Un de Sceaux
Un de Sceaux | |
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Ryanair Novice Chase (2015) (2018, 2019)Clarence House Chase (2016, 2017, 2018) Prix La Barka (2016) Tingle Creek Chase (2016) Ryanair Chase (2017) Hilly Way Chase (2017) Devenish Chase (2018) Punchestown Champion Chase |
Un de Sceaux (foaled 5 May 2008; French pronunciation:
Background
Un de Sceaux is a bay gelding with two white
Racing career
Early career
Un de Sceaux ran twice as a four-year-old in France in flat races for non-Thoroughbred horses, winning by twenty
2013/14 National Hunt season: hurdles
Un de Sceaux was unbeaten in five races over hurdles in the 2013/14 National Hunt season. He began the season by winning by twenty-nine lengths at
2014/15 National Hunt season: novice chases
In the 2014/15 season, Un de Sceaux was campaigned in novice steeplechases. On his debut over the larger obstacles, he started 1/8 favourite at Thurles in November, but after building up a considerable lead, he fell at the third last fence. Walsh described it as "a novicey fall" and insisted "he's a hell of a good horse".
On 10 March 2015, Un de Sceaux started 4/6 favourite for the Arkle Challenge Trophy on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival. Clarcam was again in opposition but the betting suggested that his main danger would come from the Paul Nicholls-trained Vibrato Valtat, who had won the Henry VIII Novices' Chase, Wayward Lad Novices' Chase and the Kingmaker Novices' Chase in his last three races. Un de Sceaux took his customary early lead and shook off the challenge of Vibrato Valtat approaching the second last. He jumped the last two lengths clear of God's Own before drawing away in the closing stages to win by six lengths. After the race, Mullins said "He's not a typical racehorse and I don't think he's any pedigree, either, which is extraordinary. He is what we call a pure freak".[7] The gelding ended his season in the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown on 30 April and started the 1/10 favourite against four opponents. He led from the start and won by three lengths from the British challenger Just Cameron.[13]
2015/16 National Hunt season: steeplechases
After an absence of almost eight months, Un de Sceaux returned in the Grade 1
On his second appearance at the Cheltenham Festival Un de Sceaux started 4/6 favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase. He took the lead four fences from the finish but was overtaken approaching the final turn and finished second, three and a half lengths behind Sprinter Sacre. He faced Sprinter Sacre again in the Celebration Chase at Sandown but made numerous jumping errors and was beaten fifteen lengths into second. Un de Sceaux was sent to France for a summer campaign beginning with the Prix La Barka at Auteuil on 21 May. Racing on very soft ground he was among the leaders from the start and drew away in the closing stages to win "very comfortably" by eight lengths from Le Grand Luce.[15] Three weeks later the gelding was stepped up in distance for France's premier hurdle race, the Grande Course de Haies d'Auteuil over 5100 metres. He started favourite and disputed the lead for most of the way but weakened from the second last obstacle and finished sixth behind the British-trained Ptit Zig.
2016/17 National Hunt season: steeplechases
Un de Sceaux began the 2016/17 National Hunt season in the Tingle Creek Chase at
In the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on 16 March Un de Sceaux started favourite against seven opponents. He put in an exuberant display of jumping under Ruby Walsh to win by 1 and a half lengths from Sub Lieutenant to complete three grade ones in a row for Willie Mullins Iron Horse. Un de Sceaux attempted to make it four grade ones in a row in the Boylesports Punchestown Champion Chase. However he met stiff opposition from the Colin Tizzard trained Fox Norton and suffered his first defeat of the campaign finishing second by almost 2 lengths.
2017/18 National Hunt season: steeplechases
In the 2017/18 season Un de Sceaux ran five times, achieving four victories (the Hilly Way Chase, the Clarence House Chase, the Devenish Chase and the Punchestown Champion Chase) and one second place. His one defeat of the season came at the Cheltenham Festival, where he started odds-on favourite in the Ryanair Chase but was beaten four and a half lengths by Balko des Flos.[17]
2018/19 National Hunt season: steeplechases
Un de Sceaux had just three outings in the 2018/19 season. In his first race of the season he was beaten four lengths into second place by the odds-on favourite Altior in the Tingle Creek Chase. He then came fifth in the Ryanair Chase, beaten eight and a half lengths by Frodon. The season ended on a winning note as he retained his crown in the Punchestown Champion Chase, beating stablemate and odds-on favourite, Min, by four lengths.[17]
2019/20 National Hunt season: steeplechases
In his first race of the season, the Tingle Creek Chase, Un de Sceaux was denied victory by the favourite Defi Du Seuil by just a neck. He then started 11/10 joint favourite with Defi Du Seuil in the Clarence House Chase, and was again beaten by him into second place.[17]
In February 2020 twelve-year-old Un de Sceaux was preparing for the Queen Mother Champion Chase when he suffered a suspensory ligament injury and Mullins announced his retirement. The trainer said: "He was a fantastic racehorse first over hurdles and then over fences and gave us and his owners, the O'Connell family, many great days. He's 12 but was still showing all the enthusiasm he displayed throughout his career." Un de Sceaux had won 23 of his 34 starts, including ten Grade 1 victories. Ruby Walsh had ridden him on 15 winning occasions and Paul Townend on three occasions, while Barry Geraghty, David Mullins and amateur Patrick Mullins each secured one win over jumps on him. He was ridden out at home by Virginie Bascop.[18][17]
In April 2020 Un de Sceaux left Ireland for his retirement in France.[19]
Pedigree
Sire Denham Red (FR) 1992 |
Pampabird (IRE) 1979 |
Pampapaul | Yellow God |
---|---|---|---|
Pampalina | |||
Wood Grouse | Celtic Ash | ||
French Bird | |||
Nativelee (FR) 1982 |
Giboulee | Northern Dancer | |
Victory Chant | |||
Native Berry | Ribero | ||
Noble Native | |||
Dam Hotesse de Sceaux (FR) 1995 |
April Night (FR) 1986 |
Kaldoun | Caro |
Katana | |||
My Destiny | Chaparral | ||
Carmelite | |||
Olympe Occitane (FR) 1980 |
Diarifos | Dionysos | |
Diana | |||
Papadiketeme | Klairon | ||
Gorda (Family 16-g) |
See also
References
- ^ "Denham Red – Stud Record". Racing Post.
- ^ "Prix de l'Ile d'Hoedic result". Racing Post. 14 October 2012.
- ^ "Star Best for Racing Coverage Novice Hurdle result". Timeform. 26 April 2013.
- ^ "Red Mills Trial Hurdle result". Timeform. 15 February 2014.
- ^ "Prix Hypothese". Timeform. 29 March 2014.
- ^ "Prix Leon Rambaud result". Timeform. 26 April 2014.
- ^ a b "Un De Sceaux wins Arkle with ease". RTÉ Sport. 10 March 2015.
- ^ James Burn (29 November 2014). "Don't lose faith in Un De Sceaux says Walsh". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
- ^ "Beginners Chase result". Timeform. 20 December 2014.
- ^ Marcus Armytage (23 December 2014). "Make no mistake Un De Sceaux looks something special". Telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "Arkle Novice Chase result". Timeform. 25 January 2015.
- ^ Andrew Dietz. "Un De Sceaux destroys pair at Leopardstown". Racing Post.
- ^ "Ryanair Novice Chase result". Timeform. 30 April 2015.
- ^ Stuart Riley (23 January 2016). "Ascot Un De Sceaux stamps class on Clarence House". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 16 February 2016.
- ^ "Prix la Barka result". Racing Post. 21 May 2016.
- ^ "Tingle Creek Chase result". Timeform. 3 December 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Un de Sceaux". Racing Post. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ^ "Ruby Walsh hails 'freakishly enthusiastic' Un De Sceaux following retirement". Racing Post. 28 February 2020.
- ^ "Iron horse Un De Sceaux heads for his French retirement home". Horse Racing Ireland. 28 April 2020.
External links
- Career 1-2-3 Colour Chart – Un De Sceaux