The Prix Royal-Oak is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres (about 1 mile and 7½ furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October.
It is France's equivalent of the St. Leger Stakes, a famous race in England.
History The event was established in 1861, and it was initially called the Grand Prix du Prince Impérial. It was originally restricted to three-year-olds, and was part of a series of races based on the English Classic system. Its original distance was 3,200 metres.
The race was renamed the Prix Royal-Oak and shortened to 3,000 metres in 1869. It was named after Royal Oak (foaled 1823), a key stallion in the establishment of thoroughbred breeding in France. Due to the Franco-Prussian War, the race was not run in 1870 and 1871.
The Prix Royal-Oak was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1918. It was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was staged at Le Tremblay in 1943 and 1944.
The event was extended to 3,100 metres in 1964. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Prix Royal-Oak was classed at the highest level, Group 1. For a period it was held in mid-September. It was switched to late October in 1977.
Formerly France's equivalent of the St Leger Stakes in England, the Prix Royal-Oak was opened to horses aged four or older in 1979 and to geldings in 1986. Since then the race has dropped significantly in prestige.
Records Most successful horse (2 wins): Amilynx – 1999, 2000 Westerner – 2003, 2004 Tac De Boistron – 2013, 2014 Vazirabad – 2015, 2016 Double Major - 2023, 2024
Leading jockey (6 wins): Freddy Head – Dhaudevi (1968), Bourbon (1971), Busiris (1974), Gold River (1980), Agent Double (1984), Top Sunrise (1989)
Leading trainer (7 wins): François Mathet – Vamour (1959), Match (1961), Relko (1963), Reliance (1965), Sassafras (1970), Henri le Balafre (1975), Exceller (1976) André Fabre – Star Lift (1988), Top Sunrise (1989), Raintrap (1993), Sunshack (1995), Amilynx (1999, 2000), Be Fabulous (2011)
Leading owner (6 wins): Frédéric de Lagrange – Palestro (1861), Fille de l'Air (1864), Gladiateur (1865), Nelusco (1868), Inval (1878), Zut (1879)
Winners since 1969 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1969 Le Chouan 3 André Jézéquel Freddie Palmer Geoffroy de Waldner 3:41.30 1970 Sassafras 3 Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Arpad Plesch 3:21.30 1971 Bourbon 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Germaine Wertheimer 3:32.50 1972 Pleben 3 Marcel Depalmas Geoffroy Watson Baron de Redé 3:30.60 1973 Lady Berry 3 Marcel Depalmas Geoffroy Watson Guy de Rothschild 3:26.10 1974 Busiris 3 Freddy Head Maurice Zilber Nelson Bunker Hunt 3:25.90 1975 Henri le Balafre 3 Henri Samani François Mathet Claude Puerari 3:29.00 1976 Exceller 3 Gérard Dubroeucq François Mathet Nelson Bunker Hunt 3:33.80 1977 Rex Magna 3 Philippe Paquet François Boutin Elisabeth Couturié 3:28.70 1978 Brave Johnny 3 Henri Samani Mick Bartholomew Mireille Darc 3:30.10 1979 Niniski 3 Willie Carson Dick Hern Lady Beaverbrook 3:39.90 1980 Gold River 3 Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 3:39.50 1981 Ardross 5 Lester Piggott Henry Cecil Charles St George 3:37.70 1982 Denel 3 Yves Saint-Martin Bernard Sécly Mrs Salomon Nathan 3:44.20 1983 Old Country 4 Pat Eddery Luca Cumani Mrs O. Abegg 3:24.90 1984 Agent Double 3 Freddy Head Criquette Head Jacques Wertheimer 3:42.20 1985 Mersey 3 Jean-Luc Kessas Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 3:22.70 1986 El Cuite 3 Steve Cauthen Henry Cecil Sheikh Mohammed 3:29.60 1987 Royal Gait 4 Alfred Gibert John Fellows Manuel Pereira-Arias 3:34.60 1988 Star Lift 4 Cash Asmussen André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 3:29.80 1989 Top Sunrise 4 Freddy Head André Fabre Charles Schmidt 3:22.00 1990(dh) BraasheeIndian Queen 45 Michael RobertsWalter Swinburn Alec StewartLord Huntingdon Maktoum Al MaktoumSir Gordon Brunton 3:38.40 1991 Turgeon 5 Tony Cruz Jonathan Pease George Strawbridge 3:23.40 1992 Assessor 3 Richard Quinn Richard Hannon Sr. Bjorn Nielsen 3:35.80 1993 Raintrap 3 Pat Eddery André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 3:45.80 1994 Moonax 3 Pat Eddery Barry Hills Sheikh Mohammed 3:28.90 1995 Sunshack 4 Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 3:16.20 1996 Red Roses Story 4 Vincent Vion Corine Barande-Barbe Corine Barande-Barbe 3:38.40 1997 Ebadiyla 3 Gérald Mossé John Oxx Aga Khan IV 3:26.50 1998 Tiraaz 4 Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:58.40 1999 Amilynx 3 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 3:40.60 2000 Amilynx 4 Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 3:33.40 2001 Vinnie Roe 3 Pat Smullen Dermot Weld Sheridan / Balzarini 3:37.80 2002 Mr Dinos 3 Dominique Boeuf Paul Cole Constantine Shiacolas 3:38.50 2003 Westerner 4 Dominique Boeuf Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 3:31.20 2004 Westerner 5 Stéphane Pasquier Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 3:28.90 2005 Alcazar 10 Micky Fenton Hughie Morrison Repard / Melrose et al. 3:27.30 2006 Montare 4 Olivier Peslier Jonathan Pease George Strawbridge 3:20.30 2007 Allegretto 4 Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute Cheveley Park Stud 3:15.50 2008 Yeats 7 Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Nagle 3:19.30 2009 Ask 6 Ryan Moore Sir Michael Stoute Patrick Fahey 3:32.17 2010 Gentoo 6 Christophe Lemaire Alain Lyon Serge Tripier-Mondancin 3:36.00 2011 Be Fabulous 4 Maxime Guyon André Fabre Godolphin 3:21.47 2012 Les Beaufs 3 Julien Guillochon Valérie Seignoux Stéphane Seignoux 3:36.22 2013 Tac de Boistron 6 Martin Harley Marco Botti Aust Thoroughbred Bldstck 3:38.12 2014 Tac de Boistron 7 Martin Harley Marco Botti Aust Thoroughbred Bldstck 3:32.73 2015 Vazirabad 3 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:27.61 2016 Vazirabad 4 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:29.23 2017 Ice Breeze 3 Vincent Cheminaud Pascal Bary Khalid Abdullah 3:25.40 2018 Holdthasigreen 6 Tony Piccone Bruno Audoin Jean Gilbert 3:18.17 2019 Technician 3 Pierre-Charles Boudot Martyn Meade Team Valor 1 3:40.13 2020 Subjectivist 3 Joe Fanning Mark Johnston Dr Jim Walker 3:38.68 2021 Scope 3 Rob Hornby Ralph Beckett J H Richmond-Watson 3:27.35 2022 Iresine 5 Marie Velon Jean-Philippe Gauvin Bertrand Milliere 3:31.34 2023 Double Major 3 Maxime Guyon Christophe Ferland Wertheimer et Frère 3:35.89 2024 Double Major 4 Maxime Guyon Christophe Ferland Wertheimer et Frère 3:33.16 2025 Arrow Eagle 4 Cristian Demuro Jean-Claude Rouget Mrs Waltraut Spanner 3:23.68
Earlier winners
1861: Palestro 1862: Souvenir 1863: La Toucques 1864: Fille de l'Air 1865: Gladiateur 1866: Etoile Filante 1867: Patricien 1868: Nelusco 1869: Clotho 1870–71: no race 1872: Barbillon 1873: Boiard 1874: Mignonette 1875: Perplexe 1876: Kilt 1877: Jongleur 1878: Inval 1879: Zut 1880: Beauminet 1881: Perplexite 1882: Clio 1883: Stockholm 1884: Archiduc 1885: Escarboucle 1886: Gamin 1887: Bavarde 1888: Galaor 1889: Pourtant 1890: Alicante 1891: Berenger 1892: Chene Royal 1893: Ramleh 1894: Gouvernail 1895: Bombon 1896: Champaubert 1897: Chambertin 1898: Le Roi Soleil 1899: Perth 1900: Ivoire 1901: Jacobite 1902: Fer 1903: Torquato Tasso 1904: Macdonald II 1905: Clyde 1906: Maintenon 1907: Anemone 1908: Medeah 1909: Aveu 1910: Reinhart 1911: Combourg 1912: Gorgorito 1913: Bruleur 1914–18: no race 1919: Stearine 1920: Embry 1921: Ksar 1922: Keror 1923: Filibert de Savoie 1924: Uganda 1925: Priori 1926: Biribi 1927: Fiterari 1928: Cacao 1929: Calandria 1930: Taicoun 1931: Deiri 1932: Laeken 1933: Jumbo 1934: Brantôme 1935: Bokbul 1936: Fantastic 1937: Victrix 1938: Eclair au Chocolat 1939–40: no race 1941: Le Pacha 1942: Tifinar 1943: Verso II 1944: Samaritain 1945: Caracalla 1946: Souverain 1947: Tourment 1948: Spooney 1949: Ciel Etoile 1950: Pan 1951: Stymphale 1952: Feu du Diable 1953: Buisson d'Or 1954: Sica Boy 1955: Macip 1956: Arabian 1957: Scot 1958: Wallaby 1959: Vamour 1960: Puissant Chef 1961: Match 1962: Sicilian Prince 1963: Relko 1964: Barbieri 1965: Reliance 1966: Vasco de Gama 1967: Samos 1968: Dhaudevi
See also List of French flat horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1861 – this race is included under its original title, Grand Prix du Prince Impérial.
References
France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , galop.courses-france.com: 1861–1889, 1890–1919, 1920–1949, 1950–1979, 1980–present france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Royal-Oak. galopp-sieger.de – Prix Royal-Oak. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Royal-Oak (2018). pedigreequery.com – Prix Royal-Oak – Longchamp.