Roquépine – from:passionchevaux62300.skyrock.com
Article by John Manenti
Perhaps without reaching the schizophrenic excesses of the Roman Emperor Caligula, who had to appoint his own horse Senator, but there is no doubt that some of these wonderful animals can inflame the collective imagination for their deedsand this is the case of the protagonist of our story today …
Born on 8 April 1961 to Atus II and Jalna IV, Roquépine is rightly considered one of the most famous post-war trotterson par with the equally famous One of Mayalthough the latter lacked the most prestigious affirmation, that is to triumph in the america price, A race that the French, from the top of their consecrated chauvinism, consider as the “Trotting World Championship” and which, conversely, saw Roquépine achieve three consecutive successes.
And it is certainly for this reason, having succeeded in such an undertaking – that before her it had only been completed by the legendary Uranie in the late 1920sand which we have already discussed – exactly 40 years later, Roquépine has earned a place in the hearts of all transalpine horse racing enthusiasts, but first things first …
The genesis of the name, which is due to the fact that the wife of the owner Henri Levesquein whose Stables she was born, while on her way to register the fact with the SECF (the French UNIRE …) she passes through “rue Rockthorn” in Paris, so as to decide that that should be the name to give to the mare.
Definitely a good omen, given that in the Capital – and more precisely at the Vincennes Racecourse – Roquépine captures its greatest triumphs, starting with the “Criterion of 4 years” which sees her impose herself in May 1965 in a time of 1’22”5, and then be confirmed at the end of the same year in the “Criterium Continental”, improving with 1’21”4, in both cases driven by its own owner Levesque …
With three more victories this season in French races, Roquépine is interested in the best drivers in the country, first of all the “legendary” Jean-Rene Gougeon – one, just to be clear, with something like 10 victories in the Prix d’Amerique in its Palmarès – for a winning combination that opens on the last Sunday of January 1966 on the occasion of the Prix d’Amerique.
Historical date also for Gougeon, given that for the same it is the first absolute affirmation in the queen race par excellencewhich sees Roquépine cross the finish line in 1’18″6 ahead of Elma and Querido II, for what is nothing more than the first affirmation of a triumphal season to say the least …
And, if at home, Roquépine has no rivals, imposing itself, among others, also in the “5 year old criteria”, his deeds cause them to find glory even beyond the borders, especially in Stockholm, where in the following month of May is led by Gougeon to triumph in the famous Elitloppetthe main Swedish race reserved for trotters aged 4 and over, where records the extraordinary time of 1’15”1to then also establish itself in Italy, making the Nations Grand Prix held at the San Siro racecourse in Milan, crossing the finish line in 1’18″4 run by owner Levesque.
One might think that much of the merit of Roquépine’s victories depends on the tactical mastery of a “King of the Hippodromes” which Gougeon, but in reality it is not so, as the following year, when Levesque is driving the 6-year-old, there is full confirmation of the motto that reads “reversing the order of the factors does not change the product” …
And the first to notice it are the public and its opponents in the Prix d’Amerique at the end of January 1967, in which, with a header at the fence, Roquépine manages to keep up with comeback attempts on the finish straight by Oscar RL and City Lights, so as to maintain that minimum margin that allows it to grant the encore of the previous year, curiously equaling the same time of 1’18” in 1966.
For Roquépine by now the adjectives are wasted, every time he takes to the track it is practically a “announced success” as the passionate spectators of the “Grand Prize Lottery” which takes place in April at the Agnano Racecourse in Naples, which they see her triumph in 1’16”4 again led to the finish line by Guegeon …
Driver, the latter, who has well understood that if he wants to enter the Golden Rolls of the biggest international events, he cannot ignore driving those who have made it their life mission to win, albeit the following month, for an encore in the Elitloppet in Sweden – also in this case equaling the time of 1’15”1 with which she established herself the previous year – let Levesque still sit on the sulky.
Conquered to the sound of victories in France, Italy and Sweden, Roquépine’s experience across the ocean is now opening, the last step to be able to rightly consider herself the number one in the world trot, an opportunity that presents itself when she is called to face the best American exponents in a US-Europe challenge such as to consider the “International Trot” which takes place in Long Island, New York, a sort of World Championship …
But once again there is none for anyone, and with Levesque still at the helm, Roquépine takes on the best opponents from overseas, imposing himself in 1’21”1 ahead of Fresh Yankee and Governor Armbroso that his extraordinary 1967 can only end with the logical affirmation in the “Grand European Circuit”, or the coronation as best continental trotter.
It is therefore not surprising that, il January 28, 1968, it is difficult to find a place in the stands of the Vincennes racecourse, so much is the wait to see if Roquépine will be able to match the feat accomplished four decades ago by Uranie, also having to face the onslaught of younger opponents, first of all Tony M who aspires to retrace his footsteps …
Back to being driven by Jean-René Gougeon, Roquépine stays on the tightrope throughout the race and then places an irresistible acceleration at the entrance to the finish straightmaking his third affirmation the easiest of the series, crossing the finish line in 1’19”1 making in vain Tony M’s late comeback attempt who has to settle for second place.
Now a legend, Roquépine enriches its own Palmarès by winning both the Prix de l’Atlantique for the second consecutive year (which takes place at the Enghien-Soisy Racecourse) that the “Grand Criterium de Cote d’Azur speed”with Levesque in the role of driver …
Across the border, the privilege of leading Roquépine to further triumphs belongs to Gougeon, with the combination to inflame San Siro with his second success in the Grand Prix of Nations, to then make the Americans understand that the 1967 victory at the “International Trot“It certainly wasn’t the result of chance, repeating this success by imposing himself in 1’18″7 with Fresh Yankee having to settle for the third coin this timealso preceded by Kentucky Fibber.
After led for the second consecutive season the Ranking of the “Grand European Circuit”fatally also for Roquépine the time has come to retire from the scene – also considering the rise of two other very valid trotters such as Tidalium Pelo and the aforementioned Une de Mai – with the only regret of not having included the Prix de France in his Palmarèswhere it finished second in 1967 behind Quérido II …
Very little, however, for a mare that su In 56 races entered, 26 had been won with another 15 placings and a total of prizes won of over 4.7 million francsdo you want to compare the career of Une de Mai who, despite having won more and collected prizes for almost double the value, does not she has never crossed the finish line first at the Prix d’Amerique, where she finished second at most in 1969 where the inheritance of Roquépine is won by Upsalin.
It is as if an athlete won every international event in the course of his activity, except for the Olympic Gold Medal …
Thankfully, Roquépine is not part of such a host…
I like:
“Like” Loading…