Critérium International (horse race)

Critérium International
Group 1 race
LocationSaint-Cloud Racecourse
Saint-Cloud, France
Inaugurated2001
Race typeFlat / Thoroughbred
Websitefrance-galop.com
Race information
Distance1,600 metres (1 mile)
SurfaceTurf
TrackLeft-handed
QualificationTwo-year-olds
excluding geldings
Weight57 kg
Allowances
1½ kg for fillies
Purse€250,000 (2021)
1st: €142,850
Critérium International
2024
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Dark blue Red, dark blue seams, striped sleeves, red cap
Twain Mount Kilimanjaro Apples And Bananas
Previous years
2023
Yellow, white sleeves, yellow cap Royal blue, yellow cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Sunway Alcantor Portland
2022
Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Maroon, royal blue hoop, royal blue sleeves, quartered cap White, pink diamond, royal blue sleeves and cap
Proud And Regal Espionage Salt Bay
2021
Mauve, yellow chevron hoop, white sleeves, purple stars, white cap, purple star Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Royal blue, red cross of lorraine and armlets, yellow cap
Angel Bleu Ancient Rome Purplepay
2020–2011
2020
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap White and blue checked, green sleeves and cap Yellow, black epaulets
Van Gogh Normandy Bridge Jadoomi
2019
Red, royal blue sleeves, black cap Dark blue Only two ran
Alson Armory Only two ran
2018
Royal blue Royal Blue, Orange disc, striped sleeves, royal blue cap, orange stripes White, white sleeves, purple cap
Royal Meeting Hermosa Graignes
2016
Royal Blue Claret, gold braid, claret sleeves, claret cap, gold tassel Dark blue
Thunder Snow South Seas Promise To Be True
2015
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Red and black stripes, red sleeves Royal blue, white seams, sleeves and cap
Johannes Vermeer Stormy Antarctic Attendu
2014
White, gold cuffs, quartered cap Dark blue, pink striped sleeves Royal blue with grey chevron, royal blue sleeves, royal blue cap, yellow hoop
Vert De Grece Johnny Barnes Sherlock
2013
White, violet cap Beige Yellow, dark green cap
Ectot Earnshaw Prestige Vendome
2012
White, purple stripe, check cap Yellow, royal blue stars, yellow cap Dark green, pink epaulets and cap
Loch Garman Anna's Pearl Us Law
2011
Grey, pink epaulets and sleeves, quartered cap Dark grey, beige diamond, beige sleeves, dark grey cap, beige stripe Light blue, dark blue armlets, dark blue cap
French Fifteen Pakal Bonfire
2010–2001
2010
Dark blue Royal blue, white seams, sleeves and cap Light green, black seams, yellow sleeves, black seams, yellow and green quartered cap
Roderic O'Connor Salto Maiguri
2009
Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap Royal blue GREEN, red epaulettes, green cap
Jan Vermeer Emerald Commander Rosanara
2008
Maroon and white (quartered), light blue sleeves, white cap Maroon, Grey armlets, Grey cap Yellow, purple hoops and armlets, hooped cap
Zafisio Prince Siegfried Silver Frost
2007
DARK BLUE, yellow panel, check cap Sky blue, yellow epaulets, yellow cap, blue stars Claret, silver sash, hooped cap
Thewayyouare Hello Morning Redolent
2006
Purple, white seams, striped sleeves, purple cap Yellow, green cross-belts and star on cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Mount Nelson Spirit One Yellowstone
2005
GREEN, red epaulettes, green cap Dark blue, red striped sleeves, striped cap Maroon, grey sleeves and cap
Carlotamix Stormy River Porto Santo
2004
Blue, yellow star, yellow stars on sleeves and star on cap Maroon and Royal Blue (quartered), Maroon sleeves, Royal Blue armlets, Royal Blue cap, Maroon star Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Helios Quercus Dubai Surprise Walk In The Park
2003
Dark blue, light blue cross belts, striped sleeves, white cap Dark Blue, Grey hoop, armlets and cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap
Bago Top Seed Acropolis
2002
GREEN, red epaulettes, green cap Dark blue Purple
Dalakhani Chevalier Governor Brown
2001
Brown, beige chevrons, brown sleeves and cap Royal blue, orange disc, striped sleeves and cap White, orange and white striped cap
Act One Landseer Guys And Dolls
 

The Critérium International is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 1,600 metres (1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.[1]

History

The event was established at Saint-Cloud in 2001, when it was introduced as part of a restructured program for juveniles in France and replaced the Prix de la Salamandre which was discontinued in 2000. It was given the same title as a race held annually at Longchamp from 1893 to 1910. The modern race was originally run over 1,600 furlongs but was reduced to 1,400 metres in 2015 as part of a series of changes to autumn races for two-year-olds.[2] In 2018 the race was transferred from Saint-Cloud to Longchamp.[3] The distance returned to 1,600 metres in 2020 as part of a two-year trial.[4] The race returned to Saint-Cloud in 2020 and continues to be run there as of 2023.

The current version of the Critérium International often features horses which ran previously in the Prix des Chênes or the Prix Thomas Bryon.[5]

Records

Leading jockey (4 wins):

  • Christophe Soumillon – Dalakhani (2002), Carlotamix (2005), Thunder Snow (2016), Royal Meeting (2018)

Leading trainer (6 wins):

  • Aidan O'Brien – Mount Nelson (2006), Jan Vermeer (2009), Roderic O'Connor (2010), Johannes Vermeer (2015), Van Gogh (2020), Twain (2024)

Leading owner (6 wins): (includes part ownership)

  • Sue Magnier / Derrick Smith / Michael Tabor – Mount Nelson (2006), Jan Vermeer (2009), Roderic O'Connor (2010), Johannes Vermeer (2015), Van Gogh (2020), Twain (2024)

Winners

Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time
2001 Act One Thierry Gillet Jonathan Pease Gerald Leigh 1:47.10
2002 Dalakhani Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:52.00
2003 Bago Thierry Gillet Jonathan Pease Niarchos Family 1:47.00
2004 Helios Quercus Alexandre Roussel Cyriaque Diard Thierry Maudet 1:45.30
2005 Carlotamix Christophe Soumillon André Fabre HH Aga Khan IV 1:45.40
2006 Mount Nelson Seamie Heffernan Aidan O'Brien Smith / Tabor / Magnier 1:41.30
2007 Thewayyouare Stéphane Pasquier André Fabre Sean Mulryan 1:45.30
2008 Zafisio Dominique Boeuf Paul Blockley Hugh Downs 1:46.10
2009 Jan Vermeer Colm O'Donoghue Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Smith / Magnier 1:45.60
2010 Roderic O'Connor Johnny Murtagh Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Tabor et al. 1:45.70
2011 French Fifteen Thierry Thulliez Nicolas Clément Raymond Tooth 1:43.50
2012 Loch Garman Kevin Manning Jim Bolger Mrs J. S. Bolger 1:52.70[6]
2013 Ectot Grégory Benoist Élie Lellouche G Augustin-Normand & E Vidal 1:43.11
2014 Vert De Grece Umberto Rispoli Roger Varian Britannia Thoroughbreds 1 1:43.16
2015 Johannes Vermeer Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Smith / Magnier / Ah Khing 1:30.15
2016 Thunder Snow Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:28.20
2017 no race[a]
2018 Royal Meeting[b] Christophe Soumillon Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:27.19
2019 Alson Frankie Dettori Jean-Pierre Carvalho Gestüt Schlenderhan 1:28.61
2020 Van Gogh Pierre-Charles Boudot Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Smith / Magnier / Ah Khing 1:48.31
2021 Angel Bleu Frankie Dettori Ralph Beckett Marc Chan 1:44.40
2022 Proud And Regal Gavin Ryan Donnacha O'Brien Smith / Tabor / Magnier 1:51:34
2023 Sunway Oisin Murphy David Menuisier Pariente, Lines, Qatar 1:46.32
2024 Twain Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Tabor / Smith / Magnier 1:46.31
  1. ^ The 2017 running was abandoned due to protests at Saint-Cloud.[7]
  2. ^ The 2018 running took place at Chantilly to allow track maintenance to take place at Longchamp[8]

Longchamp 1893–1910

The original Critérium International at Longchamp was also for two-year-olds. It was contested on a straight track over 1,100 metres. It was held on the first or second Saturday in October. The prize money was 25,000 francs (equivalent to €78,500).

  • 1893: Bayadere
  • 1894: Fragola
  • 1895: Hero
  • 1896: Atys
  • 1897: Cazabat
  • 1898: Perth
  • 1899: Semendria
  • 1900: Pierre Infernale
  • 1901: Derbouka
  • 1902: Mireille
  • 1903: Gouvernant
  • 1904: Jardy
  • 1905: Blue Fly
  • 1906: Calomel
  • 1907: Halima
  • 1908: Azalee
  • 1909: Marsa
  • 1910: Blina[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Criterium International 2015 conditions". horseracingintfed.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01.
  2. ^ "European Pattern Committee announces changes to the 2015 European Programme". britishhorseracing.com. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
  3. ^ "Changes Afoot For French Racing Programme". Thoroughbred Daily News. 16 February 2018.
  4. ^ "European Pattern Committee announces changes to the 2020 European Programme of Flat Black Type Races". British Horseracing Authority. 31 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Criterium International history". france-galop.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-09. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  6. ^ "Criterium International winners". galopp-sieger.de. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  7. ^ Burton, Scott. "Saint-Cloud shock: course protesters lead to Group 1 meeting being called off". Racing Post. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  8. ^ Burton, Scott (12 October 2018). "Longchamp loses final pair of Group 1s as ground maintenance takes priority". Racing Post.
  9. ^ "CRITERIUM INTERNATIONAL (1893–1903) – LONGCHAMP FRANCE". Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2013-02-06.