Peintre Celebre

There are racehorses that come to the racing world once in a lifetime. Witnessing their brilliant acceleration is like seeing prophets sent to the earth.

In the last Century, the Man o'War, Citation, Secretariat, Nijinsky and Shergar were perfect examples. The latest in that addition was Peintre Celebre.

This wonder horse was bred by his owner, the Wildenstein Family. His dam, Peinture Bleue was a daughter of Petroleuse, a Group3 winner in England, while his granddam, Plencia, was also the dam of the class Oaks and King George winner, Pawneese. His sire was Nureyev, France's champion miler in 1980, who was first past the post in the 2,000 Guineas of 1980, although was disquailified. Nureyev had earlier produced champion fillies, Theatrical and Miesque.

Peintre Celebre was sparsely raced as a two year old. He won a mile race at Deauville in August.

At 3 years old, Peintre Celebre made great strides winning the Prix Greffulhe in April. He won this event in a most impressive fashion. He was then directly entered into the French Derby (Jockey Club). The colt was still an inexperienced candidate but produced a sensational burst in the final furlong to win the race. The colt simply cruised like a missile, indicating that he was a true champion. Daniel Wildenstein, that day saw his life's dreams come true as his colours had never been carried to glory in the French Derby before. The colt won with the elegance of a Rolls Royce.

In the Grand Prix de Paris, the colt was less spectacular as the pace was slower and the going tough. Only 2 furlongs from home did Jockey Oliver Peslier release him and the colt cruised to victory.

As a preliminary to the Arc, Peintre Celebre was entered in the Prix Neil. The pace was run very slowly and the colt was locked in against the rails by Jockey Cash Asmussen, riding an outsider, preventing Peintre Celebre from sliding through an opening. The champion colt was virtually trapped in a jail. When the opening, came the winner Rajpoute was way ahead. Jockey Oliver Peslier claimed that jockey Asmussen had cheated him from winning, to avenge his being axed as the rider of Helissio, a year earlier.

In the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, there were 18 runners. It included eleven Group 1 winners.These included Helissio, the 5 length all-the way previous years winner, Pilsudski, the previous years Breeder's Cup winner, who subsequently won the Champion Stakes and Japan Cup, and Swain, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner, who conquered the mighty Singspiel.

In the paddock, his coat gleamed and his muscles rippled. Cash Asmussen attempted to repeat the tactics, riding Oscar Schindler making an impregnable trap to prevent Peintre Celebre from cutting through.On that day, Peslier was at his best. In a move as fast as a flash of lightning, the champion found a gap and like a rocket propelling flew through the field. In 100 yards the contest was over. Peintre Celebre's strides that day reminded fans of the great like Sea Bird. He won the race by 5 lengths like an emperor leading his knights in a victory procession. The course record was surpassed by 3,4 secs. It was the most comprehensive Arc win since Sea Bird.

It was an emotional moment for Daniel Wildenstein who had won the race 25 years previously with Allez France. In 1973, the French Government had threatened to prosecute Daniel Wildenstein for tax fraud charges, carrying a possible 4 million pounds fine. Allez France's win in the Arc that year saved him.

Sadly as a 4 year old, he suffered from an injured tendon and had to retire. Racing had lost one of it's most spectacular performers. He may have won a second Arc that year. Peintre Celebre was the best French horse since Vaguely Noble. In talent and natural ability, he compares with Sea Bird (Sea Bird won the Epsom Derby as well), Ribot (Ribot won two Arcs and the King George, plus was unbeaten in 13 races in Italy), Mill Reef (Mill Reef won the Epsom Derby, Eclipse Stakes, King George and Arc), Nijinsky (Nijinsky won the Triple Crown, Irish Derby and King George, being robbed of an Arc win because of an attack of ring worm) or Dancing Brave (2,000 Guineas, Eclipse, King George and Arc). However, the fact that he raced so sparsely, only competing in France as a 3 year old (missing the English Classics and the King George) and missing his entire 4 year old career gives those horses a superior rating.

Personally, I would rate him on par with Shergar and Vaguely Noble. Shergar, after gaining spectacular wins in the English and French Derbies and the King George totally lost form in the Leger where he finished 4th and was withdrawn from the Arc. Vaguely Noble missed the English classics and after a winning preparatory race in group 1 company in France won a spectacular Arc by 3 lengths from the great Sir Ivor.

Peintre Celebre was given the highest rating by timeform of any colt in Europe at 137, which the Racing Post franked of to 139. At one time, Peintre Celebre was awarded a rating of 147 in the season, even ahead of Sea Bird, however it was franked of to 137. Since Sea Bird, no French colt was superior to his rivals in Europe to the extent Peintre Celebre was. In my view of the European horses of the last decade Peintre Celebre was the best.

The day he blazed to victory on the track in the 1997 Arc will be one of racing's most memorable moments of all time.

Peintre Celebre 1994	Nureyev	Northern Dancer	Nearctic
			Natalma
		Special	Forli
			Thong
	Peinture Bleue	Alydar	Raise A Native
			Sweet Tooth
		Petroleuse	Habitat
			Plencia