Prix Belle de Nuit
| Group 3 race | |
| Location | Saint-Cloud Racecourse Saint-Cloud, France |
|---|---|
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Website | france-galop.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,800 metres (1¾ miles) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Three-years-old and up fillies and mares exc. G3 winners this year |
| Weight | 55½ kg (3yo); 58½ kg (4yo+) |
| Purse | €80,000 (2018) 1st: €40,000 |
The Prix Belle de Nuit is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,800 metres (about 1¾ miles) each year in October or November.
History[edit]
The race was formerly held at Évry, where during the mid-1970s it was run over 1,800 metres.[1] At this time it was classed at Listed level, and for a period it was restricted to three-year-olds. It was extended to 2,400 metres in 1978,[2] and opened to four-year-olds in 1985.[3]
The upper age limit was removed in 1994, when the race was temporarily switched to Saint-Cloud.[4] It returned to Évry in 1995, and was run again at Saint-Cloud in 1996 and 1997. It began a seven-year spell at Maisons-Laffitte in 1998, and was increased to 2,500 metres in 2000. It reverted to 2,400 metres in 2003, and was restored to 2,500 metres in 2004.
For several years thereafter the Prix Belle de Nuit moved to various venues. It took place at Saint-Cloud in 2005, 2006 and 2008, and at Fontainebleau in 2007, 2009 and 2011. It was held at Deauville in 2010, and on this occasion it was run on an artificial surface over 2,400 metres.[5]
The race's current period at Saint-Cloud began in 2012. It was promoted to Group 3 status and extended to 2,800 metres in 2018.[6]
Records[edit]
Most successful horse since 1976 (2 wins):
- Sidara – 1987, 1988
Leading jockey since 1976 (5 wins):
- Freddy Head - Sevres (1977), Souveraine (1978), Eternity (1980), Princesse Vali (1982), Dancing Vaguely (1984)
Leading trainer since 1976 (5 wins):
- André Fabre – Sidara (1987, 1988), Hijaz (1999), Luna Sacra (2001), Sassella (2015)
Leading owner since 1976 (3 wins):
- HH Aga Khan IV – Kermiya (1976), Nawazish (1981), Behkara (2004)
- Alec Head – Sevres (1977), Souveraine (1978), Eternity (1980)
- Jean-Luc Lagardère – Majority (1979), Karmichah (1989), Luna Sacra (2001)
Winners since 1976[edit]
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Kermiya | 3 | Henri Samani | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | |
| 1977 | Sevres | 3 | Freddy Head | Christian Datessen | Alec Head | |
| 1978 | Souveraine | 3 | Freddy Head | Criquette Head | Alec Head | 2:33.50 |
| 1979 | Majority | 3 | Philippe Paquet | François Boutin | Jean-Luc Lagardère | 2:37.00 |
| 1980 | Eternity | 3 | Freddy Head | Criquette Head | Alec Head | 2:42.70 |
| 1981 | Nawazish | 3 | Yves Saint-Martin | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | 2:50.10 |
| 1982 | Princesse Vali | 3 | Freddy Head | Alec Head | Jacques Wertheimer | 2:52.00 |
| 1983 | Miss Mulaz | 3 | Gérard Dubroeucq | Robert Collet | Owen Helman | 2:38.80 |
| 1984 | Dancing Vaguely | 3 | Freddy Head | Criquette Head | Robert Sangster | 2:55.00 |
| 1985 | Soaring | 4 | Richard Briard | Georges Bridgland | Georges Bridgland | 2:29.90 |
| 1986 | Houwayda | 3 | Dominique Boeuf | Jean-Paul Gallorini | Philippe Lemoine-Boucaud | 2:44.80 |
| 1987 | Sidara | 3 | Alain Lequeux | André Fabre | Khalid Abdullah | 2:45.67 |
| 1988 | Sidara | 4 | Cash Asmussen | André Fabre | Khalid Abdullah | 2:36.54 |
| 1989 | Karmichah | 3 | Gérald Mossé | François Boutin | Jean-Luc Lagardère | 2:32.30 |
| 1990 | Anna's Honor | 3 | Marc de Smyter | Jonathan Pease | Mrs Daniel Beresford | 2:31.03 |
| 1991 | Gloria Mundi | 4 | Dominique Boeuf | François Doumen | Marie-Joëlle Levesque | 2:45.41 |
| 1992 | Egyptown | 3 | Éric Legrix | Criquette Head | Jacques Wertheimer | 2:50.94 |
| 1993 | Valley Quest | 3 | Cash Asmussen | François Boutin | Lady O'Reilly | 2:42.70 |
| 1994 | Count Me Out | 4 | Thierry Gillet | J. Bertran de Balanda | Magalen Bryant | 2:53.80 |
| 1995 | Maid of Honor | 3 | William Mongil | Jean de Roualle | Mabel de Forest | 2:42.28 |
| 1996 | Reine Wells | 3 | Thierry Jarnet | Pascal Bary | Scuderia Pieffegi | 2:56.70 |
| 1997 | Lexa | 3 | Dominique Boeuf | Helena van Zuylen | Thierry van Zuylen | 2:54.70 |
| 1998 | Mondschein | 3 | Thierry Thulliez | John Dunlop | Benny Andersson | 2:52.40 |
| 1999 | Hijaz | 3 | Alain Junk | André Fabre | Sultan Al Kabeer | 2:46.10 |
| 2000 | Seren Hill | 4 | Kevin Darley | Gerard Butler | The Fairy Story Partnership | 2:59.80 |
| 2001 | Luna Sacra | 3 | Mathias Sautjeau | André Fabre | Jean-Luc Lagardère | 2:49.80 |
| 2002 | La Paz [a] | 3 | Thierry Jarnet | John Gosden | George Strawbridge | 2:52.10 |
| 2003 | Sweet Stream | 3 | Thierry Gillet | John Hammond | Team Valor | 2:44.00 |
| 2004 | Behkara | 4 | Thierry Jarnet | Alain de Royer-Dupré | HH Aga Khan IV | 2:52.60 |
| 2005 | Pilgrim of Grace | 4 | Sébastien Maillot | Fabrice Cohen | William Green | 2:56.50 |
| 2006 | Ponte Tresa | 3 | Olivier Peslier | Yves de Nicolay | Erika Hilger | 2:49.50 |
| 2007 | Alma Mater | 4 | Jean-Bernard Eyquem | Sir Mark Prescott | Kirsten Rausing | 2:43.40 |
| 2008 | Believe Me | 4 | Thierry Jarnet | Alain de Royer-Dupré | Malcolm Parrish | 3:00.30 |
| 2009 | Wysiwyg Lucky | 6 | Gregory Benoist | Jean-Louis Gay | Nadine Petit-Lévi | 2:49.60 |
| 2010 | Terre du Vent | 4 | Fabrice Veron | Yves de Nicolay | Claude Lambert | 2:33.40 |
| 2011 | Racemate | 3 | Thierry Thulliez | Stéphane Wattel | Laurent Haegel | 2:47.00 |
| 2012 | Petra | 4 | Gregory Benoist | Yann-Marie Porzier | Camille Garnier | 3:01.10 |
| 2013 | Modern Eagle | 3 | Antoine Hamelin | Alain de Royer-Dupré | Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd | 3:06.65 |
| 2014 | Crystal Diamond | 3 | Aurélien Lemaitre | Freddy Head | Jaber Abdullah | 2:49.15 |
| 2015 | Sassella | 3 | Mickael Barzalona | André Fabre | Gestüt Ammerland | 3:03.70 |
| 2016 | Diamonds Pour Moi | 3 | Alexis Badel | Ralph Beckett | Pearl Bloodstock Ltd | 2:58.55 |
| 2017 | Bebe d'Amour | 3 | Stéphane Pasquier | Jean-Yves Artu | Jean-Yves Artu | 2:55.10 |
| 2018 | Bartaba | 3 | Maxime Guyon | André Fabre | Wertheimer et Frère | 3:11.12 |
| 2019 | Monica Sheriff | 3 | Tom Marquand | William Haggas | Duke of Devonshire | 3:19.81 |
| 2020 | Believe In Love | 3 | Mickael Barzalona | Roger Varian | Koji Maeda | 3:22.11 |
| 2021 | Control Tower | 4 | Cristian Demuro | Nicolas Clement | Mme Stella Thayer | 3:11.43 |
| 2022 | Lastochka | 3 | Theo Bachelot | Jean-Marie Beguigne | Noël Forgeard, Patric Bonnier Et Al. | 3:20.62 |
| 2023 | Caius Chorister | 4 | Oisin Murphy | David Menuisier | Clive Washbourn | 3:11.96 |
- ^ Moon Search finished first in 2002, but she was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "30 October 1974 – Évry". france-galop.com. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ "1978 Prix Belle de Nuit". paris-turf.com (in French). Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ "1985 Prix Belle de Nuit". paris-turf.com (in French). Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ "1994 Prix Belle de Nuit". paris-turf.com (in French). Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ "2010 Prix Belle de Nuit". paris-turf.com (in French). Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ "European Pattern Committee announces changes". britishhorseracing.com. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- France Galop / Racing Post:
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Belle de Nuit (2018).
- pedigreequery.com – Prix Belle de Nuit (1976–2012).
- pedigreequery.com – Prix Belle de Nuit (2013–present).
- thefrenchblacktype.com – Prix Belle de Nuit.