French racing

With Paris ruled out of racing action for the immediate future, Clairefontaine take on the G3 Prix du Palais-Royal on Thursday with Spinning Memories (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) set to start at prohibitive odds. Fourth in this when staged at its usual home of ParisLongchamp 12 months ago, Sutong Pan Racing Bloodstock's 5-year-old went on to garner Deauville's G3 Prix de Meautry over six furlongs in late August after filling fourth spot in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest there three weeks earlier. She was impressive when taking the...

French listed winner Helter Skelter (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}-Winna Chope {Fr}, by Soave {Ger}) sustained a fatal injury on the gallops on Wednesday morning, owner Masaaki Matsushima confirmed to Jour de Galop. The colt, an €30,000 yearling at the Osarus September Yearling Sale in 2018 who was purchased by Matsushima after his 3 1/2-length victory in the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage, had held an entry in the June 1 G1 G1 Poule d'Essai de Poulains. He was a last out sixth in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau...

Fresh from a break having garnered the immensely valuable Longines Turf H. at Riyadh Feb. 29, George Strawbridge's Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) managed to continue the winning sequence in Sunday's G3 Prix de Barbeville at Deauville and book a potential trip to Royal Ascot. Prior to his Saudi venture, the homebred had been out of luck but always on the premises in seven starts since his defeat of Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger) in the 2018 G1 Prix du Cadran at Paris Longchamp and it was that old...

Keeping up its morning theme, Chantilly stages a fascinating renewal of the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines for the older milers at 11 a.m. on Monday, with Jean-Claude Seroul's beloved Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) back in the limelight following a stellar 2019 campaign. Scaling the ladder effortlessly with wins in the Listed Prix Jacques de Bremond at Vichy in July and G3 Prix Quincey at Deauville August over this mile trip before securing the 10-furlong G2 Prix Dollar at ParisLongchamp in October and G2 Premio Roma at Capannelle in...

France's frenzied week of high-class action continues on Thursday, with ParisLongchamp again in action with key trials for the middle-distance Classics. First up is the nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force for the colts, with last year's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero Mkfancy (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) looking to build on a solid comeback effort when beaten a length attempting to give four pounds to the smart Waltham (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault over this trip on Chantilly's Polytrack Mar. 9. This rates as the most serious...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features the highly regarded Mare Australis (Ire). 12.10 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €20,000, 3yo, c/g, 8fT HURRICANE CLOUD (GB) (Frankel {GB}) debuts in the silks of his breeder Guy Pariente and is a half-brother to his resident sire Goken (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), a very sharp juvenile who took the...

   Where the preceding G3 Prix de Fontainebleau was a steadily-run affair, the G3 Prix de la Grotte proved a true test and it was Lady Bamford's classy and dependable Tropbeau (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) who came out comfortably on top in the trial for the upcoming G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Last seen finishing third when encountering significant late trouble in running in the six-furlong G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket in September, the G3 Prix Six Perfections and G2 Prix du Calvados winner waited in third early with a suitable...

Along with New York and London, Paris has earned another, more unwelcome renown of late but on the day that most of the rest of France emerge from their doors closed shut by COVID-19, the Bois de Boulogne bears witness to the first major sporting action since mid-March. Such is the tightrope nature of the industry's predicament at present, it was enough to convince President Macron at the 11th hour to allow racing to take place within the "red zone" which is still under strict lockdown. ParisLongchamp has seen its...

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...

Despite rumblings of growing uncertainty regarding the resumption of French racing on May 11, France Galop announced that the meetings were still greenlit as of late Friday evening in France. France has not conducted racing since Mar. 17 due to the coronavirus. The statement read: "Since this morning, some alarmist reports have been circulating regarding the resumption of racing on 11 May in France, which have given racing professionals rise to legitimate concern. France Galop and LeTROT have worked tirelessly throughout the day to continue to convince the parties concerned...

Exciting filly Khayzaraan (GB) (Kingman {GB}) could reappear at ParisLongchamp on May 11 if racing in France gets the go-ahead to resume on that date. France Galop announced on Wednesday evening that plans were in place for a resumption of the sport behind closed doors next month, subject to the necessary Government clearance. Should that be the case, Freddy Head has the option of taking in the G3 Prix de la Grotte with the Sheikh Hamdan-owned daughter of Kingman, before hopefully heading back to Paris for the G1 Poule d'Essai...

In this new series we sit down with a selection of Europeans making a significant impression in the Thoroughbred industry on foreign shores. Today we have France's Louis Le Metayer in the hot seat. Position: Astute Bloodstock, an  independent bloodstock agency. Original Hometown: I grew up in a small village in the southern part of Normandy called Colombiers. It's a region where horses are a very big part of the local culture. If you drive from Colombiers to Deauville (130km) you are pretty much guaranteed to see a stud farm,...