Seine-et-Oise History: The last sprint

October/November, Chantilly

Prix de Seine-et-Oise

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

Created in 1906

Last winner: Brad the Brief (g3, GB by Dutch Art ex Kenzadargent, by Kendargent), owned by Chasemore Farm, bred by Chasemore Farm, trained by Tom Dascombe, ridden by Richard Kingscote.

Course-record: 1’7’’8.

The race is run in 2021 for the 109th time

The 2020 edition

Saturday, October 31, 2020, Chantilly. - English raider Brad the Brief (Dutch Art) easily won the Prix de Seine-et-Oise (Gr3). Trained in Great Britain by Tom Dascombe, winner of a Listed at Newmarket over the same 6-furlong trip, then fourth in Group 3 at the York meeting behind three aged horses, he had moved ahead early that day. The winner used the same tactics on Chantilly's straight course and took the upper hand over one of the French favourites, Air de Valse (Mesnil des Aigles), on which he leaned for a short while. Then he stayed out of reach for second-placed Coeur de Pierre (Zanzibari), who finished well though, just beating his unfortunate rival near the post. Tertius (Siyouni) finished correctly fourth at a good length, as the field was well beaten.

Brad the Brief was bred by his owners, Chasemore farm's Andrew and Jane Black. His dam Kenzadargent (Kendargent) started her career racing for Alban de Chevalier du Fau and won the Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles (L) for trainer Jean-Marc Capitte. Sold for €140,000 € at the Arc Arqana sales, she was owned by Martin Schwartz and trained by Jean-Claude Rouget for a year before flying off to the States.

Sold again in England for £ 210,000 at Newmarket, she went to stud and after Brad the Brief, she gave birth to a son of Frankel who sold for € 500,000 at the Deauville sales in 2019, and a son of Siyouni who was withdrawn from the Newmarket sales last month.

History

First run in 1906 at Maisons-Laffitte, this race was designed to pit 2 year-olds against their elders over the short distance of 7 furlongs, a situation which prevailed until 1980. But as the presence of 2 year-olds became increasingly rare, they were excluded from 1981. The race’s distance has gradually decreased to 6 furlongs since 1952. The race has been held at four other racecourses: Saint-Cloud in 1920, from 1929 to 1938 and in 1946, 1947, 1949, 1950 and 1951, at Tremblay in 1942, at Longchamp in 1948 and at Chantilly in 1995 and from 1997 to 2000. In 2001, it was restored to its original home but was run again at Chantilly from 2020 when Maisons-Laffitte was shut down.

Some excellent horses have taken the laurels in the Prix de Seine-and-Oise, including Negofol (1908), Fils du Vent (1909, 1910), Sardanapale (1913), Niceas (1924), Tapin (1925), Assuerus (1932), Iskandar (1938), Fine Art (1942, 1944, 1945), Vagabond (1946), Ménétrier (1948), Bel Amour (1951), Hurnli (1953), Virgule (1954), Reinata (1955), Palariva (1956), Mystic (1957), Edellic (1959), Mincio (1960), L’Epinay (1962), Vertueuse (1963), Texanita (1964), Ailes du Chant (1966), Ancyre (1967), Zeddaan (1968), Huntercombe (1970), Calahorra (1972), Abergwaun (1973), Girl Friend (1977), King of Macedon (1978, 1979), Kilijaro (1980), Maximova (1983), Dolphin Street (1993), Hever Golf Rose (1995), Kistena (1996) and Keos (1998).

Owners

• François Dupré (7 wins): La Mélodie (1941), Ménétrier (1948), Bel Amour (1951), Virgule (1954), Reinata (1955), Mystic (1957), Texanita (1964).
• Aga Khan (5 wins): Aga Khan III with Niceas (1924), Palariva (1956), then Aga Khan IV with Opaline (1961), Zeddaan (1968), Bayraan (1974).
• Louis de La Rochette (3 wins): Fine Art (1942, 1944, 1945).
• William-K. Vanderbilt (2 wins): Negofol (1908), Montrose II (1911).
• Edmond Blanc (2 wins): Fils du Vent (1909, 1910).
• Maurice de Rothschild (2 wins): Sardanapale (1913), Iskandar (1938).
• Michael Sobell (2 wins): King of Macedon (1978, 1979).
• Niarchos Family (3 wins): Proskona (1984), Dolphin Street (1993) for Stavros, Keos (1998) for the Niarchos Family.
• Danny Arnold (2 wins) : Parioli (1985, 1986).
• Maktoum Al Maktoum (2 wins): Spain Lane (1994), Deep Sleep (2001).
• Takahiro Wada (2 wins): Miss Emma (2004, 2005).
• Gérard Mimouni (2 wins): Gammarth (2014, 2015).
• Pegase Bloodstock (2 wins): The Right Man (2016, 2017).
   

Trainers

• François Mathet (10 wins): Ménétrier (1948), Bel Amour (1951), Virgule (1954), Reinata (1955), Mystic (1957), Edellic (1959), Texanita (1964), Ancyre (1967), Zeddaan (1968), Bayraan (1974).
• John Hammond (5 wins): Dolphin Street (1993), Keos (1998), Seltitude (1999), Miss Emma (2004, 2005).
• John Cunnington junior (4 wins): King of Macedon (1978, 1979), Parioli (1985, 1986).
• Christiane Head (4 wins): Maximova (1983), Divine Danse (1991), Kistena (1996), Dunkerque (2009).
• William Duke (3 wins): Negofol (1908), Montrose II (1911), Niceas (1924). .
• Alec Head (3 wins): Palariva (1956), Opaline (1961), Démocratie (1969).
• Robert Collet (2 wins): Silicon Bavaria (1990), New Girlfriend (2006).
• André Fabre (2 wins): Spain Lane (1994), Deep Sleep (2001).
• Alex Pantall (2 wins): Gammarth (2014, 2015).
• Didier Guillemin (2 wins): The Right Man (2016, 2017).
   

Riders

• Maurice Philipperon (5 wins): Vertueuse (1963), King of Macedon (1978, 1979), Parioli (1985, 1986).
• Roger Poincelet (4 wins): Fine Art (1944, 1945), Palariva (1956), L’Epinay (1962).
• Fernand Rochetti (3 wins): Iskandar (1938), Vagabond (1946), Sarrau (1950).
• Yves Saint-Martin (3 wins): Texanita (1964), Ancyre (1967), Zeddaan (1968).
• Freddy Head (3 wins) : Kala Shikari (1976), Maximova (1983), Divine Danse (1991).
• Cash Asmussen (3 wins): Proskona (1984), Dolphin Street (1993), Keos (1998).