Chanteur

The Second World War led to there being little racing in France in the summer and autumn of 1944 and Chanteur did not run as a two-year-old. In the spring of 1945 he established himself as one of the leading French colts of his generation by winning the Prix de Fontainebleau and the Prix Hocquart at Longchamp Racecourse before running second to Mistral in the Prix Lupin. From then on Chanteur was campaigned in the highest class. He finished fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club, fourth to Ardan in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and second to Caracalla in the Grand Prix de Paris.[4] In autumn he won the Prix Henry Delamarre before finishing third in both the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Prix Royal Oak.[5]

Chanteur's only important win of 1946 came in May when he won the older horses' version of the Prix Jean Prat (the race now known as the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier) over 3,000 metres at Longchamp. In this race he defeated the outstanding six-year-old stayer Marsyas who had won the race for the last two years. He went on to finish second in the Prix des Sablons (Prix Ganay) over 2000 metres and third to Marsyas in the 4000 meter Prix du Cadran.[5] In June 1946, Chanteur was part of an exceptionally strong[6] team of French stayers sent to Royal Ascot. He proved too good for the British opposition in the two and a half mile Ascot Gold Cup, but finished second, two lengths behind his compatriot Caracalla.[7]

Chanteur began his final season by showing good form over shorter distances, winning the Prix des Sablons and then moving down to 1500 metres to win the Prix Edmond Blanc. He was then sent to Britain where he won the £5,000 Winston Churchill Stakes at Ascot on 24 May and the £2,000 White Rose Stakes at Hurst Park four days later.[8] At this point he was bought by the bookmaker William Hill, although he remained in training with Count in France. The price was reportedly £70,000, the biggest sum paid for a racehorse in Britain, with Hill explaining that he was buying the horse primarily for his stud potential.[9] At Epsom Downs Racecourse in June he recorded his most significant international success when he won the Coronation Cup, beating Marcel Boussac's Coaraze. At Ascot later that month, Chanteur started the 2/11 favourite for the £11,316 Ascot Gold Cup, but was beaten four lengths by the French-trained four-year-old Souverain in the most valuable ever run in Britain up to that time.[10] Shortly after the race, Hill work that the horse would be retired from racing.[11]