Hippodamia (horse)

After finishing second over 900 metres on her racecourse debut, Hippodamia recorded her first success in a minor race over 1100 metres and then finished fifth in her next appearance. She was then moved up in class for the Group One Prix Robert Papin over 1100 metres at Maisons-Laffitte on 29 July. Ridden by the Australian Bill Pyers, she started a 17/1 outsider and finished third, beaten two lengths and a head by Lianga and Soyez Brave. Hippodamia was then sent to England to contest the Gimcrack Stakes at York Racecourse in August, but made little impression, finishing seventh behind Giacometti. The filly returned to France in September and was moved up in distance for the Prix des Chênes over 1600 metres at Longchamp Racecourse and finished second, four lengths behind the Aga Khan's colt Bayraan.[4]

On 7 October at Longchamp, Hippodamia started 4.2/1 second favourite for the Group One Critérium des Pouliches over 1600 metres. The favourite was Insistance, runner-up to Nonoalco in the Prix Morny, whilst the other runners included Polygamy and three others from Britain, Cake (third in the Morny) from Ireland and the locally-trained Comtesse de Loir, winner of her only previous start. Pyers sent the filly into the lead early in the straight and Hippodamia drew away from her sixteen rivals to win by a record margin of six lengths from Comtesse de Loir, La Tulipe and Polygamy.[4]

On her three-year-old debut, Hippodamia finished second to Paddy's Princess in the Prix de la Grotte over 1600 metres at Longchamp in April. On 5 May she started 5/2 second favourite behind Lianga in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and finished second, beaten a length by the 30/1 outsider Dumka. Three weeks later she was moved up in distance to contest the Prix Saint-Alary over 2000 metres at Longchamp, and started at odds of 3.75/1 against thirteen opponents including Comtesse de Loir, Paddy's Princess, Dumka, Pale Ale (winner of the Prix Penelope) and Rose Bed (Prix Chloé). Hippodamia stayed on in the straight without ever looking likely to win and finished second, two and a half length behind the winner Comtesse de Loir. On her next appearance she started 11/2 third favourite for the Prix de Diane over 2100 metres at Chantilly Racecourse and finished fifth behind the British filly Highclere. The filly was then employed as a pacemaker for her stable companion Dahlia in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup. Dahlia won both races, with Hippodamia unplaced. She then started joint-favourite for the Prix de l'Opéra at Longchamp on 6 October, but ran poorly, finishing unplaced behind Cheryl.[5]

In 1975, Hippodamia was campaigned in the United States where she won two minor races and finished second to Gull's Cry in the Grade III Columbiana Handicap at Hialeah Park.[6]