ENGLISH VERSION
1987, Dalakhani in 2003 and Darsi in 2006. While Marcel Boussac’ s twelve successes span fifty-eight years, the eight victories of H. H. the Aga Khan— all achieved with homebred horses— extend over sixty-two years. A long-term affair on both sides.
The Rothschild Colors: Almost Beyond Belief! Like all great races, the Prix du Jockey Club has its fortunate silks, its lucky colors. And then there are those that perform less well there, or even suffer from ill fortune. The Rothschild colors— blue jacket, yellow cap— the oldest silks sharing the characteristic of simple design— belong to the second category. Yet, despite being associated with champions since time immemorial, they never found in the Prix du Jockey Club a race in which they could truly establish themselves. Thus, in 1977, when Crystal Palace and Concertino lined up in the Chantilly championship with a genuine chance of success, it had been eighty-seven years since a representative of Haras de Meautry had won the French Derby: that was Heaume in 1890 … In the meantime, nothing had worked, fate even seeming determined to thwart the silks, as in 1934, when Brantôme, the stable’ s crack horse, developed a cough on the eve of the race and had to be withdrawn, despite being considered unbeatable. But this time, on Sunday,
June 5, 1977, the“ Indian sign” was broken and Crystal Palace, trained by François Mathet and ridden by Gérard Dubroeucq, defeated the visitor Artaius and his stable companion Concertino in a tight finish. The Rothschilds came close to finishing first and second in the“ Jockey Club.” Almost impossible to believe!
Peintre Célèbre Delights the Art Dealer! The blue jacket and light blue cap of Daniel Wildenstein and his family had not particularly shone in the Prix du Jockey Club either, whereas, by comparison, they had won five Prix de Diane. Thus Daniel Wildenstein’ s joy reached its peak when, in 1997, Peintre Célèbre— most appropriately named, of course, for the art dealer— attained the“ Holy Grail” and gave him“ his” Prix du Jockey Club, under Olivier Peslier and trained by André Fabre. Three weeks later, Peintre Célèbre also brought his owner-breeder his only Grand Prix de Paris. To this day, Peintre Célèbre remains the last horse to have achieved the Prix du Jockey Club / Grand Prix de Paris double.
Bella Paola and the Dupré Silks: On the Brink of a Feat Grey jacket, pink cap: François Dupré had nothing to envy from his predecessors in terms of the classicism and sobriety of his colors. These distinguished themselves in two Prix du Jockey Clubs, through Reliance in 1965 and Rheffic in 1971. On two earlier occasions, they might equally have triumphed there, Tantième missing victory by the narrowest of margins in 1950 against Scratch, and the filly Bella Paola losing to Tamanar in 1958 only because of an exceptionally unlucky trip. Bella Paola deserves special attention. A true champion, winner at two of the Grand Critérium and, at three, of the 1,000 Guineas, the Oaks, the Prix Vermeille and the Champion Stakes, she attempted in the Prix du Jockey Club a feat not achieved for eighty-four years, since her counterpart Saltarelle defeated the colts in 1874. Alas, she failed at the final hurdle, and no other filly since then— though admittedly few have tried— has managed to break the barrier, with Natagora, third in the 2008 edition, remaining the most successful in recent times. Thus Saltarelle remains the benchmark, completing a list of eight female winners since the race’ s creation.
Shamardal for Godolphin: The First of a New Era In 2005, a page in the history of the Prix du Jockey Club was turned when the distance was significantly shortened from 2,400 to 2,100 meters. Edouard de Rothschild, the new president of France Galop, was behind the move. The decision was far from unanimous and was highly controversial both within the Institution and in the press. The reform led to the regrettable dis-
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