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Stats Guide for the Prix Robert Papin to be held on Sunday, 18th July 2021.
This week's feature race is the G2 Prix Robert Papin (1200m) at Chantilly. Restricted to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies it can provide a guide to the G1 Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville in August. We look at the numbers behind the horses including course record, season numbers plus much more.
The event was founded in 1892 and originally called the Omnium de Deux Ans. It was initially run over 1100m and was extended to 1,200 metres in 1903. For some time, it was held in early August making it one of France's first two-year-old races of the season.
Up until 1914 the Omnium de Deux Ans was France's richest two-year-old race with a purse superior to those of both the G1 Prix Morny (1200m) and the G1 Grand Critérium (1400) (now the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère).
In 1928 the race was renamed in memory of Robert Papin, a former president of the Société Sportive d'Encouragement. The distance was increased to 1200m the following year only to then chop and change between 1100m and 1200m over several years.
The G2 Prix Robert Papin (1200m) was initially a Group One when the present system of race grading was introduced in 1971. However, it was demoted to Group Two status in 1987. The race was originally held at Maisons-Laffitte but in 2019, the race was forced to be moved to Deauville due to waterlogging. The following year, it took place at Chantilly, and was run back over 1200m since Maisons-Laffitte was closed permanently.
Roger Poincelet is the leading jockey in the race with seven victories whilst Charles Semblat has trained the winner nine times. Marcel Boussac has owned the winner on eight occasions.
In recent years, the race has been dominated by British trained horses. The G2 Prix Robert Papin (1200m) has returned to British soil on eight of the last nine renewals with Richard Hannon Jnr winning the race back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. Although this year's renewal only features two British contenders, they look to have a solid chance with the impressive G3 Prix du Bois (1200m) winner Atomic Force.
* - Please note with these participants the International form lines may not be fully updated and accurate.
