Group 1 race | |
![]() 1899 winner Perth | |
Location | Longchamp Racecourse Paris, France |
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Inaugurated | 1883 |
Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
Website | france-galop.com |
Race information | |
Distance | 1,600 metres (1 mile) [1] |
Surface | Turf |
Track | Right-handed |
Qualification | Three-year-old colts [1] |
Weight | 58 kg [1] |
Purse | €600,000 (2022) 1st: €342,840 [1] |
2024 | ||
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Metropolitan | Dancing Gemini | Alcantor |
Previous years | ||
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2022 | ||
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Modern Games | Texas | Tribalist |
2021 | ||
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St Mark's Basilica | Colosseo | Breizh Eagle |
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) at Longchamp in May. It is France's equivalent of the 2000 Guineas run in Britain.
The Poule d'Essai, an event for three-year-old colts and fillies, was established in France in 1840. It was inspired by two races in England, the 2000 Guineas (for colts and fillies) and the 1000 Guineas (for fillies only).
The race was initially staged at the Champ de Mars. Its first running was over one full circuit of the track (about 2,000 metres). It was cut to a three-quarter lap (1,500 metres) in 1841. It was cancelled due to insufficient entries in 1843 and 1844.
The Poule d'Essai was transferred to Longchamp in 1857. It was extended to 1,600 metres in 1867. [2] It was abandoned because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. It continued to be run until 1882. [3]
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains was created in 1883, when the Poule d'Essai was divided into two separate races. [4] The "Poulains" was restricted to colts, and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was reserved for fillies.
The events were cancelled throughout World War I, with no runnings from 1915 to 1918. There were two 1,800-metre replacement races at Chantilly in 1917. [5] The version for colts was called the Critérium d'Essai des Poulains. [6]
The "Poulains" and "Pouliches" were not run in the spring of 1940, but a substitute combining both races took place at Auteuil in October. Titled the Prix d'Essai, it was won by the colt Djebel. [7]
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains was held at Le Tremblay in 1943, [8] and Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945. [9]
The present race grading system was introduced in 1971, and the event was given Group 1 status. It was switched from Longchamp's middle course (moyenne piste) to the main course (grande piste) in 1987.
The leading horses from the Poule d'Essai des Poulains sometimes go on to compete in the Prix du Jockey Club. The last to win both races was St Mark's Basilica in 2021.
Leading jockey (6 wins):
Leading trainer (11 wins):
Leading owner (8 wins):
a Faraway Son finished first in 1970, but he was relegated to third place following a stewards' inquiry.
b River Mist finished first in 1985, but he was relegated to fourth place following a stewards' inquiry.
c Noverre was first in 2001, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.
d The 2016 and 2017 runnings took place at Deauville while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment.
e The 2020 running took place at Deauville on 1 June as Longchamp was closed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
The Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, formerly the Grand Critérium, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres, and it is scheduled to take place each year in early October.
The Prix Lupin was a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It was run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,100 metres, and it was scheduled to take place each year in May.
The Prix Greffulhe is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old horses. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres at Saint-Cloud in May.
The Prix Djebel is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Deauville in April.
The Prix de Fontainebleau is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres at Longchamp in April.
The Prix La Rochette is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres, and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.
The French Classic Races are a series of Group One Thoroughbred horse races run annually on the flat. The races were instituted in the nineteenth century, taking the British Classic Races as a model.
The Prix de la Grotte is a Group 3 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 April.
The Prix Daphnis is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres, and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.
Teddy (1913–1936) was a French racehorse and an influential sire, especially for lines in Italy, France, and the United States. He is considered one of the most influential sires in the 20th century.
The Prix Omnium II is a Listed flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres at Saint-Cloud in late March or early April.
Val d'Or was a French Thoroughbred racehorse who was only defeated 16 times in his career. His wins included the Prix de Deux Ans, Grand Criterium, Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Eclipse Stakes. During his racing career he was owned by Edmond Blanc and trained by Robert Denman. After retiring from racing he became a sire in Argentina.
Kashmir was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, best known for winning the classic 2000 Guineas in 1966. Kashmir was one of the leading French-trained two-year-olds of 1965 when he won the Prix Robert Papin and was placed in both the Prix Morny and the Prix de la Forêt. In the following spring he won the Prix Djebel and then defeated twenty-four opponents in the 2000 Guineas. He was beaten in his two subsequent races and was retired to stud where he had considerable success as a sire of winners. When racing in Britain, the horse was known as Kashmir II.
Kalamoun was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Owned and bred by Aga Khan IV he showed promise as a juvenile, winning once and running well in the Observer Gold Cup and the Prix Thomas Bryon. In the following year he emerged as one of the best colts of his generation in France, recording Group One victories the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Prix Lupin and Prix Jacques Le Marois. He was retired at the end of the season and became a successful breeding stallion in a brief stud career.
Le Havre was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Bred in Ireland by his French-based breeders he was bought for €100,000 as a yearling and trained in the South-West of France by Jean-Claude Rouget. As a two-year-old, he showed promise in winning his first two races but finished unplaced when favourite for the Critérium International. He began his second season with an upset win over the favoured Naaqoos in the Prix Djebel and then finished second in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains before recording his biggest win in the Prix du Jockey Club. In the latter race, he sustained serious injuries which led to his retirement shortly afterwards. As a breeding stallion, he made an immediate impact, siring several major winners.
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.
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.
Ashkalani was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He won both of his races as a two-year-old including the Prix Thomas Bryon. In the following spring he won the Prix de Fontainebleau and Poule d'Essai des Poulains before sustaining his first defeat in the St James's Palace Stakes. He went on to win the Prix du Moulin before ending his track career by finishing fifth in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. He had moderate results as a breeding stallion.
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.