{{Short description|French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse}}
{{Infobox racehorse | horsename = Sir Des Champs | image_name = Sir Des Champs.jpg | caption = Sir Des Champs at Leopardstown in February 2013. | sire = Robin des Champs | grandsire = Garde Royale | dam = Liste en Tete | damsire = Video Rock | sex = Gelding | foaled = 28 May 2006 | country = France | colour = Bay | breeder = Dominique Clayeux | owner = Dominique Clayeux<br>Gigginstown House Stud | trainer = E Clayeux<br>Willie Mullins | record = 19: 10−2−1 | earnings = £483,896 | race = Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle (2011)<br>Greenmount Park Novice Chase (2011)<br>Killiney Novice Chase (2012)<br>Jewson Novices' Chase (2012)<br>Growise Champion Novice Chase (2012)<br>Hennessy Gold Cup (Ireland) (2013)<br>Punchestown Gold Cup (2013) | awards= | honours = | updated= }} '''Sir Des Champs''' (28 May 2006 – 18 May 2018) was a French-bred, Irish-trained AQPS racehorse who competed in National Hunt races. After winning only one of his five races in his native country, Sir Des Champs was transferred to Ireland and won seven races in succession including the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, Greenmount Park Novice Chase, Killiney Novice Chase, Jewson Novices' Chase and Growise Champion Novice Chase. The 2012/2013 saw the emergence of a rivalry between Sir Des Champs and another Irish-trained chaser Flemenstar. After beating his rival in the Hennessy Gold Cup, Sir Des Champs was regarded as a leading contender for the 2013 Cheltenham Gold Cup in which he finished second to Bobs Worth. He suffered a fatal injury when competing in Point-to-point racing in May 2018.
==Background== Sir Des Champs is a dark-coated bay gelding bred in France by Dominique Clayeux. He was sired by the French Thoroughbred stallion Robin des Champs, whose other progeny include the mare Quevega a six-time winner of the David Nicholson Mares' Hurdle.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/profile/horse/527138/robin-des-champs |title=Robin Des Champs Stud Record |publisher=Racing Post |date=2012-02-15 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref> Sir Des Champs' dam Liste en Tete was a Selle Français mare.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}
==Racing career==
===2009/10 National Hunt season=== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2020}} Sir Des Champs began his racing career at Nancy on 8 November 2009 when he finished sixth in a 2400 metre hurdle race. He was unsuccessful in three more races at minor French tracks before recording his first success at Auteuil Hippodrome on 14 March when he won the Prix de l'Yonne over 3300 metres.
In the autumn of 2010, Sir Des Champs was sent to Ireland, where he joined the stable of Willie Mullins in County Carlow.
===2010/11 National Hunt season=== On his first appearance for his new trainer, Sir Des Champs won a two-mile hurdle race at Navan Racecourse on 25 January 2011. Two months later, Sir Des Champs was sent to England, where he was one of twenty-three runners to contest the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle. Ridden by Emmet Mullins he took the lead on the run-in and won by half a length from Son of Flicka.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/11/cheltenham/2011-03-18/524039 |publisher=Racing Post |title=Martin Pipe Hurdle result |date=18 March 2011 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref>
===2011/12 National Hunt season=== In the 2011/2012 National Hunt season, Sir Des Champs was campaigned in novice steeplechases and was unbeaten in five races. On his first appearance of the season in November he started the 2/7 favourite for a beginners' chase at Fairyhouse Racecourse and won by eight and a half lengths from Gran Torino. A month later he was moved up to Grade 1 class for the Greenmount Park Novice Chase at Limerick and won by seven lengths from Four Commanders.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/188/limerick/2011-12-26/545332 |publisher=Racing Post |title=Greenmount Park Hurdle result |date=26 December 2011 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref> On his final race before the 2012 Cheltenham Festival, Sir Des Champs won the Grade 2 Killiney Novice Chase at Leopardstown Racecourse, despite making a mistake at the last fence. His performance led Willie Mullins to describe the gelding as "a serious machine".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/2012/0128/290730-leopardstownreview/ |title=Champs emerges as Cheltenham contender |publisher=RTÉ |date=28 January 2012 |accessdate=2013-03-10}}</ref> On 15 March 2012, Sir Des Champs was one of ten runners to contest the Golden Miller Novices' Chase over two and a half miles at Cheltenham. Ridden by Davy Russell, he took the lead on the run-in and won easily by four and a half lengths from Champion Court<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/11/cheltenham/2012-03-15/546182 |publisher=Racing Post |title=Jewson Chase result |date=15 March 2012 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref> to record his second consecutive Festival win. After the race his owner revealed that he had considered running the gelding in the three mile RSA Chase and Willie Mullins indicated that Sir Des Champs would be aimed at the following year's Cheltenham Gold Cup.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/uk/2012/0315/312890-jewson_cheltenham_sirdeschamps/ |title=Super Sir jumps into Gold Cup picture |publisher=RTÉ |date=15 March 2012 |accessdate=2013-03-10}}</ref> In April Sir Des Champs was moved up in distance for the Growise Champion Novice Chase over three miles and a furlong at the Punchestown Festival. He started the 2/7 favourite and despite almost unseating Davy Russell at the last fence, he won by thirty-six lengths.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/195/punchestown/2012-04-24/550777 |publisher=Racing Post |title=Growise Novices Chase result |date=24 April 2012 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref>
===2012/13 National Hunt season=== Sir Des Champs' opening race of the 2012/2013 season was the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase which saw him matched for the first time against Flemenstar, the winner of the Arkle Novice Chase and the Powers Gold Cup. Davy Russell on Sir Des Champs tracked Flemenstar for most of the race, but was unable to make any progress in the straight and was beaten into second place by five lengths.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/195/punchestown/2012-12-09/566763 |publisher=Racing Post |title=Punchestown Chase result |date=9 December 2012 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref> Sir Des Champs and Flemenstar met again in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown in December. In a dramatic and closely contested finish, Sir Des Champs finished fourth behind Tidal Bay, First Lieutenant and Flememstar, beaten less than a length by the winner. The third clash between Sir Des Champs and Flemenstar took place on 9 February in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown. Davy Russell sent the French gelding into a narrow lead three fences from the finish and Sir Des Champs stayed on strongly in the straight to beat Flemenstar by one and three quarter lengths.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/187/leopardstown/2013-02-09/570613 |publisher=Racing Post |title=Hennessy Gold Cup result |date=9 February 2013 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref> In the Cheltenham Gold Cup on 15 March he tracked the leader Long Run until challenging for the lead entering the straight. He was overtaken by Bobs Worth approaching the second last fence and despite rallying on the run-in was beaten seven lengths by the favourite. On 24 April Sir Des Champs started 2/1 favourite for the Punchestown Gold Cup over three miles and one furlong on soft ground. He moved up to dispute the lead three fences from the finish and held off the challenges of Long Run and First Lieutenant to win by three-quarters of a length and half a length. Mullins described it as "a great performance" and praised the riding of Russell saying "Davy gave him an enterprising ride. He grabbed the bull by the horns at the third last".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/22287323 |title=Sir Des Champs wins thrilling Punchestown Gold Cup |publisher=BBC |date=24 April 2013 |access-date=2014-01-04}}</ref>
===2013/14 National Hunt season=== As in the previous season Sir Des Champs began his campaign in the Punchestown Chase in early December. He took an early lead but fell at the third fence, allowing his stable companion Arvika Ligeonniere to win easily by nine lengths from Rubi Light. In the Lexus Chase later that month he finished fourth behind Bobs Worth, First Lieutenant and Rubi Ball after making a slight mistake at the last fence. On 3 January, Mullins announced that Sir Des Champs had sustained a tendon injury and would miss the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/25597436 |title=Sir Des Champs: Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up out for season |publisher=BBC |date=3 January 2014 |access-date=2014-01-04}}</ref>
===2015/2016 National Hunt season=== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2020}} Sir Des Champs returned from injury in November 2015 to win the Boomerang Animal Bedding And Boomerang Horse & Country Store Chase and beating Rubi Light by 2 and 3/4 lengths but failed to make any impression in future grade 1's against stablemates Don Poli and Rule The World.
==Pedigree== {{Pedigree |name = Sir Des Champs (FR), bay gelding, 2006<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=ORDER_AND_CONFIRM&reference_number=4667808®istry=T&horse_name==Robin%20des%20Champs%20(FR)&dam_name==Relayeuse&foaling_year=1997&nicking_stats_indicator=Y |title=Robin des Champs pedigree |website=Equineline|date=2012-05-08 |accessdate=2013-03-09}}</ref> |f = Robin des Champs (FR)<br />1997 |m = Liste en Tete (FR)<br />1999 |ff = Garde Royale (IRE)<br />1980 |fm = Relayeuse (FR)<br />1987 |mf = Video Rock (FR)<br />1984 |mm = Badrapette (FR)<br />1989 |fff = Mill Reef |ffm = Royal Way |fmf = Iron Duke |fmm = Reliorneuse |mff = No Lute |mfm = Pauvresse |mmf = Bad Conduct |mmm = Trapette |ffff = Never Bend |fffm = Milan Mill |ffmf = '''Sicambre''' |ffmm = Right Way |fmff = '''Sicambre''' |fmfm = Insulaire |fmmf = El Relicario |fmmm = Ordonneuse |mfff = Luthier |mffm = Prudent Miss |mfmf = Home Guard |mfmm = Misoptimist |mmff = Stalwart |mmfm = White Lie |mmmf = Perouges |mmmm = Graminee (Selle Français) |}}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:2006 racehorse births Category:2018 racehorse deaths Category:Racehorses bred in France Category:Racehorses trained in Ireland Category:Non-Thoroughbred racehorses Category:National Hunt racehorses