New Sponsor For French Classics

A new alliance between France Galop, Arqana and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council will see the last named organisation become the title sponsor of both the French 2000 and 1000 Guineas and also the sponsor of Arqana's Breeze Up Sale in May. The two Classics, which will now be run as the G1 Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Poulains and the G1 Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Pouliches will also benefit from an increased prize-money purse of €600,000 and €500,000 respectively. The races will again be staged at Deauville this year before returning to Longchamp in 2018. Commenting on the new sponsorship Olivier Delloye of France Galop said, “France Galop is delighted that the Abu Dhabi Sports Council has accorded France such a paramount place in its European sponsorship program. As early as next year, the Poules d'Essai will start a new chapter in its long history by returning to a completely new and modernised Longchamp, to the benefit of all, professionals as well as visitors. This relocation will create new prospects for the partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council that we intend to build on over many years.”

The Arqana Breeze Up Sale in partnership with Abu Dhabi Sports Council takes place May 12, on the eve of the colts' Classic, with 137 lots catalogued. The juveniles will breeze on the turf course at Deauville and Eric Hoyeau, chairman of Arqana said, “We are honoured that the Abu Dhabi Sport Council is showing so much interest in the French breeding, racing and sales industry by agreeing to form this unique partnership with Arqana and France Galop. The Breeze Up sale is an event that has really taken off over the last ten years, in terms of results in the sales ring, but also at the racecourses.”

Faisal Al Rahmani, spokesman for the Abu Dhabi Sports Council also commented on the new alliance, “Abu Dhabi has a long history of partnering with French racing. We are very happy to now count a race within a race meeting as prestigious as the French Guineas and to extend this partnership to Arqana, an agency with which we have had a very good relationship for many years.”