Prix La Force

The Prix La Force is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Longchamp in April.

Prix La Force
Group 3 race
LocationLongchamp Racecourse
Paris, France
Inaugurated1910
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
Websitefrance-galop.com
Race information
Distance2,000 metres (1¼ miles)[1]
SurfaceTurf
TrackRight-handed
QualificationThree-year-old colts and geldings[1]
Weight58 kg[1]
Purse€80,000 (2019)
1st: €40,000[1]

History

The event is named in memory of the Duc de La Force, Bertrand Nompar de Caumont (1840–1909), a member of the Société d'Encouragement. It was established in 1910, and was initially open to horses aged three or four.[2] Its original distance was 2,200 metres.[3] It was later opened to older horses.

The Prix La Force was restricted to three-year-olds in 1950. From this point it was contested over 2,000 metres. For brief spells thereafter it was run over 2,200 metres (1956–58), 2,000 metres (1959–60), 2,400 metres (1961–63) and 2,600 metres (1964–65). It reverted to 2,000 metres in 1966.

The race was staged at Chantilly in 1995 and Deauville in 1996. It was run over 2,400 metres at Longchamp from 1997 to 2000. It was subsequently contested over 2,000 metres at Chantilly (2001–02) and Saint-Cloud (2003–04).

The event returned to Longchamp in 2005. It was temporarily increased to 2,100 metres in 2011. It was closed to fillies from the 2017 running.

The Prix La Force can serve as a trial for the Prix du Jockey Club. The last horse to win both races was Saonois in 2012.

Records

Leading jockey since 1950 (7 wins):

  • Freddy Head – Cadmus (1966), Mazarin (1969), Orante (1975), Fabulous Dancer (1979), Truculent (1984), Louis Le Grand (1985), Val des Bois (1989)

Leading trainer since 1950 (8 wins):

  • André Fabre – Al Nasr (1981), Sifting Gold (1990), Radevore (1996), Magellano (1997), Simon de Montfort (2010), Triple Threat (2013). Cloth Of Stars (2016), Graphite (2017)

Leading owner since 1950 (4 wins):

  • Jacques Wertheimer – Orante (1975), Truculent (1984), Val des Bois (1989), Kotashaan (1991)

Winners since 1978
Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time
1978 Dom Racine Alain Badel Olivier Douieb Robert Sangster 2:17.60
1979 Fabulous Dancer Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 2:08.20
1980 Nemr Alfred Gibert Mitri Saliba Mahmoud Fustok
1981 Al Nasr Alfred Gibert André Fabre Moufid Dabaghi
1982 Be My Native Bruce Raymond Robert Armstrong K. Hsu
1983 White Spade Lester Piggott David Smaga Sylvain Benillouche
1984 Truculent Freddy Head Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer
1985 Louis Le Grand Freddy Head Criquette Head Khalid Abdullah
1986 Loyal Double Gérald Mossé Patrick Biancone J. T. Lundy
1987 The Scout Gary W. Moore Criquette Head Khalid Abdullah
1988 Welkin Cash Asmussen Corine Barande-Barbe Alfred Cuddy 2:07.90
1989 Val des Bois Freddy Head Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:14.00
1990 Sifting Gold Cash Asmussen André Fabre Roy Strudwick 2:03.10
1991 Kotashaan Guy Guignard Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 2:06.50
1992 Break Bread Cash Asmussen David Smaga Lord Weinstock 2:06.50
1993 Sin Kiang Cash Asmussen Jean de Roualle Sir James Goldsmith 2:12.90
1994 Percutant Guy Guignard David Smaga Thierry van Zuylen 2:10.40
1995 Tzar Rodney Olivier Peslier Georges Doleuze William Trichter 2:12.50
1996 Radevore Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 2:07.70
1997 Magellano Olivier Peslier André Fabre Sultan Al Kabeer 2:44.10
1998 Dream Well Cash Asmussen Pascal Bary Niarchos Family 2:31.00
1999 Nowhere to Exit Richard Quinn John Dunlop Gary Pinchen 2:47.30
2000 Holding Court Olivier Peslier Michael Jarvis John Good 2:34.90
2001 Art Contemporain Thierry Jarnet Jean-Claude Rouget Jean-Louis Tepper 2:11.10
2002 Diaghilev [lower-alpha 1] Jamie Spencer Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Magnier 2:07.80
2003 Vespone Christophe Lemaire Nicolas Clément Ecurie Mister Ess A S 2:15.40
2004 Delfos Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias Leonidas Marinopoulos 2:08.40
2005 Kendor Dine Stéphane Pasquier Yves de Nicolay Didier Kahn 2:14.20
2006 Barastraight Ioritz Mendizabal Jean-Claude Rouget Serge Boucheron 2:04.40
2007 Literato Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Hervé Morin 2:04.80
2008 High Rock Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Robert Bousquet 2:12.90
2009 On Est Bien Anthony Crastus Élie Lellouche Dominique Lellouche 2:09.56
2010 Simon de Montfort Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Godolphin 2:07.12
2011 Baraan Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget HH Aga Khan IV 2:15.30
2012 Saonois Antoine Hamelin Jean-Pierre Gauvin Pascal Treyve 2:04.65
2013 Triple Threat Maxime Guyon André Fabre Team Valor 2:04.16
2014 Gailo Chop Julien Augé Antoine de Watrigant Alain Chopard 2:02.96
2015 Silverwave Adrien Fouassier Alain Couetil Hspirit 2:09.57
2016 Cloth of Stars[lower-alpha 2] Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Godolphin 2:17.91
2017 Graphite[lower-alpha 3] Pierre-Charles Boudot André Fabre Godolphin 1:48.27
2018 Chilean Oisin Murphy Martyn Meade Manton Estate Racing 2:01.95
2019 Shaman Maxime Guyon Carlos Laffon-Parias Wertheimer et Frère 1:50.24
2020 Pao Alto Maxime Guyon Christophe Ferland Wertheimer et Frère 1:51.49
  1. The 2002 winner Diaghilev was later exported to Hong Kong and renamed River Dancer
  2. The 2016 race took place at Saint-Cloud while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment
  3. The 2017 race took place at Chantilly over 1,800m (1m 1f) while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment

Earlier winners
  • 1910: Oversight
  • 1911: Matchless
  • 1912: Basse Pointe
  • 1913: Amadou
  • 1914: Ecouen
  • 1919: Le Dragon
  • 1920: Cid Campeador
  • 1921: Sourbier
  • 1922: Zagreus
  • 1923: Saint Hubert
  • 1924: Premontre
  • 1925: Cadum
  • 1926: Ptolemy
  • 1927: Javelot
  • 1928: Rialto
  • 1929: Bubbles
  • 1931: Roi de Trefle
  • 1932: Filarete
  • 1936: Quai d'Orsay
  • 1937: Gonfalonier
  • 1941: Manjano
  • 1942: Pampre d'Or
  • 1943: Escamillo
  • 1950: Alizier
  • 1951:
  • 1952: Aram
  • 1953: Semillant
  • 1954: Malatesta
  • 1955:
  • 1956: Fastfol
  • 1957: Flush Royal II
  • 1958: Currito
  • 1959: Colisee / Simono *
  • 1960: Puissant Chef
  • 1961: Okay II
  • 1962:
  • 1963:
  • 1964: Silfric
  • 1965: Principino
  • 1966: Cadmus
  • 1967: Topyo
  • 1968: Abgal
  • 1969: Mazarin
  • 1970: Sassafras
  • 1971: Millenium
  • 1972: Sanur
  • 1973: Verkade
  • 1974: Un Kopeck
  • 1975: Orante
  • 1976: Malacate
  • 1977: Olantengy

* The 1959 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

See also

References
  1. "Prix La Force". The French Black Type. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  2. "Courses au Bois de Boulogne". Le Petit Journal (in French). 13 May 1910. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  3. "1910 Prix La Force". Le Gaulois (in French). 13 May 1910. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
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