The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres at Longchamp in May. It is France's equivalent of the 1000 Guineas run in Britain.
Golden Lilac is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. She won her first six races including the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane as a three-year-old in 2011. In May 2012, she defeated Cirrus des Aigles to win the Prix d'Ispahan.
Special Duty is a British-bred, French-trained champion Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won two of her four starts as a two-year-old including the Group One Cheveley Park Stakes and the Group Two Prix Robert Papin and was named European Champion Two-year old Filly at the Cartier Racing Awards. As a three-year-old she recorded a rare double when taking the British Classic 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and its French equivalent, the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp. What made the achievement more unusual was that in both classics she crossed the line in second place and was awarded the victory following a disqualification.
Ravinella was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, best known for being the outstanding European filly of her generation in 1987 and for winning the classic 1000 Guineas in 1988.
Nobiliary was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She recorded her biggest win in the Washington, D.C.International in 1975, a year in which she became the only filly since 1916 to finish placed in the Derby Stakes. As a two-year-old she won one minor race but showed promised when finishing sixth in the Grand Critérium and third in the Prix des Réservoirs. In the following year she won the Group Three Prix de la Grotte and was thereafter campaigned exclusively in Group One/ Grade I company. She won the Prix Saint-Alary and was placed in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Epsom Derby, Irish Oaks and Prix Vermeille before ending her career with a win in the Washington, D.C.International. She had no success as a broodmare, producing only two foals.
Comtesse de Loir was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In her three-year racing career, she won only one important race, the Prix Saint-Alary in 1974. but was placed in numerous major events including the Critérium des Pouliches, Prix de Diane, Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (twice), Prix Ganay, Canadian International Stakes and Washington, D.C. International. Her performance in the 1973 Arc, when she was beaten a head by Allez France, saw her rated the best three-year-old of either sex to race in Europe that year.
Immortal Verse is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old she showed promise by winning on her debut and finishing second in the Prix d'Aumale. Her early form in 2011 was disappointing as she was beaten in her first two races and refused to enter the starting stalls in the 1000 Guineas. She then made rapid improvement, winning the Prix de Sandringham and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot before defeating a strong international field in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. She went on to finish third to Frankel in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes but failed to reproduce her best form in two races as a four-year-old. After her retirement from racing she was sold at auction for 4.7 million guineas setting a European record price for a broodmare.
Gold Splash was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was one of the best two-year-old fillies of her generation in France when she won the Prix Marcel Boussac on her third appearance. In the following season she finished third in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches before winning the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. She raced in the United States as a four-year-old, winning the Osunitas Handicap before being retired. Gold Splash was not a success as a broodmare, producing only two minor winners.
Ervedya is a French Thoroughbred racehorse best known for her performances over 1600 metres. She showed top-class form as a juvenile in 2014 when she won her first three races including the Prix de Cabourg before finishing third in the Prix Morny and second in the Prix Marcel Boussac. In the following year she won the Prix Imprudence and then recorded Group One wins in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Coronation Stakes. Later that season she added another major victory when she took the Prix du Moulin. In 2016 she failed to win but ran prominently in several major races.
L'Attrayante was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was the first, and remains, the only horse to win both the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Irish 1000 Guineas. As a two-year-old she showed very promising form, winning her first two races and later being placed in both the Prix du Calvados and the Prix Marcel Boussac. In the following spring she reached her peak, taking the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on 1 May and the Irish 1000 Guineas three weeks later.
Qemah is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed considerable promise as a juvenile in 2015 when she won one minor race and finished third in the Prix Marcel Boussac. The following spring, she took the Prix de la Grotte and went on to record Group 1 victories in the Coronation Stakes and Prix Rothschild. The highlight of her four-year-old season was a win in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes.
La Cressonniere is a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old in 2015 she won all four of her races including the Listed Prix Isonomy and Prix Herod but was not tested at the highest level. After winning another Listed race on her three-year-old debut she was stepped up in class and recorded Group 1 victories in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and the Prix de Diane. She added a win in the Prix de la Nonette later that year but she then began to suffer from back problems and was retired undefeated in 2017.
Darjina was a French Thoroughbred racehorse. After winning her only race as a juvenile she improved to become one of the best three-year-old fillies in Europe in 2007, winning the Prix de la Grotte, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix d'Astarte and Prix du Moulin. In 2008 she compiled an unusual record: competing exclusively at the highest level she finished second in all of six of her races. She was rated the best horse of her age and sex in Europe in both 2007 and 2008.
Zalaiyka was a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. After finishing fifth on her first appearance she won her two other races as a two-year-old including the Prix des Réservoirs. In the following year she took her winning run to four with victories in the Prix de la Grotte and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches but was beaten in her two remaining starts and was retired at the end of the season. As a broodmare she had little success as a dam of winners.
Teppal is a French-bred, British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2017 she won two minor races from two starts. On her first appearance of 2018 she recorded her biggest victory when she won the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. She was unplaced in two subsequent starts that year.
Castle Lady is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2019 she won a minor race on her debut before taking the Prix de la Grotte and then recording her biggest victory in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. In three subsequent races she finished fifth in the Coronation Stakes, second in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes and tenth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Senga was an American-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2016 she showed promising form as she won her second of her three races and finished a close fourth in the Prix Marcel Boussac. In the following year she won the Prix de la Grotte on her seasonal debut and recovered from defeats in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Sandringham to record her biggest win in the Prix de Diane. She was beaten in her three subsequent races and was retired from racing at the end of the year. She died in 2018.
Coeursamba is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed high-class form as a juvenile in 2020 when she won one race and was placed in both the Prix Six Perfections and the Prix d'Aumale. In the following spring she took the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
Mangoustine is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2021 she was undefeated in three races including the Listed Criterum de Lyon and the Group 3 Prix Miesque. After sustaining her first defeat when running third on her three-year-old debut she returned to winning form to take the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
Rougir is a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2020 she won three races including the Group 3 Prix des Reservoirs and also finished third in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. In the following year she was beaten in her first six races before taking the Prix de l'Opera and at the end of the season she was sold for €3,000,000. She was then sent to race in the United States where she won the Beaugay Stakes and Grade I E. P. Taylor Stakes as a four-year-old.
