Prix Royal Oak
France | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Prix Royal Oak is a Group 1 race run under Weight For Age conditions for three year olds and up at Longchamp conducted by France Galop.
The Prix Royal Oak is run over 3100m. It was first run in 1861 and was won by Palestro. It was originally called the Grand Prix du Prince Imperial.
It is a very similar race to the Irish St Leger but was initially only for 3yos making it like the English St Leger at the time.
The race was not run during WWI and then the start of WWII before being run at Le Tremblay for a couple of years.
It has always been a Group 1, saw older horses running from 1979 and geldings from 1986.
Four horses have won the race twice – Amilynx, Westerner, Tac de Boistron and Varizabad. Varizabad was going for three in a row but ran second the year after.
The 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions were run at Saint Cloud as Longchamp was under its long term redevelopment. Then 2018 was run at Chantilly as Longchamp had more maintenance.
Freddy Head has tasted success six times as a jockey.
Francois Mathet and Andre Fabre share most training wins at seven.
Following his Royal-Oak win, Subjectivist would then win two big staying races – the Dubai Gold Cup and the more important Ascot Gold Cup.
The last non-French winner was Scope in 2021 for Ralph Beckett.
The Prix Royal Oak was worth €350,000 in 2023.
Notable winners of the Prix Royal Oak include Iresine (2022), Subjectivist (2020), Technician (2019), Holdthasigreen (2018), Varizabad (2015/2016), Tac de Boistron (2013/2014), Gentoo (2010), Ask (2009), Yeats (2008), Westerner (2003/2004), Mr Dinos (2002), Vinnie Roe (2001), Amilynx (1999/2000), Sunshack (1995), Moonax (1994), Turgeon (1991), Royal Gait (1987), Ardross (1981), Exceller (1976), Sassafras (1970), Relko (1963), Match (1961), La Pacha (1941), Éclair au Chocolat (1938), Brantome (1934), Ksar (1921) and Gladiateur (1865).
The 2023 Prix Royal Oak was won by Double Major from Skazino and Tashkhan.
Previous Prix Royal Oak Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DOUBLE MAJOR
(IRE)
3G DAIWA MAJOR (JPN) - DANCEQUEST (IRE) DANSILI (GB) |
MAXIME GUYON | 55.5 | CHRISTOPHE FERLAND | 4 |
|
IRESINE
(FR)
5G MANDURO (GER) - INANGA (GB) OASIS DREAM (GB) |
M VELON | 59.0 | JEAN-PIERRE GAUVIN | 9 |
|
SCOPE
(IRE)
3C TEOFILO (IRE) - LOOK SO (GB) EFISIO (GB) |
ROB HORNBY | 55.5 | R M BECKETT | 2 |
|
SUBJECTIVIST
(GB)
3C TEOFILO (IRE) - RECKONING (IRE) DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) |
JOSEPH FANNING | 55.5 | M JOHNSTON | 5 |
|
TECHNICIAN
(IRE)
3C MASTERCRAFTSMAN (IRE) - AROSA (IRE) SADLER'S WELLS (USA) |
PIERRE-CHARLES BOUDOT | 55.5 | M MEADE | 8 |
|
HOLDTHASIGREEN
(FR)
6G HOLD THAT TIGER (USA) - GREENTATHIR (FR) MUHTATHIR (GB) |
TONY PICCONE | 59.0 | B AUDOUIN | 6 |
|
ICE BREEZE
(GB)
3C NAYEF (USA) - WINTER SILENCE (GB) DANSILI (GB) |
VINCENT CHEMINAUD | 55.5 | PASCAL BARY | 4 |
|
VAZIRABAD
(FR)
4G MANDURO (GER) - VISORAMA (IRE) LINAMIX (FR) |
C SOUMILLON | 59.0 | A DE ROYER DUPRE | 15 |
|
VAZIRABAD
(FR)
3G MANDURO (GER) - VISORAMA (IRE) LINAMIX (FR) |
C SOUMILLON | 55.5 | A DE ROYER DUPRE | 2 |
|
TAC DE BOISTRON
(FR)
7G TAKE RISKS (FR) - PONDIKI (FR) SICYOS (USA) |
M HARLEY | 59.0 | M BOTTI | 3 |
|
TAC DE BOISTRON
(FR)
6G TAKE RISKS (FR) - PONDIKI (FR) SICYOS (USA) |
M HARLEY | 59.0 | M BOTTI | 8 |
|
LES BEAUFS
(FR)
3G APSIS (GB) - YEOMANRY (FR) SAUMAREZ (GB) |
J-L GUILLOCHON | 55.0 | V SEIGNOUX | 3 |
|
BE FABULOUS
(GER)
4M SAMUM (GER) - BANDEIRA (GER) LAW SOCIETY (USA) |
MAXIME GUYON | 57.5 | A FABRE | 8 |
|
GENTOO
(FR)
6G LOUP SOLITAIRE (USA) - IFNI (FR) BERING (GB) |
C P LEMAIRE | 59.0 | A LYON | 5 |
|
ASK
(GB)
6H SADLER'S WELLS (USA) - REQUEST (GB) RAINBOW QUEST (USA) |
RYAN MOORE | 59.0 | SIR MICHAEL STOUTE | 1 |
|
YEATS
(IRE)
7H SADLER'S WELLS (USA) - LYNDONVILLE (IRE) TOP VILLE (GB) |
J MURTAGH | 59.0 | A P O'BRIEN | 8 |
|
ALLEGRETTO
(IRE)
4M GALILEO (IRE) - ALLELUIA (GB) CAERLEON (USA) |
RYAN MOORE | 57.5 | SIR MICHAEL STOUTE | 7 |
|
MONTARE
(IRE)
4M MONTJEU (IRE) - CONTARE (GB) SHIRLEY HEIGHTS (GB) |
O PESLIER | 57.5 | J E PEASE | |
|
ALCAZAR
(IRE)
10G ALZAO (USA) - SAHARA BREEZE (GB) ELA MANA MOU |
MICKY FENTON | 59.0 | H MORRISON | |
|
WESTERNER
(GB)
5H DANEHILL (USA) - WALENSEE (GB) TROY (GB) |
STEPHANE PASQUIER | 59.0 | E LELLOUCHE | |
|
WESTERNER
(GB)
4H DANEHILL (USA) - WALENSEE (GB) TROY (GB) |
DOMINIQUE BOEUF | 59.0 | E LELLOUCHE | 5 |
|
MR DINOS
(IRE)
3C DESERT KING (IRE) - SPEAR DANCE (GB) GAY FANDANGO (USA) |
DOMINIQUE BOEUF | 55.0 | PAUL COLE | |
|
VINNIE ROE
(IRE)
3C DEFINITE ARTICLE (GB) - KAYU (GB) TAP ON WOOD (GB) |
P SMULLEN | 55.0 | D K WELD | |
|
AMILYNX
(FR)
4H LINAMIX (FR) - AMEN (USA) ALYDAR (USA) |
O PESLIER | 59.0 | A FABRE |