Meautry History: A short trip for an old stud

August, Deauville

Barrière Prix de Meautry

Group 3, 3-year-old and up, 1,200m/6f, €56,000

Created in 1877

Last winner: Breathtaking Look (f5, GB by Bated Breath ex Love Your Looks, by Iffraaj), owned by J.W. Parry,bred by Ellis Stud & Bellow Hill Stud, trained by Stuart Williams, ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Record-time: 1’8’’4, Mariol (2009).

The race is run in 2021 for the 137th time

The 2020 edition

Sunday, August 30, 2020, Deauville. - Recent winner over 5 furlongs, Air de Valse (Mesnil des Aigles) bravely tried again over 6 furlongs in the Barrière Prix de Meautry (Gr3), the last sprint of the Deauville meeting, but the Corine Barande-Barbe homebred was unable to keep up the final assault of the English raider Breathtaking Look (Bated Breath), who took over in the last furlong and won by three and a half lengths. Air de Valse easily kept the second place, a length and a half ahead of Marieta (Siyouni), first 3-year-old in the frame.

Trained in England by Stuart Williams, who bought her £ 42,000 at the Newmarket sales, Breathtaking Look she made her way up through handicaps over 6 to 7 furlongs winning the Sceptre Stakes (Gr3), over 7f, last year in September at Doncaster. Second at the same level but over 6f for her comeback this year, she reached the podium in each of her three subsequent attempts in Group 2 and Group 3 events ... Here she confirms that she is in her backyard over such trips, such company and over such a heavy ground!

Click here for the sectional timing of the race.

History

One of the oldest sprint races on the French racecard, it was first run in 1877 and bears the names of one of France’s most prestigious stud farms. The farm in question can be found at Meautry, on the doorstep of the Deauville racecourse. The Prix de Meautry is inextricably linked with Deauville racecourse, only spending five years away from its spiritual home during the Second World War.

The Prix de Meautry did not take place between 1913 and 1919, nor in 1940. It was temporarily switched to Maisons-Laffitte in 1941-1943 and in 1945, and to Longchamp in 1944. Without affecting its sprint status, its distance has been the subject of a number of modifications. Starting out as a 4½-furlong race in 1877 through until 1886, it was extended to 5 furlongs for the period between 1887 and 1921. It then increased still further to 6 furlongs between 1922 and 1943, to 6½ furlongs in 1944, and finally back to 6 furlongs in 1945 – as has been the case ever since. 

Meautry

Meautry is steeped in history. Set up back in 1875, and dedicated to producing pure-blood animals, it is the only French stud farm still in business that has been owned by the same family throughout its existence. Its origins lie in the purchase of Meautry manor in the village of Touques, as well as nearly 12 hectares of surrounding grassland, by Barons Alphonse and Gustave de Rothschild, sons of Baron James Meyer.

By getting involved in horse breeding, Alphonse and Gustave were following in the footsteps of their cousins Anthony (1810-1876) and Nathaniel (1812-1870) who were members of the Jockey Club from 1834 and 1836 respectively. Nathaniel was a pioneering figure on the Société d'Encouragement race scene and entrusted his horses to Thomas Carter. His colours (blue jersey, yellow hat) were worn with considerable success, including a victory in the 1846 Prix de Jockey Club by Meudon.

At Meautry, Alphonse (1827-1905) and Gustave (1829-1911), then Edouard (1868-1949, son of the former), and later Guy (born in 1909 and son of Edouard), established a breeding stock of the very highest quality. This quality is attested to, and summed up rather neatly, by a look at the record of success for horses from Meautry in France’s biggest four races.

• 3 Prix du Jockey Club: Kilt (1876), Heaume (1890), Crystal Palace (1977)
• 11 Prix de Diane: Brie (1878), Crinière (1889), Brisk (1894), Quenouille (1919), Flowershop (1920), Perruche Bleue (1932), Vendange (1933), Péniche (1935), Cerisoles (1957), Timandra (1960), Hermières (1961)
• 8 Grand Prix de Paris: Le Roi Soleil (1898), Sans Souci II (1907), Crudité (1935), Vieux Manoir (1950), White Label (1964), Soleil Noir (1979), Le Nain Jaune (1982), Méandre (2011).
• 3 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe: Brantôme (1934), Eclair au Chocolat (1938), Exbury (1963).

As is often the case with sprint events, over the course of its history the Prix de Meautry has frequently been won by the same horse on more than one occasion. Chief among them is four-time winner Cricket Ball (1986 to 1989). Syphon meanwhile was successful three times(1906, 1907, 1909) and five horses have pulled off a creditable double: Conquérant (1883, 1884), Railleur (1898, 1899), Jarretière (1911, 1912), Girl Friend (1976, 1977), King of Macedon (1978, 1979).

In addition to these repeat victors, the honours list for the Prix de Meautry contains the names of horses of the very highest calibre including: War Dance (1890), Niceas (1923), Makila (1934), Dogat (1943), Fanatique (1944), Vagabond (1945), Fine Art (1946), Djébé (1950), Sanguine (1951), Vamarie (1954), Verrières (1956), Midget (1957), Anne d'Anjou (1958), Edellic (1959), L'Epinay (1961), Fortino (1962), Takawalk (1964), Balidar (1970), El Rastro (1973), Kilijaro (1980), Rabdan (1981), Maximova (1983), Kistena (1996), Pas de Réponse (1996), Marchand d'Or (2011).

Foreign runners

The first non-French horse to pass the post first was the English horse Balidar (1970), a feat since matched by 18 of his compatriots: No Mercy (1971), Some Hand (1972), Street Light (1975), Rabdan (1981), Great Estern (1982), Celestial Dancer (1984), Twafeaj (1992), Lake Coniston (1994), Missed Flight (1995), Andreyev (1998), Vision of Night (1999), Three Points (2000), Eisteddfod (2005), Indian Maiden (2006), Swiss Diva (2010), Jimmy Styles (2012), Coulsty (2014) and Breathtaking Look (2020). The only other foreign winner to date was the German sprinter Feenpark (1991).

Owners

• Famille Rothschild (6 wins): Prudence (1886), Ferrières (1897), Girasol (1903) for Alphonse, Volte Face (1905) for Gustave, Syphon (1906, 1907), Zapanie (1922) for Édouard.
• Daniel Wildenstein (4 wins): Mismaloya (1969), El Rastro (1973), Pole Position (1990), Monde Bleu (1993).
• Robin Scully (4 wins): Cricket Ball (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989).
• Michel Ephrussi (3 wins): Télégramme (1879), Conquérant (1883, 1884).
• Famille Wertheimer (3 wins): Makila (1934), Sanguine (1951), Midget (1957) for Pierre, Kistena (1996), Pas de Réponse (1996) for Wertheimer&Frère.
• François Dupré (3 wins): Branka (1942), Tanata (1960), Fortino (1962).
• Marcel Boussac (3 wins): Djama (1947), Damnos (1948), Abis (1949).

Trainers

• James-C. Watson (5 wins): Ferrières (1897), Girasol (1903), Volte Face (1905), Syphon (1906, 1907).
• Robert Denman (4 wins): Comte Alfred (1882), Frapotel (1887), Gourbi (1908), Glorious (1920).
• Christiane Head (4 wins): Maximova (1983), Breath Taking (1985), Kistena (1996), Pas de Réponse (1996).
• John Fellows (4 wins): Cricket Ball (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989).
• Charles Bartholomew (3 wins): Reveillé (1891), C’est sa Sœur (1892), Arnica (1894).
• Richard Carver senior (3 wins): Millet (1925), Pacific (1926), Bibi Toori (1952).
• Charles Semblat (3 wins): Djama (1947), Damnos (1948), Abis (1949).
• Alec Head (3 wins): Djébé (1950), Sanguine (1951), Midget (1957).
• Etienne Pollet (3 wins): Anne d’Anjou (1958), L’Epinay (1961), Takawalk (1964).
• François Mathet (3 wins): Edellic (1959), Tanata (1960), Fortino (1962).
• John-L. Dunlop (3 wins): Great Estern (1982), Vision of Night (1999), Three Points (2000).

Riders

• Roger Poincelet (10 wins): Fine Art (1946), Djama (1947), Damnos (1948), Abis (1949), Djébé (1950), Sanguine (1951), Bibi Toori (1952), Anne d’Anjou (1958), L’Epinay (1961), First Date (1967).
• Christophe Soumillon (4 wins): Eisteddfod (2005), Tiza (2008), Finsbury Square (2016), Spinning Memories (2019).
• Yves Saint-Martin (3 wins): Tanata (1960), Fortino (1962), El Rastro (1973).
• Maurice Philipperon (3 wins): Mismaloya (1969), King of Macedon (1978, 1979).
• Gary Moore (3 wins): Rabdan (1981), Great Estern (1982), Cricket Ball (1986).
• Gérald Mossé (3 wins): Cricket Ball (1988, 1989), Jimmy Styles (2012).
• Christophe Lemaire (3 wins): Blanche (2003), Garnica (2007), Mariol (2009).