The Duke Of York Cup
The ''Duke Of York Cup'' is the fourth and final Classic race on the Mauritius Horse Racing calendar. It was originally contested over the mile in 1927, when the Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess Of York Cup visited the island. A special day was organized on Thursday 2nd June that year, with five races on the card.
The very first edition of the Gold Cup, as the race is popularly known, had many twists and turns. Gander, who was the favourite, fell five furlongs from the finishing post, much to the dismay of the huge crowd that had flocked to the Champ de Mars. The pacemaker, Harry Of Monmouth led from start-to-finish, and did enough to fend off the fast-finishing Chica. His jockey, Allan Lewis, was in the spotlight on that day, winning in each of the three races he rode on the card.
The phenomenal Tommy Boy, who arrived from England at the age of two in 1934, wrote another chapter of this Classic race by winning the first of his five wins in 1936. His owners would bring him back to the winner's enclosure in 1937, 1938, 1941 and 1944. It is worth noting that two of his wins came despite the fact he was handicapped at 68 kg. In those days, the race was run at handicap conditions.
The conditions of the race were modified in 1955 in order to make it a genuine Classic. Contested at weight-for-age, the race was won for the second time in-a-row by Little Abner, brilliantly ridden by Australian jockey Charlie Malavich in a five-horse race.
Under weight-for-age conditions, the mighty South African steed Prodigal proved to be the best miler on the island three years in-a-row. This exploit in 1960, 1961 and 1962 would not be matched for almost a quarter of a century, by which the offspring of the legendary Irish stallion Noble Chieftain took Mauritian turf by storm. His sons Azul and Noble Salute went on to match Prodigal's exploits - Azul in 1977, 1978 and 1979, and Noble Salute in 1983, 1984 and 1985.
It is easy to understand how the Gold Cup became the Milers' Championship. Since the introduction of the metric system in 1981, the 1600 metres track record has been broken on three occasions. In 1991, St Johns Wood set a time of 1m37.4s, nibbling three tenths of a second off the time set by the legendary Wild Amber on August 27th 1988. However in 2004, the legendary Hinterland, set the bar high by setting a time of 1m35.76s, which would stand until Disa Leader's exploits in this very race in 2010, when he clocked 1m34,46s.
It is not only horses that have made history in this race. Jockeys have also made their contributions. Mauritian jockey Rye Joorawon has won this race five times - 2007, 2008, 2012, 2015 and 2016. Before him, South Africa's Pieter de Villiers Graff achieved a hat-trick in 1942, 1943 and 1944, before scoring his fourth win in 1947. Charlie Malavich, Jimmy Langdon, Len Hill and Karl Neisius are the other four jockeys to have achieved a treble in this race.
Année | Cheval | Propriétaire(s) | Poids | Jockey | Distance | Temps |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Walls Of Dubrovnik | Mr D.Chui Wan Cheong, Mr & Mrs P.Sreeneebus, Mr V.Ramassur, R.Chung & S.Mannick | 59kg | A-L.da Silva | 1600m | 1m36.29 |
2021 | Frosted Gold | MM. Jean Michel Lee Shim, Maxime Henri Maingard | 58kg | R.Joorawon | 1600m | 1m36.74 |
2020 | BLACK CAT BACK | MM. & Mmes Ramapatee, Tikanand, Dr. & Mme Hemant K. Gujadhur | 58kg | G. D. Aucharuz | 1600m | 1m36.54 |
2019 | WHITE RIVER | MM. Chandra Kumar Gujadhur & France Law | 58kg | M.Nunes | 1600m | 1m35.18 |
2018 | HARD DAY'S NIGHT | MM Chandra K., Ramesh, Bud, Dayanidhi, Moorli, Kamlakar & Anand Gujadhur | 58kg | M.Nunes | 1600m | 1m37.24 |
2017 | READY TO ATTACK | MM & Mmes Ramapatee, Tikanand, Dr. & Mme Hemant K. Gujadhur | 58kg | I.Chisty | 1600m | 1.36.30 |
2016 | PARACHUTE MAN | MM Didier V Descroizilles, M.Henri Maingard, M.&Mme Deepak Bundhoo & M. Didier Peten | 58kg | R.Joorawon | 1600m | 1.35.71 |
2015 | ONE COOL DUDE | M. G. Coombes, Mme M. Marie Goupille, MM. M.H Maingard, D. Peten & E. Carosin | 58kg | R.Joorawon | 1600m | 1.36.61 |
2014 | LOVE STRUCK | M. & Mme Paul & M. Bryan Foo Kune, M. & Mme Avishan Askurn | 58kg | S. Brown | 1600m | 1.35.96 |
2013 | TALES OF BRAVERY | Mmes Elisa Lagesse, M.Marie Goupille, Brigitta Dehring Maingard & M. M. Lagesse | 58kg | A. Fortune | 1600m | 1.36.42 |
2012 | TANDRAGEE | MM. Ramapatee, Vijay Kumar & Tikanand Gujadhur | 57.5kg | R. Joorawon | 1600m | 1.35.00 |
2011 | GREEN KEEPER | M. J.M. Caboche Adam, Mmes B. Sussens, L. Jean Hardy, MM. D. Peten & G. Hart de K. | 57.5kg | J. Geroudis | 1600m | 1.36.08 |
2010 | DISA LEADER | Dr. N.Dyall & MM. G.Rousset, D.Peten, J.C.Courtieux & A.D.de Spéville | 58kg | J. Geroudis | 1600m | 1.34.46 |
2009 | CAPTAIN'S KNOCK | Mme A.Howlakhan & MM.A.D.de Spéville,G.Rousset, D.Naik & Dr.G.Stasica | 58kg | R.S.Dye | 1600m | 1.36.42 |
2008 | RITZ CUB | MM. R.Chan, D.V.Descroizilles, I.Chuttoo, B.Holiday & V.Bhoojedhun | 58kg | R.Joorawon | 1600m | 1.36.32 |
2007 | LONDON DEL | M. & Mme Shekhar Ramdin & MM. R.Chan,L.Guness & V.... | 58kg | R.Joorawon | 1600m | 1.37.97 |
2006 | Chief Warrior | M. & Mme Gunness Gujadhur | 58kg | M. Neisius | 1600m | 1.37.50 |
2005 | Rhythmically | M. & Mme Mukesh Balgobin & Mlle Sandrine Henry | 58kg | K. Shea | 1600m | 1.38.10 |
2004 | Hinterland | M. & Mrs Gunness Gojadhur | 58kg | J. Taylor | 1600m | 1.37.31 |
2003 | Rhythmically | Mrss Philippe Henry & Mukesh Balgobin | 57kg | J. Lloyd | 1600m | 1.37.21 |
2002 | Johnny B Goode | MM. A Rassool, D. H Hang, K Kistnen & Mrs j. H Mai... | 58kg | J. Jago | 1600m | 1.36.70(R) |
2001 | Tub Thumper | MM &MrssP Henry&D V Descroizilles | 57kg | G.Hatt | 1600m | 1.37 5/10 |
2000 | Seraphos | M. Alain Perdrau | 58kg | K. Wright | 1600m | 1.39 1/10 |
1999 | Trump | M & Mrs Gavin Glover | 58kg | J. Powell | 1600m | 1.37 7/10 |
1998 | Hard Ball | M. & Mrs Philip Koon | 58kg | G. Van Zyl | 1600m | 1.38 7/10 |
1997 | Studded Chalice | M. Moosa, B. & A Gujadhur | 58kg | T. Jackman | 1600m | 1.39 1/10 |
1996 | Villiers | M. & Mrs B Jeetoo | 58kg | S. Randolph | 1600m | 1.38 6/10 |
1995 | Botanique | Mrss F. de C. du Mée, P. Fanchette & A.Pedrau | 58kg | S. Mahadia | 1600m | 1.37 7/10 |
1994 | Bold Statement | Gunness Gujadhur | 58kg | P. Nagadoo | 1600m | 1.37 5/10 |
1993 | Brief Affaire | M & Mrs A K Ip Kwok Sheung | 58kg | S. Sharman | 1600m | 1.37 7/10 |
1992 | Shadari | Mrs Gilbert Merven | 58kg | G. Schofield | 1600m | 1.38 5/10 |
1991 | St.Johns Wood | Mrs Jean Michel Giraud | 58kg | K. Neisius | 1600m | 1.37 4/10 |
1990 | Sea Warrior | Mrs J P. Li Sung Sang | 58kg | K. Shea | 1600m | 1.40 3/10 |
1989 | Sea Warrior | Mrs ]. P. Li Sung Sang | 58kg | K. Neisius | 1600m | 1.39 6/10 |
1988 | Wild Amber | Mrs Michaël Li Sung Sang | 58kg | K. Neisius | 1600m | 1.38 3/10 |
1987 | Expertise | Mrs Robert Maingard | 58kg | G. Waterston | 1600m | 1.38 1/10( |
1986 | Dambuster | Mrs Patrice Lagesse | 55kg | A. Doyal | 1600m | 1.39 5/10 |
1985 | Noble Salute | L. Edgard Adolphe, a.B.E | 58kg | D. Lombard | 1600m | 1.38 2/10( |
1984 | Noble Salute | Raj Rudhun | 58kg | M. Grigsby | 1600m | 1.39 4/10 |
1983 | Noble Salute | Robert Konfortion | 58kg | D. Grant | 1600m | 1.42 |
1982 | Monsieur Blanc | Mrs. Ram Ruhee | 58kg | A. Smith | 1600m | 1.39 8/10 |
1981 | Laldheer | Mrs Roger Koenig | 58KG | L. Hill | 1600m | 1.38 7/10( |
1980 | Holdall | Benoît Espitalier Noël | 9st 2lbs | K. Walson | 1 mile | 1.40 2/5 |
1979 | Azul | Mrs Roger Koenig | 9st 2lbs | L. Hill | 1 mile | 1.4 |
1978 | Azul | Mrs Roger Koenig | 9st 2lbs | L. Hill | 1 mile | 1.4 |
1977 | Azul | Mrs Roger Koenig | 9st 2lbs | G. Mather | 1 mile | 1.40 3/5 |
1976 | Peace Parade | Gunness Gujadhur | 9st 2lbs | Deanan | 1 mile | 1.39 4/5(R |
1975 | Special ldol | Roger Koenig | 9st 2lbs | A. Mc Lean | 1 mile | 1.41 4/5 |
1974 | Strident | Dr J Edouard 8runel, O.B.E. | 9st 2lbs | F.White | 1 mile | 1.42 4/5 |
1973 | Derby O'Gill | Dr J. Edouard Brunei, O.C.E. | 9st 2lbs | F.White | 1 mile | 1.43 2/5 |
1972 | The Barber | Dr. Jacques Ythier 9 | 9st 2lbs | A. Lilley | 1 mile | 1.42 |
1971 | SharpPip | Hon. Henry ythier, C.B.E | 9st 2lbs | T. Little | 1 mile | 1.40 3/5 |
1970 | Radlet | Gunness Gujadhur | 9st | L. K. linsley | 1 mile | 1.42 3/5 |
1969 | Puppet | Mrs Hervé Koenig | 9st 2lbs | B. Mac Donald | 1 mile | 1.42 1/5 |
1968 | Broadway Bill | Pierre Ythier | 8st 7lbs | B. EIder | 1 mile | 1.42 3/5 |
1967 | Mystic Snow | Balkrishna Ramphul | 9st 2lbs | J. Wakker | 1 mile | 1.40 2/5 |
1966 | Mystic Snow | Reesaul Ramlagan | 9st | N. Pratt | 1 mile | 1.41 1/5 |
1965 | Scalded Cat | Mrs H M de V-ès.offrant | 9st | 1. Spalding | 1 mile | 1.41 |
1964 | Amoretto | Philippe Roussel | 9st | B. Lewis | 1 mile | 1.42 |
1963 | Winged Pharoah | Mrs Freddy Audibert | 8st 11lbs | 1. Spalding | 1 mile | 1.39 4/5(R |
1962 | Prodigal | Mrs V. Pierre Goupille | 9st | P. King | 1 mile | 1.41(R) |
1961 | Prodigal | Mrs V. Pierre Goupille | 9st | P. King | 1 mile | 1.41 3/5 |
1960 | Prodigal | Philippe de Labauve d'Arifal | 9st | J. Gilmore | 1 mile | 1.41 1/5 |
1959 | Student Prince | Jacques G. Ducray | 9st | V. Caddy | 1 mile | 1.42 4/5 |
1958 | Ailill | Pierre Bonieux | 8st 11lbs | L. 0' Brien | 1 mile | 1.42 2/5 |
1957 | Arpad | Mrs J Daruty de Grandpré | 8st 11lbs | K.Smith | 1 mile | 1.42 2/5 |
1956 | Charybde | Gunness Gujadhur | 8st 8lbs | L. Cannell | 1 mile | 1.43 3/5 |
1955 | Little Abner | C. Phillippe Genève | 9st | C. F. Malavich | 1 mile | 1.42 |