Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte

The Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.

Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte

Group 2 race
Location	Chantilly France
Inaugurated	1891
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Website	france-galop.com
Race information
Distance	1,200 metres (6f)
Surface	Turf
Track	Straight
Qualification	Two-year-olds
Weight	57 kg Allowances 1½ kg for fillies
Purse	€190,000 (2021) 1st: €108,300

Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte

2024
Sky Majesty	Daylight	Une Pointure

Previous years
2023
Classic Flower	Dawn Charger	Seven Questions
2022
Charyn	Eddie's Boy	Ocean Vision
2021
Malavath	Have A Good Day	Desert Dreamer

2020-2011
2020
Plainchant	Go Athletico	Kalahara
2019
Shadn	Devil	Sir Boris
2018
Hello Youmzain	Queen Of Bermuda	Graignes
2017
Fighting Irish	Nebo	French Pegasus
2016
Sans Equivoque	Boos	Nations Alexander
2015
Donjuan Triumphant	Dressed In Fur	Smash Williams
2014
Mattmu	Queen Bee	Goken
2013
Kiram	This Time	Passing Burg
2012
Penny's Picnic	Viztoria	Boomshackerlacker
2011
Restiadargent	Vaniloquio	Dont Teutch

2010-2001
2010
Blu Constellation	Wizz Kid	Katla
2009
Our Jonathan	Ascot Glory	Dolled Up
2008
Smooth Operator	Dalghar	Lui Rei
2007
Pomellato	Norman Invader	Equiano
2006
Captain Marvelous	Baby Strange	Iron Lips
2005
Balthazaar's Gift	Gwenseb	Curtail
2004
Centifolia	Salut Thomas	Campo Bueno
2003
Whipper	Chineur	Black Escort
2002
Zinziberine	Fiepes Shuffle	Bella Tusa
2001
Captain Rio	War Zone	Perrexa

2000-1991
2000
Amiwain	Stunning	Greengroom
1999
Touch Of The Blues	Blu Air Force	Compton Bolter
1998
Moiava	Restless War	Zirconi
1997
Roi Gironde	Diableneyev	Desert Drama
1996
Deadly Dudley	Sheer Reason	Hurricane State
1995
Titus Livius	Starmaniac	Seattle Special
1994
Bishop Of Cashel	Bashaayeash	Chequer
1993
Signe Divin	Carmot	Wessam Prince
1992
Kadounor	Wixon	Chancetobewild
1991
Cardoun	Tertian	Absurde

1990-1988
1990
Ganges	Crack Regiment	Divine Danse
1989
Septieme Ciel	Sharp Sass	Robin Des Bois
1988
Corviglia	Mister Sicy	Philippi

History

The event was established in 1891 at Maisons-Laffitte, and it was originally held in September. It served as a trial for the Grand Critérium in mid-October. It was initially contested over 1,400 metres, and was shortened to 1,200 metres in 1897.

The Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1919. It was extended to 1,500 metres in 1922.

The race was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was staged at Longchamp in 1941 and 1942, and at Le Tremblay over 1,400 metres in 1944. It took place at Longchamp again in 1945, and was abandoned in 1948. Its regular distance was cut to 1,400 metres in 1952.

The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte was classed at Group 2 level. It was moved to late October or early November in 1981.

The event was contested at Évry over 1,300 metres in 1995 and 1996. During this period it was called the Critérium des Deux Ans. It reverted to 1,400 metres in 1997, and started its present spell over 1,200 metres in 2001. The race was moved to mid-October in 2015 as part of a series of changes to autumn races for two-year-olds.^[1] Maisons-Laffitte closed at the end of the 2019 season and the race has been run at Chantilly since 2020.

Records

Leading jockey (5 wins):

• Christophe Soumillon – Zinziberine (2002), Whipper (2003), Captain Marvelous (2006), Kiram (2013), Sky Majesty (2024)

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Leading trainer (9 wins):

• François Boutin – Speedy Dakota (1974), Crowned Music (1978), Viteric (1979), Cresta Rider (1980), Zino (1981), L'Emigrant (1982), Procida (1983), Corviglia (1988), Ganges (1990)

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Leading owner (9 wins):

• Marcel Boussac – Ramus (1921), Nosca (1941), Sandjar (1946), Djeddah (1947), Pharad (1951), Albanilla (1953), Janiari (1955), Floriana (1958), Perello (1976)

Winners since 1978

Year	Winner	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
1978	Crowned Music	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	Walter Haefner	1:25.30
1979	Viteric	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	Walter Haefner
1980	Cresta Rider	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	Stavros Niarchos
1981	Zino	Philippe Paquet	François Boutin	Gerry Oldham
1982	L'Emigrant	Cash Asmussen	François Boutin	Stavros Niarchos	1:30.50
1983	Procida	Cash Asmussen	François Boutin	Stavros Niarchos	1:25.20
1984	Rapide Pied	Freddy Head	Criquette Head	Maktoum Al Maktoum	1:29.20
1985	Lead on Time	Alain Badel	Olivier Douieb	Maktoum Al Maktoum	1:25.00
1986	Grecian Urn	Alain Lequeux	David Smaga	Sir Michael Sobell
1987	Bitooh	Gary W. Moore	Criquette Head	Maktoum Al Maktoum	1:31.90
1988	Corviglia	Eric Saint-Martin	François Boutin	Jerome Brody	1:30.70
1989	Septieme Ciel	Guy Guignard	Criquette Head	Johnny Jones	1:24.30
1990	Ganges	Éric Legrix	François Boutin	Allen Paulson	1:25.90
1991	Cardoun	Alain Lequeux	Élie Lellouche	Edgard Zorbibe	1:29.70
1992	Kadounor	Olivier Doleuze	Jean Laumain	Henri Rabatel	1:35.40
1993	Signe Divin	Thierry Jarnet	André Fabre	Paul de Moussac	1:28.50
1994	Bishop of Cashel	David Harrison	James Fanshawe	Moncrisp Ltd	1:32.20
1995	Titus Livius[lower-alpha 1]	Cash Asmussen	Jonathan Pease	Stavros Niarchos	1:19.07
1996	Deadly Dudley[lower-alpha 1]	Olivier Peslier	Richard Hannon Sr.	Lucayan Stud	1:20.11
1997	Roi Gironde	Olivier Peslier	Criquette Head	Peter Savill	1:27.50
1998	Moiava	Olivier Doleuze	Criquette Head	Wertheimer et Frère	1:31.90
1999	Touch of the Blues	Dominique Boeuf	Carlos Laffon-Parias	Maktoum Al Maktoum	1:29.80
2000	Amiwain	Olivier Peslier	André Fabre	Jean-Luc Lagardère	1:29.40
2001	Captain Rio	Thierry Jarnet	Richard Whitaker	David Samuel	1:14.30
2002	Zinziberine	Christophe Soumillon	André Fabre	Elisabeth Fabre	1:12.70
2003	Whipper	Christophe Soumillon	Robert Collet	Richard Strauss	1:14.70
2004	Centifolia	Ioritz Mendizabal	Robert Collet	Steeve Berland	1:12.00
2005	Balthazaar's Gift	Jamie Spencer	Kevin Ryan	Ryder Racing Ltd	1:10.10
2006	Captain Marvelous	Christophe Soumillon	Barry Hills	Ronald Arculli	1:11.60
2007	Pomellato	Andrasch Starke	Peter Schiergen	Gestüt Ittlingen	1:13.60
2008	Smooth Operator	Andreas Helfenbein	Mario Hofer	Stall Jenny	1:15.30
2009	Our Jonathan	Jamie Spencer	Kevin Ryan	Marwan Koukash	1:19.70
2010	Blu Constellation	Mirco Demuro	Vittorio Caruso	Scuderia Incolinx	1:14.40
2011	Restiadargent	Maxime Guyon	Henri-Alex Pantall	Guy Pariente	1:14.40
2012	Penny's Picnic	Antoine Hamelin	Didier Guillemin	Saint-Seine / Delegue	1:14.40
2013	Kiram	Christophe Soumillon	Jean-Claude Rouget	HH Aga Khan	1:16.30
2014	Mattmu	David Allan	Tim Easterby	James Bowers	1:13.35
2015	Donjuan Triumphant	Alexis Badel	Richard Fahey	Middleham Park Racing	1:13.10
2016	Sans Equivoque	Thierry Jarnet	Didier Guillemin	Sun Bloodstock Sarl	1:12.78
2017	Fighting Irish	Cristian Demuro	Harry Dunlop	Daniel Macauliffe & Anoj Don	1:11.59
2018	Hello Youmzain	Kevin Stott	Kevin Ryan	Jaber Abdullah	1:10.60
2019	Shadn	Pierre-Charles Boudot	Andrew Balding	Katsumi Yoshida	1:12.23
2020	Plainchant	Valentin Seguy	Maurizio Guarnieri	Alain Jathiere	1:16.15
2021	Malavath	Olivier Peslier	Francis-Henri Graffard	Everest Racing, David Redvers & Mrs Barbara M Keller	1:12.11
2022	Charyn	Mickael Barzalona	Roger Varian	Nurlan Bizakov	1:10.58
2023	Classic Flower	Mickael Barzalona	Patrice Cottier	Gousserie Racing & Jean-Etienne Dubois	1:10.03
2024	Sky Majesty	Christophe Soumillon	William Haggas	Tony Bloom & Ian McAleavy	1:14.15

1. The 1995 and 1996 runnings took place at Évry

Earlier winners

• 1891: Idalie
• 1892: Commandeur
• 1893: L'Herault
• 1894: Cherbourg
• 1895: Champignol
• 1896: Fils de Roi
• 1897: Artisan
• 1898: Holocauste
• 1899: Ramadan
• 1900: Butor
• 1901: Le Mandinet
• 1902: Hebron
• 1903: French Fox
• 1904: Val d'Or
• 1905: Prestige
• 1906: Peroraison
• 1907: Northeast
• 1908: Azalee
• 1909: Nuage
• 1910: Nectarine
• 1911: Montrose
• 1912: Coupesarte
• 1913: Listman
• 1914–19: no race
• 1920: Cortland
• 1921: Ramus
• 1922: Épinard
• 1923: Carnation
• 1924: Melisande
• 1925: Apelle
• 1926: Fenimore Cooper ¹
• 1927: Mourad
• 1928: Florio
• 1929: Le Val d'Enfer
• 1930: Indus
• 1931: Present
• 1932: Le Cacique
• 1933: Boucan
• 1934: Clain
• 1935: Alejo
• 1936: May Wong
• 1937: Blue Star
• 1938: Birikil
• 1939–40: no race
• 1941: Nosca
• 1942: Pensbury
• 1943: Turquoise
• 1944:
• 1945: Tourmente
• 1946: Sandjar
• 1947: Djeddah
• 1948: no race
• 1949: Fort Napoleon
• 1950: Le Tyrol
• 1951: Pharad
• 1952: Fort de France
• 1953: Albanilla
• 1954: Soleil Royal
• 1955: Janiari
• 1956: Achaz
• 1957: Bella Paola
• 1958: Floriana
• 1959: Djebel Traffic
• 1960: Star
• 1961: Lebon M L
• 1962: Neptune's Doll
• 1963: Soleil d'Or
• 1964: Sea Bird
• 1965: Hauban
• 1966: Gazala
• 1967: Pola Bella
• 1968: Rimesault
• 1969: Faraway Son
• 1970: Round Top
• 1971: Steel Pulse
• 1972: Rose Laurel
• 1973: Wittgenstein
• 1974: Speedy Dakota
• 1975: Earth Spirit
• 1976: Perello
• 1977: Vallee des Fleurs ²

¹ Jopp finished first in 1926, but was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry.
² Cosmopolitan was first in 1977, but he was placed second after a stewards' inquiry.

See also

• List of French flat horse races

References

1. "European Pattern Committee announces changes to the 2015 European Programme". britishhorseracing.com. Retrieved 16 October 2015.

• France Galop / Racing Post:
  • 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
  • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
  • 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
  • 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• galop.courses-france.com:
  • 1891–1919, 1920–1949, 1950–1979, 1980–present
• france-galop.com – A Brief History: Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte.
• galopp-sieger.de – Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte.
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (2016).
• pedigreequery.com – Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte – Maisons-Laffitte.