Poule d'Essai des Pouliches
| Group 1 race | |
| Location | Longchamp Racecourse Paris, France |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1883 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Website | france-galop.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,600 metres (1 mile) |
| Track | Turf, right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old fillies |
| Weight | 57 kg |
| Purse | €450,000 (2011) 1st: €257,130 |
The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, sometimes referred to as the French 1,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.
History
A mixed-sex race called the Poule d'Essai was established in 1840, and it was initially held at the Champ de Mars. It was inspired by two races in England, the 2,000 Guineas (for colts and fillies) and the 1,000 Guineas (for fillies only). The inaugural running covered one circuit of the track, about 2,000 metres, and it was cut to a three-quarter lap (1,500 metres) in its second year. The event was cancelled due to an insufficient number of entries in 1843 and 1844. It was transferred to Longchamp in 1857, and it was extended to 1,600 metres in 1867. It was abandoned because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.
The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was created in 1883, when the Poule d'Essai was divided into two separate races. The "Pouliches" was restricted to fillies, and the other race, the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, was reserved for colts.
The event was cancelled throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1918. There was no racing in France in the spring of 1940, but a substitute which combined the "Pouliches" and the "Poulains" was held at Auteuil in October. It was titled the Prix d'Essai, and it was won by the colt Djebel. The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was run at Le Tremblay in 1943, and Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was classed at the highest level, Group 1. 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 Pouliches sometimes go on to compete in the Prix de Diane. Twenty-five fillies have won both events, and the most recent was Golden Lilac in 2011.
Records
Leading jockey (8 wins):
- Freddy Head – Ivanjica (1975), Riverqueen (1976), Dancing Maid (1978), Three Troikas (1979), Silvermine (1985), Miesque (1987), Matiara (1995), Always Loyal (1997)
Leading trainer (7 wins):
- Charles Semblat – Esmeralda (1942), Caravelle (1943), Palencia (1944), Corteira (1948), Coronation / Galgala (1949), Corejada (1950), Djelfa (1951)
- Criquette Head-Maarek – Three Troikas (1979), Silvermine (1985), Baiser Vole (1986), Ravinella (1988), Matiara (1995), Always Loyal (1997), Special Duty (2010)
Leading owner (8 wins):
- Marcel Boussac – Esmeralda (1942), Caravelle (1943), Palencia (1944), Corteira (1948), Coronation / Galgala (1949), Corejada (1950), Djelfa (1951), Apollonia (1956)
Winners since 1970
a Price Tag finished first in 2006, but she was relegated to third place following a stewards' inquiry.
b Liliside was first in 2010, but she was placed sixth after a stewards' inquiry.
Earlier winners
- 1883: Stockholm
- 1884: Yvrande
- 1885: Barberine
- 1886: Sakountala
- 1887: Tenebreuse
- 1888: Widgeon
- 1889: May Pole
- 1890: Wandora
- 1891: Primrose
- 1892: Kairouan
- 1893: Tilly
- 1894: Calceolaire
- 1895: Andree
- 1896: Riposte
- 1897: Roxelane
- 1898: Polymnie
- 1899: Sesara
- 1900: Semendria
- 1901: La Camargo
- 1902: Kizil Kourgan
- 1903: Rose de Mai
- 1904: Xylene
- 1905: Princesse Lointaine
- 1906: Sais
- 1907: Madree
- 1908: Sauge Pourpree
- 1909: Ronde de Nuit
- 1910: Vellica
- 1911: Bolide
- 1912: Porte Maillot
- 1913: Banshee
- 1914: Diavolezza
- 1915–18: no race
- 1919: Galejade
- 1920: Flowershop
- 1921: Nephthys
- 1922: Frisky
- 1923: Anna Bolena
- 1924: Rebia
- 1925: La Dame de Trefle
- 1926: Mackwiller
- 1927: Fairy Legend
- 1928: Roahouga
- 1929: Poesie
- 1930: Rose The
- 1931: Pearl Cap
- 1932: Ligne de Fond
- 1933: Bipearl
- 1934: Mary Tudor
- 1935: The Nile
- 1936: Blue Bear
- 1937: Colette Baudoche
- 1938: Feerie
- 1939: Yonne
- 1940: no race
- 1941: Longthanh
- 1942: Esmeralda
- 1943: Caravelle
- 1944: Palencia
- 1945: Nikellora
- 1946: Real
- 1947: Imprudence
- 1948: Corteira
- 1949: Coronation / Galgala *
- 1950: Corejada
- 1951: Djelfa
- 1952: Pomare
- 1953: Hurnli
- 1954: Virgule
- 1955: Dictaway
- 1956: Apollonia
- 1957: Toro
- 1958: Yla
- 1959: Ginetta
- 1960: Timandra
- 1961: Solitude
- 1962: La Sega
- 1963: Altissima
- 1964: Rajput Princess
- 1965: La Sarre
- 1966: Right Away
- 1967: Gazala
- 1968: Pola Bella
- 1969: Koblenza
* The 1949 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.
See also
References
- France Galop / Racing Post:
- galop.courses-france.com:
- france-galop.com – A Brief History: Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
- galopp-sieger.de – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
- horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (2011).
- pedigreequery.com – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches – Longchamp.
- tbheritage.com – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.