The Prix Gladiateur is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 3,100 metres (about 1 mile and 7½ furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.
History The event is considered to be France's oldest surviving horse race. It was established in 1807, and was originally called the Grand Prix. The first version was contested over two circuits of the Champ de Mars, a distance of 4,000 metres.
The race was renamed the Grand Prix Royal in 1834. It was held at Chantilly in 1846. It became known as the Grand Prix National in 1848, and the Grand Prix Impérial in 1853.
The Grand Prix Impérial was transferred to Longchamp and increased to 6,000 metres in 1857. It was retitled the Grand Prix de l'Empereur and extended to 6,200 metres in 1861. This distance, about 3 miles and 7 furlongs, was maintained for almost a century.
The race was renamed in honour of Gladiateur, a notable previous winner, in 1866. The newly titled Prix Gladiateur was cancelled because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870.
The race took place at Chantilly in 1906. It was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1918. It was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was staged at Le Tremblay in 1943 and 1944.
The Prix Gladiateur was cut to 4,800 metres in 1955. It was shortened to 4,000 metres in 1977, and to 3,100 metres in 1991.
Records
Most successful horse (3 wins):
Called To The Bar – 2018, 2019, 2020
Leading jockey (5 wins): Spreoty – Hervine (1852), Echelle (1853), Royal Quand Meme (1854), Monarque (1857), Mon Etoile (1862) Christophe Soumillon – Reefscape (2005), Domeside (2013), Walzertakt (2015), Vazirabad (2016, 2017) Maxime Guyon - Bathyrhon (2014), Called To The Bar (2018, 2019, 2020), Big Call (2022)
Leading trainer (13 wins): Tom Jennings – Hervine (1852), Echelle (1853), Royal Quand Meme (1854), Monarque (1857), Lysiscote (1860), Surprise (1861), Gladiateur (1866), Auguste (1868), Trocadero (1869), Nougat (1876), Verneuil (1878), Clementine (1879), Courtois (1880)
Leading owner (10 wins): Frédéric de Lagrange – Monarque (1857), Lysiscote (1860), Surprise (1861), Gladiateur (1866), Auguste (1868), Trocadero (1869), Nougat (1876), Verneuil (1878), Clementine (1879), Courtois (1880)
Winners since 1981 Year Winner Age Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1981 Kelbomec 5 Jean-Claude Desaint J. C. Cunnington Mrs Jacques Barker 4:45.80 1982 Kelbomec 6 Jean-Claude Desaint J. C. Cunnington Mrs Jacques Barker 4:39.00 1983 Balitou 4 Cash Asmussen Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 1984 Mister Jack 5 Yves Saint-Martin Pierre Biancone Jacques Baillif 5:01.20 1985 Balitou 6 Éric Legrix Patrick Biancone Daniel Wildenstein 4:40.10 1986 Silver Green 5 Yves Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré Marquesa de Moratalla 4:36.70 1987 Yaka 4 Dominique Boeuf Alain Chelet Mrs Arthur Dewez 4:47.90 1988 Sadeem 5 Greville Starkey Guy Harwood Sheikh Mohammed 4:21.30 1989 Hi Lass 4 Tony Cruz Jonathan Pease Arthur Budgett 4:22.10 1990 River Test 4 Freddy Head David Smaga Lord Weinstock 4:25.20 1991 Victoire Bleue 4 Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Daniel Wildenstein 3:21.00 1992 Le Montagnard 4 Christian Phelippeau Guy Henrot Joel Blandin 3:26.70 1993 Oh So Risky 6 John Williams David Elsworth Oh So Risky Syndicate 3:22.90 1994 Safety in Numbers 4 Tony Ives Lady Herries Edwin Cohen 3:32.30 1995 L'Ile Tudy 5 Alain Badel Myriam Bollack-Badel Georges Halphen 3:21.80 1996 Always Aloof 5 Olivier Peslier Michael Stoute Sven Hanson 3:19.10 1997 Orchestra Stall 5 Pat Eddery John Dunlop Sir David Sieff 3:18.30 1998 Tiraaz 4 Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 3:31.10 1999 Tajoun 5 Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 3:24.20 2000 Orchestra Stall 8 Thierry Thulliez John Dunlop Sir David Sieff 3:23.80 2001 Yavana's Pace 9 Joe Fanning Mark Johnston Joan Keaney 3:25.50 2002 Miraculous 5 Thierry Jarnet Didier Prod'homme Bernard Giraudon 3:20.10 2003 Darasim 5 Joe Fanning Mark Johnston Markus Graff 3:18.80 2004 Westerner 5 Olivier Peslier Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 3:26.60 2005 Reefscape 4 Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 3:28.40 2006 Le Miracle 5 Dominique Boeuf Werner Baltromei R'stall Gestüt Hachtsee 3:15.90 2007 Varevees 4 Thierry Jarnet Joel Boisnard Jean Uzel 3:15.00 2008 Kasbah Bliss 6 Thierry Thulliez François Doumen Henri de Pracomtal 3:14.50 2009 Kasbah Bliss 7 Thierry Thulliez François Doumen Henri de Pracomtal 3:18.40 2010 Gentoo 6 Gérald Mossé Alain Lyon Serge Tripier-Mondancin 3:34.10 2011 Ley Hunter 4 Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Godolphin 3:33.99 2012 Ivory Land 5 Stéphane Pasquier Alain de Royer-Dupré Eduardo Fierro 3:18.16 2013 Domeside 7 Christophe Soumillon Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez Safsaf Canarias Srl 3:27.24 2014 Bathyrhon 4 Maxime Guyon Pia Brandt Avaz Ismoilov 3:15.76 2015 Walzertakt 6 Christophe Soumillon Jean-Pierre Carvalho Gestut Aesculap 3:26.62 2016 Vazirabad 4 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:17.96 2017 Vazirabad 5 Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 3:18.13 2018 Called To The Bar 4 Maxime Guyon Pia Brandt Fair Salinia Ltd 3:18.23 2019 Called To The Bar 5 Maxime Guyon Pia Brandt Fair Salinia Ltd 3:23.42 2020 Called To The Bar 6 Maxime Guyon Pia Brandt Fair Salinia Ltd 3:21.11 2021 Bubble Smart 4 Ioritz Mendizabal Mikel Delzangles Zak Bloodstock 3:29.34 2022 Big Call 5 Maxime Guyon Christophe Ferland Christophe Ferland 3:20.342023Lastotchka4Theo BachelotJean-Marie BeguigneEcurie Forgeard/Bonnier3:19.752024Sevenna´s Knight4Mickael BarzalonaAndré FabreOTI Management Ltd3:30.602025Double Major5Maxime GuyonChristophe FerlandWertheimer & Frere3:34.702026Odemar6Dorian ProvostMarkus MünchErich Schwaiger3:18.85 Fly With Me finished first in 2015 but was disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.
The 2016 & 2017 runnings took place at Chantilly while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment.
Earlier winners
1834: Felix 1835: Miss Annette 1836: Volante 1837: Franck 1838: Corisandre 1839: Eylau 1840: Nautilus 1841: Giges 1842: Minuit 1843: Jenny 1844: Drummer 1845: Cavatine 1846: Fitz Emilius 1847: Predestinee 1848: Morok 1849: Dulcamara 1850: Serenade 1851: Messine 1852: Hervine 1853: Echelle 1854: Royal Quand Meme 1855: Festival 1856: Ronzi 1857: Monarque 1858: Miss Cath 1859: Tippler 1860: Lysiscote 1861: Surprise 1862: Mon Etoile 1863: Souvenir 1864: Noelie 1865: Ninon de Lenclos 1866: Gladiateur 1867: Vertugadin 1868: Auguste 1869: Trocadero 1870: no race 1871: Don Carlos 1872: Dutch Skater 1873: Barbillon 1874: Christiania 1875: Figaro 1876: Nougat 1877: Mondaine 1878: Verneuil 1879: Clementine 1880: Courtois 1881: Pourquoi 1882: Bariolet 1883: Mademoiselle de Senlis 1884: Satory 1885: Lavaret 1886: Escarboucle 1887: Upas 1888: Tenebreuse 1889: Tenebreuse 1890: Carmaux 1891: Mirabeau 1892: Primrose 1893: Aquarium 1894: Aquarium 1895: La Licorne 1896: Omnium II 1897: Elf 1898: Elf 1899: Patriarche 1900: Sospiro 1901: Mademoiselle de Longchamps 1902: Amer Picon 1903: Amer Picon 1904: Vieux Paris 1905: Maximum 1906: Clyde 1907: Punta Gorda 1908: Rabat Joie 1909: Sea Sick 1910: Pierre Benite 1911: Basse Pointe 1912: Chambre de l'Edit 1913: Philippe 1914–18: no race 1919: Passebreul 1920: Bachlyk 1921: Odol 1922: Flechois 1923: Flechois 1924: Trevise 1925: Cerfeuil 1926: Tomy 1927: Soun 1928: Bouda 1929: Nopal 1930: Monsieur le Marechal 1931: Filidor 1932: Reverende 1933: Voila 1934: Prince Oli 1935: Dejazcomba 1936: Bokbul 1937: Trevisani 1938: Pretender 1939–40: no race 1941: Rosette 1942: Ughald 1943: L'Aligote 1944: Marsyas 1945: Woodcutter 1946: Albor 1947: Blue Butterfly 1948: Monticola 1949: Blue Butterfly 1950: Vatelys 1951: Deux Points 1952: Ysard 1953: Xaret 1954: Ring Etoile 1955: Fil Rouge 1956: Savoyard 1957: Romantisme 1958: Ranchiquito 1959: Epsom Victory 1960: Epsom Victory 1961: Taine 1962: Hunch 1963: Kistinie 1964: Greyhound 1965: Fantomas 1966: Pompon Rouge 1967: Alciglide 1968: Samos 1969: Clairon 1970: Faux Monnayeur 1971: Barado 1972: Hickleton 1973: Lassalle 1974: Forceful 1975: Campo Moro 1976: Knight Templar 1977: John Cherry 1978: Biliboy 1979: Marson 1980: Anifa
See also List of French flat horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1807 – this race is included under its original title, Grand Prix.
References France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Gladiateur. galopp-sieger.de – Prix Gladiateur (ex Grand Prix de l'Empereur). horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Gladiateur (2016). pedigreequery.com – Prix Gladiateur – Longchamp.