Poule d'Essai des Pouliches

It has been a good spell for Christopher Head. On Sunday, his colt Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) became the latest group winner for owner-breeder Yeguada Centurion, followed two days later by a TDN Rising Star award for the trainer's first juvenile runner of the season, Ramatuelle (Justify), who demolished her opposition in the Prix du Premier Pas at Chantilly. This prominent start to the season picks up where Head left off last year: his first Group 1 success came in October's Prix Marcel Boussac with Blue Rose...

Homebreds hold the upper hand in the fillies' Classic, but the Arqana Deauville Select Yearling Sale, delayed from August and renamed in the first year of the pandemic, is well represented with graduates at ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Notably, Blue Diamond Stud bought the dams of both Mangoustine (Fr) and Sicilian Defense (GB) on the same day at the Arqana December Sale of 2019.   ROSACEA (IRE), Soldier Hollow (GB)--Relizane (GB) (Zamindar) Owner/Breeder: Haras De La Perelle Trainer: Stephane Wattel Pedigree insight: She is the third foal out of Relizane (GB)...

A diverse field is led by the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games (Ire) and ranging from some fancy homebreds to a €5,000 yearling purchase. Iffraaj (GB) features prominently among the entries for the colts' Classic, as sire, grandsire or great-grandsire of six of the 16 runners in the field.   WELWAL (GB), Shalaa (Ire)--Cheriearch (Arch) Owner: Al Shaqab Racing Breeders: Oceanic, A Gravereaux and OTI Management Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget Sales history: €80,000 at Arqana Deauville Select Yearling Sale (Mandore International Agency). Pedigree insight: A half-brother to the stakes-placed...

   Jim Bolger has some unfinished business to take care of on Sunday, having gone agonisingly close to an unprecedented English-French-Irish Guineas treble in 2007 with Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley). Denied by a head by Darjina (Fr) (Zamindar) in the second leg at ParisLongchamp, the "living legend" went on to add the Irish equivalent and it is a unique Guineas treble that is on the mind of the Coolcullen maestro once again in 2021. With an extra seven days than his brilliant filly had between the G1 2000 Guineas...

There is still a sense of the unknown where 'TDN Rising Star' Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is concerned, despite his already-impressive achievements, and Saturday's G1 Al Shaqab Lockinge S. at Newbury should provide more evidence as to the level of his ability. Staying on powerfully to win the G2 Sandown Mile by eight lengths on his seasonal return Apr. 23, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's G1 St James's Palace S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois hero has slower ground to contend with here but it should be...

At Wednesday's forfeit stage for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, both set for Sunday at ParisLongchamp, the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 1000 Guineas winners Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) both remained among the entries for their respective divisions. Also among the 13 colts still signed on for the Poulains are G1 Dewhurst S. winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}); G1 Prix Jean Luc Lagardere victor Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}); G1 Criterium International runner-up Normandy Bridge...

Trainer Ken Condon is looking ahead to next spring's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) after Doreen Tabor's G2 Lowther S. winner ran a fine race in third in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. "The mile was always a question mark, but to my eyes she got it well, and we were delighted with her," said Condon. "She's had a busy season, but she's retained her form well, and there is plenty to look forward to next year. "I think her main...

Poule d'Essai des Poulains ALSON (GER) (Aerion {Ger}-Assisi {Ger}, by Galileo {Ire}) Andre Fabre's new recruit Alson races as a homebred for Corinna Baronin Von Ullman of Gestut Schlenderhan. He has plenty of Classic pointers in his pedigree, being a half-brother to the 2018 G2 German 2000 Guineas winner Ancient Spirit (Ger) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a grandson of G1 German Oaks winner Amarette (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). The third dam Avocette (Ger) (King's Lake) also won the German Guineas. Amarette and Avocette both raced as homebreds for Gestut Schlenderhan. THE...

By way of some twists and turns of fate, Monday's two mile French Classics will return to Deauville's straight track and Friday's declaration stage saw a total of 21 protagonists engaged across the G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Pouliches. Of the nine set to line up in the Poulains, Andre Fabre has Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal), Corinna Baronin Von Ullmann's Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) and Coolmore's Arapaho (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), with the former the expected outright favourite at this juncture. Only third...

Eleven runners remain in the potential line-up for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and 16 for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, both of which are to be run on Monday at Deauville. With French racing remaining restricted to domestic runners until mid-June, all foreign-trained horses have been removed from the initial list of entries. A notable domestic defector among the colts is the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), who was scratched from his intended comeback run in the G3 Prix de...