France Galop

With Paris having been declared a green zone by the French government, racing will once again resume at ParisLongchamp, Saint-Cloud and Auteuil from next week. On May 19, eight days after racing in the country resumed behind closed doors, racing was called off by government order in the country's red zones, including Paris and its surrounding areas, causing meetings to be moved. Racing will still be held without spectators.

Foreign-trained horses will once again be allowed to run in France from Monday, June 15, France Galop announced on Friday. Racing in France resumed on May 11 behind closed doors after being shut down in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, but was restricted to French-trained horses. France Galop reiterated in its release that the people accompanying runners across borders would be subject to health restrictions but in place by governments.

1st-Nantes, €14,000, Mdn, 6-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:27.59, g/s. FOREFRONT (IRE) (c, 2, Estidhkaar {Ire}--Archange {Fr}, by Arcano {Ire}) ran seventh in a winner-producing maiden over six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in his May 12 debut and duly obliged as the 9-5 favourite here to become the first winner for Tara Stud-based freshman sire Estidhkaar (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Breaking ahead of all 10 rivals to gain an immediate lead, he held sway throughout and lengthened clear of toiling rivals in the straight to easily dismiss Another Hot Topic (Ire) (Rio de...

Cherie Amour (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}) makes all at Clairefontaine to become the first winner for her Haras de Bouquetot-based freshman sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}). 3rd-Clairefontaine, €22,000, Mdn, 6-4, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:26.80, sf. CHERIE AMOUR (FR) (f, 2, Shalaa {Ire}--Angel Falls {GB}, by Kingmambo), a May 21 third-of-four contesting a five-furlong newcomers' test at Deauville last time, was sharpest from the gates and seized immediate control of this return. In command throughout, the 13-10 pick was bustled along when tackled by Chiri Tsubaki (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) passing the quarter-mile...

Whereas the Poulains was a clear-cut affair, Deauville's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches provided a stirring climax as Haras du Logis Saint Germain's homebred Dream and Do (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) inched out Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in a frantic bobbing finish. Demonstrating her worth in this league when runner-up to Tropbeau (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) in the G3 Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp last time May 11, Dream and Do and Maxime Guyon were on the front foot from the outset in this Classic gifted...

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...

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.

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...

After eight days of racing behind closed doors since resuming on May 11, racing has once again been called off in France's 'red zone' areas--Ile-de-France, Hauts-de-France, Grand-Est and Bourgogne-Franche-Comte, which comprise Paris and its surrounding areas--with a government decree expected to be published in the coming days specifying that racing can continue in the country's 'green zones,' but not the red. The meetings affected over the next week are ParisLongchamp (Thursday and Sunday), Strasbourg (Thursday), Fontainebleau and Compiegne (Friday), Saint-Cloud (Monday) and Auteuil (Tuesday). Other courses in red zones include...

Chantilly plays host to the G3 Prix Texanita on Wednesday, with the domestic 3-year-old sprinters having their say over the six-furlong strip. Al Shaqab Racing's Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) reverts to this trip for the first time, having shown smart juvenile form over a furlong further when a short-head runner-up to Kenway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the G3 Prix la Rochette at ParisLongchamp in September and third in the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud the following month. He faces Guy Pariente's Wanaway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) who captured the...

French President Emmanuel Macron has greenlit the May 11 resumption of racing in France behind closed doors, France Galop and LeTROT jointly announced Saturday morning. France Galop, LeTROT and the National Federation of horse racing received the government authorities definitive approval for the resumption of racing in France from May 11, in accordance with the program established by the racing authorities. The news came after France Galop and Le TROT had spent Friday negotiating with the government, releasing a joint press release late Friday evening. There had been rumors of...