Deauville

After all the worry and uncertainty of the past few weeks, the first of the European Classics to be staged in the time of COVID-19 provided a reassuring outcome as Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) made class tell over the straight mile at Deauville. As it was before the huge disruption wrought by the virus, so it remains at least in this sphere with the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner confirming the form of the Arc card's juvenile highlight to regain the winning thread in Monday's G1...

Constant, blazing sunshine will welcome back Europe's Group 1 Classics at Deauville on Monday while Berlin-Hoppegarten join in with the first of their own domestic Classics on a day that will be relished by all the racing community. While the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Pouliches are an all-French affair in 2020 and the former is missing the country's leading juvenile of 2019 in Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), there are two Group 1 winners engaged to add gravitas to a renewal forever to be marked with an asterisk. Both...

One dozen fillies have been declared for Monday's €300,000 G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Deauville. Leading trainer Andre Fabre is doubly represented, with MGSW G1 Cheveley Park S. third Tropbeau (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) allocated stall six and Tickle Me Green (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) drawn in ten.

Nine colts will go postward for Monday's €360,000 G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Deauville. Godolphin's Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) is one of three nominations from the Andre Fabre stable and has drawn stall two for the straight one-mile test. Stablemates Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) and Arapaho (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) are housed alongside and will exit gates three and one, respectively.

French listed winner Helter Skelter (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}-Winna Chope {Fr}, by Soave {Ger}) sustained a fatal injury on the gallops on Wednesday morning, owner Masaaki Matsushima confirmed to Jour de Galop. The colt, an €30,000 yearling at the Osarus September Yearling Sale in 2018 who was purchased by Matsushima after his 3 1/2-length victory in the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage, had held an entry in the June 1 G1 G1 Poule d'Essai de Poulains. He was a last out sixth in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau...

PMU Chairman of the Board Bertrand Meheut has resigned, France Galop and LeTROT announced on Tuesday. France Galop President Edouard de Rothschild and LeTROT President Jean-Pierre Barjon, after consulting with the public authorities, have decided to support the candidacy of 70-year-old Deauville mayor Philippe Augier at the upcoming PMU board meeting on June 9. Augier is "appreciated," said the Jour de Galop, "for his passion, his energy and his ability to get things done."

The G1 French 2000 Guineas and G1 French 1000 Guineas were moved to Deauville on June 1 instead of ParisLongchamp, as French racing undergoes a venue shuffle following the news that racing has been called off in France's red zone on Tuesday due to coronavirus restrictions, France Galop announced on Wednesday evening. Both 1600-metre Classics will be contested over a straight course. The complete schedule for French racing from May 25th-June 1st was also released, with the May 31 G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly also slated for Deauville. Below are...

The Arqana Breeze Up Sale, which released its catalogue earlier this week, could be rescheduled for either June 3 or 4 depending on the COVID-19 situation, the sales company announced on Saturday. Currently, the sale is slated for May 9, with breezes to take place the day prior. This format would be maintained if the sale is moved to early June. Deauville Racecourse will continue to play host for the breezes, regardless of when it is actually conducted. "In the midst of a crisis that is affecting us all, we...

A colt by Le Havre (Ire) out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) is one of 165 juveniles catalogued for the Arqana Breeze Up Sale. The one-day sale is slated for Deauville on May 9, but that date is subject to change due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, former Arqana Breeze up graduates War of Will (War Front) and Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) claimed the GI Preakness S. Stateside and the G1 Prix de Diane, respectively. Sprinkled throughout the 38 consignors are...

The wraps have already been lifted from Tattersalls and Goffs and this week it is the turn of Arqana to host its mixed February Sale to start the auction year rolling in Deauville. The 'something for everyone' nature of these sales is always a draw even in the depths of winter, and though this lower-key debut will have none of the glitz and glamour of the August Sale, history relates that there are always gems to be found. Of course only time will tell whether any of the 431 lots...

Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment seems to have sailed a smooth upward trajectory since its establishment four years ago, hitting one target after the next. This June, a significant milestone was achieved when Fairway pinhook graduate Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never) took Royal Ascot's G2 Coventry S. Fairway Partners purchased the dark bay for 65,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and sold him to MV Magnier for €260,000 at last year's Arqana August sale. From the second crop of No Nay Never, Arizona is out of the placed English Channel...

Back in 2006, when the first two flashed past the winning post in the G1 Dewhurst S., they also earned themselves first and second places on the European Two-Year-Old Thoroughbred Racehorse Rankings. Galileo's unbeaten son Teofilo topped the table by 1lb from Danehill's dual Group 1-winning son Holy Roman Emperor, who had also been beaten into second place by Teofilo in the G1 National S. Holy Roman Emperor, for his part, had won four of his remaining five starts, notably taking the G1 Phoenix S. and the G1 Prix Jean-Luc...