'Essai.

Initially trained by Sylvain Laforge, d'Ornano’s horses were entrusted to Georges Bridgland, while Joseph Audon prepared those destined for a career over the jumps.

Owners
 

• Rothschild Family (7 wins): 6 victoires pour Guy avec Marly Knowe (1953), Tropique (1955), Tang (1962), Chutney (1963), La Bamba (1964), Pinson (2005), puis une pour Édouard avec Russian Cross (2008).
• Mohammed Al Maktoum, Godolphin & Darley (6 wins): Creator (1989), Antisaar (1990), Best of the Bests (2000), Masterful (2001), Saint Baudolino (2012), Vancouvérité (2013).
• Khalid Abdullah (4 wins): Raft (1984), Kalabar (2003), New Bay (2015), Headman (2019).
• Paul de Moussac (2 wins): Gairloch (1977), Dernier Empereur (1993).
• Moufid Dabaghi (2 wins): Al Nasr (1981), Mourjane (1983).

Trainers
 

• André Fabre (11 wins): Al Nasr (1981), Mourjane (1983), Creator (1989), Antisaar (1990), Dernier Empereur (1993), Lassigny (1994, dead-heat), Val Royal (1999), Russian Cross (2008), Saint Baudolino (2012), Vancouverite (2013), New Bay (2015).
• Geoffroy Watson (5 wins): Marly Knowe (1953), Tropique (1955), Tang (1962), Chutney (1963), La Bamba (1964).
• Jean-Claude Rouget (5 wins): Pinson (2005), Literato (2007), Almanzor (2016), Al Hakeem (2022), Ace Impact (2023).
• Paul Cole (4 wins): Crimson Beau (1978), Broken Hearted (1987), Great Palm (1992), Montjoy (1995).

Riders
 

• Lanfranco Dettori (5 wins): Kabool (1998), Best of the Bests (2000), Masterful (2001), Sri Putra (2009) & Mishriff (2020).
• Jean Deforge (4 wins): Tiffauges (1961), Tang (1962), Chutney (1963) & La Bamba (1964)

and also:

• Gérald Mossé (2 wins): Double Bed (1986) & Rajpoute (1997).
• Olivier Peslier (2 wins): Val Royal (1999) & Galikova (2011).
• Christophe-Patrice Lemaire (2 wins): Multidimensional (2006) & Literato (2007).
• Maxime Guyon (2 wins): Scalo (2010) & Saint Baudolino (2012)