Lieurey History: An alternative to the Rothschild
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August, ParisLongchamp
Prix de Lieurey
Group 3, 3-year-old fillies, 1,600m/1m, €56,000
Created in 1972
Last winner: Irska (f3, FRA by Hunetr's Light and Eire, by Medicean), owned by Lutz Bongen, bred by Mr & Mrs Markus Nigge, trained by Markus Nigge, ridden by Hugo Journiac.
Record-time: 1’40’’9, Zibelina (2013)
The race is run in 2021 for the 35th time
The 2020 edition
Saturday, August 15, 2020, Deauville. - Held up in the rear of the field, Irska (Hunter's Light) made her effort in the stands' side at the furlong pole and took over a group of leading English fillies to win by more than one length in the Prix de Lieurey (Gr3 ), a 3-year-old fillies race over one mile.
Trained by her joint breeder Markus Nigge for owner Lutz Bongen, she won her third race for her first attempt over the mile. She had so far run over 9 furlongs and more.
Second, Althiqa (Dark Angel) also came from the rear to finish well, ¾ of a length ahead of Cloak of Spirits (Invincible Spirit), always well placed, and the front-running Fooraat (Dubawi).
Irska is out of the good Eire (Medicean), winner of five races and also the dam of Happy Approach (New Approach), a Listed-placed. Eiria (King’s Best), Eire's first foal and the winner of five races, was sold € 12,000, barren, last February in Arqana to Sylvain Vidal. Eire also gave the 4-year-old Toijk (Siyouni), a regular figure in the main handicaps after being group-placed at 2 for the same connections than that of his sister, and a yearling by Le Havre.
Click here to get the sectional timing of the race.
History
Taking its name from the important Normandy town located in the Eure region, this race was created in 1972 for 3-year-old fillies never having won previously. Originally contested over a mile and a half, its distance was cut to a mile in 1977. In 1987, the Prix de Lieurey was elevated to listed race status and then in 2009, it became a Group 3 event. Until 2010 it benefitted from the sponsorship of Shadwell, but this support was moved to the Prix de la Nonette in 2011, due to the fact that the yearling sales were pushed back a week. In 2020, the Prix de Lieurey will be run for the 34th time since becoming a listed race in 1987.
Owners
- Jean-Luc Lagardère (3 wins): Pinaflore (1990), Desert Kaya (1994), Vadlamixa (1995).
- Ecurie Aland (2 wins): Liska’s Dance (1987), Most Precious (1988).
- Stavros Niarchos (2 wins): Quilesse (1991), Moon Is Up (1996).
- Aga Khan (2 wins): Shawara (2001), Sarkyla (2012).
- Wertheimer&Frère (2 wins): Gwenseb (2006), Bawina (2014).
Trainers
- André Fabre (7 wins): J’ai Deux Amours (1989), Lost Prairie (1993), Desert Kaya (1994), Vadlamixa (1995), Lady Frankel (2017), Wind Chimes (2018), Fount (2019).
- Alain de Royer-Dupré (3 wins): Shawara (2001), Sarkyla (2012), Trixia (2016).
- Christiane Head (2 wins): Liska’s Dance (1987), Most Precious (1988).
- Robert Collet (2 wins): Sœur Ti (1998), Tycoon’s Dolce (1999).
- Jean-Claude Rouget (2 wins): Cicerole (2007), Sefroua (2008)*.
- François Rohaut (2 wins): Via Medici (2010), Sandy’s Charm (2011).
- Carlos Laffon-Parias (2 wins): Gwenseb (2006), Bawina (2014)
* The three first fillies home that day were all trained by Jean-Claude Rouget.
Riders
- Thierry Jarnet (5 wins): Lost Prairie (1993), Desert Kaya (1994), Vadlamixa (1995), Sœur Ti (1998), Zietory (2003).
- Olivier Peslier (5 wins): Irish Source (1992), Kool Kat Katie (1997), Gwenseb (2006), Bawina (2014), Trixia (2016).
- Pierre-Charles Boudot (3 wins): Lady Frankel (2017), Wind Chimes (2018), Fount (2019).