Alexis Pouchin

Anyone who knows Pete Bradley even a little bit knows that he's a devoted Francophile. You almost can't travel in France without running into Pete somewhere or another. Arc de Triomphe? `Hey, Pete.' December sale? `Hi again, Pete!' Dinner at a friend's house in rural Normandy? `Seriously, Pete?' So it's only fitting that the most recent American owner to win a French Classic is one who would appreciate it so much. When Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) exploded up the rail in the final stages of Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des...

Scheduled 40 minutes after the fillies' Classic, Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains offered a dramatic contrast with a heavy downpour greatly affecting the aesthetics at ParisLongchamp and to an extent the ground also. In the event, the race was off 40 minutes de retard due to the thunderstorm before Metropolitan (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}--Alianza {GB}, by Halling) provided another surprise result on the afternoon by overcoming higher-profile peers at 24-1. Unbeaten in two juvenile starts before finishing fifth in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Fontainebleau last month, the Mario...

One of the outsiders for Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp, Odette Fau's Haya Zark (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) proved toughest where it mattered to up his level a notch and register a career-best at 19-1. Last seen recording back-to-back wins in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Exbury in March, the homebred who had also garnered this track's 12-furlong G3 Prix d'Hedouville last May was kept close to the early pace by Alexis Pouchin before being launched passing two out. Game and genuine to the line, the Adrien Fouassier-trained 5-year-old got there a...

Completing the first part of trainer Gavin Hernon's masterplan, Dun Shing Lee's Dare To Dream (Fr) (Camelot {GB}--Debutante {Fr}, by Gold Away {Ire}) made her foray to ParisLongchamp a successful one on Sunday as she captured the G3 Prix Vanteaux. Third behind Ballydoyle's Content (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the same afternoon's Leopardstown group 3 runner-up Kitty Rose (GB) (Invincible Army {Ire}) in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. when last sighted in October, the 9-1 shot was held up in rear early by Alexis Pouchin. Delivered wide with a surge...

Reinvigorated by her career-best win in the G1 Prix Rothschild at the start of this August Festival, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}--Penne {Fr}, by Sevres Rose {Ire}) produced a dramatic late surge to deny Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) for a notable Deauville double in Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet. Switched off in last by Alexis Pouchin, the Andre Fabre-trained 7-2 second favourite handed the 6-5 market-leader first run in early straight but had the material to get to her and have her...

Haras de la Perelle's 4-year-old colt Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}--Swertia {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}), a three-time Group 2 scorer back home in France and unbeaten in four pattern races shy of top-flight company, made the breakthrough in his fourth attempt at Group 1 level with a decisive win--and a landmark for trainer Stephane Wattel--in an international renewal of Sunday's G1 Westminster 133rd Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten. April's G1 Prix Ganay runner-up and June's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly winner broke alertly from the outside stall, finding a...

Some choice 2-year-olds were on display at Deauville on Sunday and Gerard Augustin-Normand's Laulne (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) was among the pick as she captured the seven-furlong G3 Prix Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing. Always travelling with intent buried in mid-pack under man-of-the-moment Alexis Pouchin, the Yann Barberot-trained 9-1 shot who had won two races in the provinces burst to the front with 150 metres remaining and held on by half a length from the G2 Prix Robert Papin third Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx {GB}). Laulne, who began her career over...

Baron Edouard De Rothschild's Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}--Penne {Fr}, by Sevres Rose {Ire}) had uninspiring credentials heading into the race carrying her owner-breeder's family name at Deauville on Sunday, but what she lacked in credible form was made up for by the fact that she is under the care of Andre Fabre. Saddling a one-two in the first group 1 of the Deauville August festival for good measure as the French fillies came to the fore, the Chantilly maestro was bringing the half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix...

Returning from a break having failed to make an impact in the G1 Japan Cup, Haras de la Perelle and Stephane Wattel's Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}-Swertia {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) again demonstrated his love of ParisLongchamp by winning Sunday's G2 Prix d'Harcourt. Impressive in the G2 Prix Niel here in September, having finished second to Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris over that same mile-and-a-half course and distance in July, the 7-1 shot was positioned close to the early pace by Alexis Pouchin dropping...

Thursday's card at Chantilly witnessed Europe's first TDN Rising Star of 2023 as Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd's Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Painter's Pride {Fr}, by Dansili {GB}) powered to an impressive success in the 9 1/2-furlong Prix du Chateau de la Reine Blanche for unraced 3-year-old fillies. Away smartly under Alexis Pouchin, the 1-2 favourite who is a half-sister to the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal winner and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen third Canvassed (Ire) (Shamardal) and who hails from the Wildenstein dynasty of the champion Peintre Celebre was in front...