The Grand Prix de Vichy is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Vichy over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.
History The event was established in 1875, and it was originally called the Grand Prix de Vichy. It was run as a handicap until 1899, and during this period its distance was frequently modified. For several years thereafter it was titled the Grand Prix International du Cercle de Vichy. It was abandoned in 1907, and became known as the Grand Prix de la Ville de Vichy the following year.
The title was appended with "et de la Société de Sport de France" in 1958. The Société de Sport de France owned the racecourse, and later merged with similar organisations to form France Galop.
The event reverted to its original name in 1965, and was run as a handicap in 1970. It was given Group 3 status in 1976.
The name of the region where Vichy is located, Auvergne, was added to the title in 2005 and removed in 2015.
The race has been contested over various distances, with spells over 2,600 metres (1900–41, 1943–64, 1966–75), 2,400 metres (1976–91) and 2,000 metres (1992–present).
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Shikani – 1960, 1961 Perouges – 1979, 1980 Marildo – 1993, 1995 Touch of Land – 2005, 2006
Leading jockey (6 wins): Christophe Soumillon – Kerrygold (2000), Vangelis (2003), Bailador (2004), Daly Daly (2009), Saga Dream (2013), One For Bobby (2023)
Leading trainer (4 wins): James Cunnington – Marichette (1881), Dacis (1891), Machiavel (1898), Kerlaz (1900) Robert Denman – Gouvernant (1904), Marsa (1910), Checkmate (1923), Alguazil (1926, dead-heat) Antoine Lassard – Yakoba (1934), Ortolan (1935), Champittet (1941), Clodoche (1943)
Leading owner (7 wins): Marcel Boussac – Grillemont (1924, dead-heat), Alguazil (1926, dead-heat), Thaouka (1932), Dadji (1937), Coaraze (1947), Amphis (1952), Shaker (1954)
Winners since 1979 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1979 Perouges 4 Jacques Le Deunf Alain Lyon André Rivière 1980 Perouges 5 Jacques Le Deunf Alain Lyon André Rivière 1981 Lord Jack 4 Jean Massard Henri Gleizes Mrs François Elion 1982 Karkour 4 Yves Saint-Martin Joseph Audon Ecurie Manhattan 1983 Terreno 5 Yves Saint-Martin François Boutin Gerry Oldham 1984 Nature 6 Jean Massard François Elion Mrs Jean Carlier 1985 Lauville 4 Guy Guignard Gérard Philippeau Marie-Louise Blain 1986 Agent Double 5 Gary W. Moore Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 1987 Sarepta 6 Robert Laplanche Louis Boulard Jacques Bedel 2:25.70 1988 Altashar 3 Eric Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:29.45 1989 Prince Ruffian 4 Cash Asmussen François Bellenger Dominique Boulloche 2:34.40 1990 North Col 3 Tony Cruz Jonathan Pease Simon Emmet 2:29.00 1991 Danae de Brule 4 Robert Laplanche Maurice Prod'homme Léon Seile 2:34.50 1992 Goofalik 5 Cash Asmussen John Hammond David Thompson 2:03.30 1993 Marildo 6 Guy Guignard David Smaga David Smaga 2:02.30 1994 Mint Crisp 4 Olivier Doleuze Dominique Sépulchre Mrs A. Rogers 2:08.70 1995 Marildo 8 Guy Guignard David Smaga David Smaga 2:05.50 1996 Bulington 4 Cash Asmussen Henri-Alex Pantall Philippe Pierry 2:04.20 1997 Baroud d'Honneur 4 Franck Blondel Jean-François Bernard Axelle Nègre 2:05.10 1998 Steward 5 Sylvain Guillot Dominique Sépulchre Georges Coude 2:06.50 1999 Victory Cry 3 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 2:05.30 2000 Kerrygold 4 Christophe Soumillon Pascal Bary Antonia Devin 2:08.60 2001 Boismorand 5 Vincent Vion Melchior Mathet Maurice Clifford 2:09.20 2002 Cheshire 5 Yutaka Take John Hammond Peter Willmott 2:06.40 2003 Vangelis 4 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Napping Ltd 2:08.90 2004 Bailador 4 Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Edouard de Rothschild 2:08.64 2005 Touch of Land 5 Christophe Lemaire Henri-Alex Pantall Gary Tanaka 2:03.80 2006 Touch of Land 6 Olivier Peslier Henri-Alex Pantall Gary Tanaka 2:10.19 2007 Atlantic Air 5 Thierry Thulliez Yves de Nicolay Antonia Devin 2:35.15 2008 Hapsburg 4 Ioritz Mendizabal Eric Libaud Jean Luck 2:05.45 2009 Daly Daly 5 Christophe Soumillon Robert Laplanche Bernard Giraudon 2:12.12 2010 Agent Secret 4 François-Xavier Bertras François Rohaut Raoul Temam 2:15.12 2011 Cirrus des Aigles 5 Franck Blondel Corine Barande-Barbe Jean-Claude Dupouy 2:14.00 2012 No Risk at All 5 Ioritz Mendizabal Jean-Paul Gallorini Jean-Paul Gallorini 2:06.82 2013 Saga Dream 7 Christophe Soumillon Freddy Lemercier Freddy Lemercier 2:07.79 2014 Hippy 6 Eric Libaud Pierre-Charles Boudot Jacques Seror 2:10.18 2015 Elliptique 4 Amelie Foulon André Fabre Rothschild Family 2:07.48 2016 Night Wish 6 Tony Piccone Sarah Steinberg Stall Salzburg 2:05.17 2017 Best Fouad 6 Christophe Soumillon Francois Rohaut LG Bloodstock 2:05.38 2018 Noor Al Hawa 5 Theo Bachelot Elias Mikhalides Hamad Al Attiyah 2:03.93 2019 Diamond Vendome 4 Christophe Soumillon Christophe Escuder Laurence Samoun & Georges Duca 2:05.29 2020 Spirit of Nelson 5 Cristian Demuro Jerome Reynier Jean-Claude Seroul 2:06.50 2021 Grand Glory 5 Cristian Demuro Gianluca Bietolini Albert Frassetto, John D'Amato & Mike Pietrangelo 2:07.02 2022 Riocorvo 6 Gérald Mossé Carlos Laffon-Parias Georgiana Cabrero 2:05.30 2023 One For Bobby 4 Christophe Soumillon Hughie Morrison Ann Marshall 2:04.33 2026 Zaydann 4 Mickael Barzalona Francis-Henri Graffard Aga Khan Studs 2:05:41
Earlier winners
1875: Damoiseau 1876: Mondaine 1877: Giboulee 1878: Le Marquis 1879: Gift 1880: 1881: Marichette 1882–85: no race 1886: Prytanee 1887: Ary 1888: Bocage 1889: Etretat 1890: Belle Dame 1891: Dacis 1892: Le Cordouan 1893: 1894: Lanterne Magique 1895: Feuillet 1896: 1897: 1898: Machiavel 1899: 1900: Kerlaz 1901: Lady Killer 1902: Red Cedar 1903: Alpha 1904: Gouvernant 1905: Rataplan 1906: Eider 1907: no race 1908: Roi Herode 1909: Chulo 1910: Marsa 1911: Dor 1912: Predicateur 1913: Tripolette 1914–19: no race 1920: Astypalee 1921: Herlies 1922: Harpocrate 1923: Checkmate 1924: Grillemont / Seclin 1 1925: Momus 1926: Alguazil / Javelot 1 1927: Juveilin 1928: Rovigo 1929: Frolic 2 1930: Guernanville 1931: Hetre Pourpre 1932: Thaouka 1933: Casterari 1934: Yakoba 1935: Ortolan 1936: Vatellor 1937: Dadji 1938: Eclair au Chocolat 1939: Transtevere 1940: no race 1941: Champittet 1942: Tambourin 1943: Clodoche 1944: no race 1945: Achille 1946: 1947: Coaraze 1948: Pegase 1949: Astragram 1950: Monticola 1951: Ombrette 1952: Amphis 1953: Romantisme 1954: Shaker 1955: Bewitched 1956: Cambremer 1957: Jockero 1958: Makalu 1959: Wolfram 1960: Shikani 1961: Shikani 1962: Karol 1963: Signora 1964: Amertume 1965: Carvin 1966: Cantilius 1967: Dan Kano 1968: Crozier 1969: Manitoba 1970: 1971: 1972: Royal Land 1973: Sophora 1974: Authi 1975: Ambrellita 1976: Diagramatic 1977: Guadanini 1978: Tempus Fugit
1 The 1924 and 1926 races were dead-heats and have joint winners.2 Le Chatelet finished first in 1929, but he was disqualified for obstruction.
See also List of French flat horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1875 – this race is included under its original title, Grand Prix de Vichy.
References France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , * france-galop.com – A Brief History: Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne. galop.courses-france.com – Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne – Palmarès depuis 1980. galopp-sieger.de – Grand Prix de Vichy. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Grand Prix de Vichy-Auvergne (2016). pedigreequery.com – Grand Prix de Vichy – Vichy.