Cadeaux Genereux

Having shown some promise as a two-year-old, finishing fourth and third in two starts Cadeaux Genereux began his second season with four consecutive victories. At Pontefract Racecourse in April he recorded his first success when he was ridden by Paul Eddery to a "facile"[5] four length victory in a Graduation race (restricted to maidens and horses with one previous win) over five furlongs.[6] Paul was again riding at Newmarket racecourse a month later, when Cadeaux Genereux won a handicap race by two and a half lengths.[7] Pat Eddery took over the ride at York in June, when Cadeaux Genereux started 4/5 for the Golden Spurs Trophy and won by half a length from Silver Fling, a three-year-old filly who was carrying fourteen pounds more than the winner.[8] Two weeks later, the colt was moved up in class to contest the Group Three Criterion Stakes at Newmarket. Pat Eddery restrained the colt in the early stages of the seven furlong contest before taking the lead in the final furlong. Cadeaux Genereux held off the late rally of the Henry Cecil-trained favourite Salse to win by a short head.[9]

In August, Cadeaux Genereux was moved up in class again, when he traveled to France to contest the Prix Maurice de Gheest (then a Group Two race) over 1300 metres at Deauville Racecourse. Ridden by Paul Eddery, he was among the leaders from the start and finished second of the fifteen runners behind the filly Blue Note. He returned to England eleven days later for the Group One William Hill Sprint Championship in which he finished sixth on "soggy"[10] ground behind Handsome Sailor, who won by one and a half lengths from Silver Fling. The Diadem Stakes at Ascot featured a rematch between Cadeaux Genereux and Blue Note. Pat Eddery held the colt up in the early stages before moving up to take the lead inside the final furlong and winning by three quarters of a length from Point of Light, with Blue Note unplaced.[11] Cadeaux Genereux's final race of the season was the Prix de l'Abbaye over 1000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse on 2 October, when his opponents included Handsome Sailor, Silver Fling, Point of Light and Caerwent. Cadeaux Genereux took the lead inside the last 200 metres and won from Handsome Sailor, but was disqualified[12] and placed last by the stewards for causing interference in the early stages,[13] with Pat Eddery receiving an eight-day riding ban.[14]

In 1989 Olivier Douieb gave up the training of Maktoum Al Maktoum's horses and the stable was taken over by the first-season trainer Alex Scott. On his debut as a four-year-old Cadeaux Genereux started 4/6 favourite for the Temple Stakes at Sandown Park Racecourse on 29 May but finished third behind the three-year-old Dancing Dissident.[12] In the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot he again ran below expectations, finishing eighth behind the favourite Indian Ridge. At Newmarket on 13 July, Cadeaux Genereux, ridden by Paul Eddery started at odds of 10/1 for the July Cup over six furlongs. The colt took the lead approaching the final furlong and held the late challenge of the Coronation Stakes winner Golden Opinion to win by a head, with the favourite Danehill two and a half lengths back in third and Handsome Sailor unplaced.[15] The winning time of 1.09.82 was a new course record by a 1.2 second margin.[10]

On 24 August, Cadeaux Genereux contested his second William Hill Sprint Championship at York. He was ridden by Pat Eddery and started 11/10 favourite in a field which included Dancing Dissident and Silver Fling. He took the lead inside the final furlong and won by three quarters of a length and a short head from Silver Fling and Statoblest.[16] In September, Cadeaux Genereux was moved up in distance to contest the Prix du Moulin over 1600 metres at Longchamp. He ended his career by finishing third, beaten two lengths and a short head by the French-trained colts Polish Precedent and Squill.