Prix Maurice de Gheest


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The Prix Maurice de Gheest is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,300 metres (about 6½ furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.

History
The event was established in 1922, and it was originally contested over 1,400 metres. It was named in memory of Maurice de Gheest (1850–1920), a member of the Société des Courses de Deauville, a former governing body at the venue.

Deauville Racecourse was closed during World War II, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest was cancelled in 1940. For the remainder of this period it was switched between Maisons-Laffitte (1941–43, 1945) and Auteuil (1944). It returned to Deauville in 1946, and it was cut to 1,300 metres in 1966.

The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Prix Maurice de Gheest was initially classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 1980, and to the highest level, Group 1, in 1995.

The Prix Maurice de Gheest was included in the Turf Sprint division of the Breeders' Cup Challenge series in 2009, but it was removed from the series the following year.

The race was sponsored by Wertheimer et Frère in 2011, and its title featured the name of Goldikova, a successful mare owned and bred by the Wertheimers.

The race has been sponsored since 2013 by LARC, Latin American Racing Channel broadcasting South American races to Europe, United States, Australia and Turkey, since 2006.

Records
Most successful horse (3 wins):
 * Marchand d'Or – 2006, 2007, 2008
 * Moonlight Cloud - 2011, 2012, 2013

Leading jockey (4 wins):
 * Lester Piggott – Mountain Call (1968), Abergwaun (1972), Moorestyle (1981), College Chapel (1993)
 * Gérald Mossé - Cricket Ball (1989), Dolphin Street (1994), May Ball (2002), Garswood (2014)

Leading trainer (7 wins):
 * Freddy Head – Marchand d'Or (2006, 2007, 2008), Moonlight Cloud (2011, 2012, 2013), Polydream (2018)

Leading owner (4 wins):
 * Marcel Boussac – Zariba (1922), Grillemont (1923), Theano (1943), Windorah (1947)
 * Pierre Wertheimer – Sonny Boy (1933), Djanet (1956), Midget (1957), Tomahawk (1959)

Earlier winners

 * 1922: Zariba
 * 1923: Grillemont
 * 1924: Persephone
 * 1925: Lezignan
 * 1926: Nyo
 * 1927: Mordicus
 * 1928: Galopin
 * 1929: Tivoli
 * 1930: Advertencia
 * 1931: Masked Jester
 * 1932: Ziani
 * 1933: Sonny Boy
 * 1934: Jocrisse
 * 1935: Master Vere
 * 1936: Aziyade
 * 1937: Aziyade
 * 1938: Sweet Dream
 * 1939: Le Koh-i-Noor
 * 1940: no race
 * 1941: Becassin
 * 1942: Galene
 * 1943: Theano
 * 1944: Le Volcan
 * 1945:
 * 1946: Tango
 * 1947: Windorah
 * 1948: Drakkar
 * 1949: Djebe
 * 1950: Skylarking
 * 1951:
 * 1952: Guam
 * 1953: Vamarie
 * 1954: Vamarie
 * 1955:
 * 1956: Djanet
 * 1957: Midget
 * 1958: Val d'Oisans
 * 1959: Tomahawk
 * 1960: Rina
 * 1961: Nice Guy
 * 1962: Nice Guy
 * 1963: Tryptic
 * 1964: Spy Well
 * 1965: Yours
 * 1966: Han d'Island
 * 1967: Radames
 * 1968: Mountain Call
 * 1969: Quebracho
 * 1970: Irish Minstrel
 * 1971: Sweet Revenge
 * 1972: Abergwaun
 * 1973: Pepenador