G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches

Staged in relentless driving rain, Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches offered a dramatic backdrop to the continued rise of Ballydoyle's brilliant Diamond Necklace who provided St Mark's Basilica with his first Classic. Sent off the 4-5 favourite returning to the ParisLongchamp track over which she had dominated the Prix Marcel Boussac in the autumn, the regally-bred TDN Rising Star tracked the early pace under cover before being sent down to the rail at the straight's cutaway. Surging to the front 300 metres from the finish, she was kept up...

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France, post time: 15:50, EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €650,000, 3yo, c, 8fT Field: Khovikhov (Fr) (Al Wukair {Ire}), Rayif (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), Hankelow (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Segall (Ire) (Sottsass {Fr}), Komorebi (Ire) (Pinatubo {Ire}), Mijas (Fr) (Karakontie {Jpn}), Puerto Rico (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Imperior (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Good Bye Manu (Ire) (Almanzor {Fr}), Dorset (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Elastic (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Nighttime (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Wootton Centurion (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). TDN Analysis: Coolmore's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere...

Following a remarkable Chester May meeting, Ballydoyle will look to continue their momentum into the weekend, with two Classics at stake on Sunday. Heading the baker's dozen going forward for ParisLongchamp's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains is the yard's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Criterium International hero Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), while their Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) is heavily favoured for the 15-strong G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), who will be accompanied by the G3 Killavullan Stakes and Goffs Million winner Dorset...

A baker's dozen will go forward for Sunday's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and 15 are set to head postward for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches after declarations for the ParisLongchamp Classics were confirmed Friday morning. Likely favourite for the colts' Classic is G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International hero Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), who will be accompanied by Aidan O'Brien stablemate Dorset (Wootton Bassett), as the trainer seeks a seventh win in the contest. They have drawn stalls seven and three, respectively. The domestic defence is...

Ghaiyyath is still awaiting a major winner in Britain and Ireland but he is compiling an interesting record in other parts of the world, including Australia, and to his G1 VRC Derby winner Observer was added Saturday's G2 Tulloch Stakes winner Storm Leopard. Most exciting of Ghaiyyath's second European crop last year was Godolphin's My Highness, who went unbeaten through four starts for Andre Fabre, culminating in an impressive victory in the G2 Sumbe Prix du Calvados last August.  Notably, amid a flurry of French Classic entries for the Fabre...

Shes Perfect, demoted to second in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches earlier this season, has not completely healed from her July setback and will be rested the remainder of the year, according to Basher Watts who heads her ownership syndicate. The daughter of Sioux Nation, a debut winner at Haydock in two starts last term, was second in April's G3 Prix de la Grotte to Zarigana (Siyouni), who benefitted from Shes Perfect's disqualification in the Pouliches. The Charlie Fellowes trainee, who is nicknamed Sue, was most recently ninth in...

Saturday, Lingfield, post time: 15:35, WILLIAM HILL CHARTWELL FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £90,000, 3yo/up, f/m, 7fT Field: Great Generation (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Fair Angellica (GB) (Harry Angel {Ire}), Jabaara (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), Spiritual (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Ziggy's Dream (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}), Cathedral (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}). TDN Verdict: Cathedral takes on her elders, getting a significant weight-for-age advantage which could give her the edge despite her inexperience. Second in the G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket in October, she had two of this season's...

After the disappointment of City Of Troy last Saturday, it is up to Ballydoyle's fellow TDN Rising Star Henry Longfellow (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to seek to redress the balance in Sunday's Emirates-sponsored G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp. While the stable's 3-year-olds seem to be gradually creeping into gear with every passing day, there is the sense that they are more than a little rusty as they reappear from winter quarters and the son of Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will have to be near a peak to navigate what...

The G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches is likely to be the next port of call for Folgaria (Ire) (Due Diligence) following her victory in the G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury on Saturday, her sixth victory from as many starts following an unbeaten two-year-old campaign in Italy when trained by Stefano Botti. Now in the care of Stefano's brother, Marco Botti, Folgaria was a welcome winner for the team at Prestige Place which has been mourning the death of the stable's former apprentice, Stefano Cherchi, following a fall in Australia...

Fresh off her victory in the Listed Prix La Camargo last Saturday, Chic Colombine (Fr) (Seahenge) has been tasked with the Apr. 14 G3 Prix La Grotte followed by the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on May 12, according to trainer George Boughey. The Highclere Thoroughbred Racing colourbearer was fourth in the G3 Oh So Sharp S. in October, and was making her eighth start on Mar. 16. "She was good, I think the fashion of her win was a bit surprising but it didn't surprise me that she won,"...

   As it was at Newmarket, ParisLongchamp's ground is going to take some getting through for the protagonists in Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and it is safe to say that appreciation of give underfoot is essential. That applies to several of the star colts and fillies lining up for the first domestic Classics and it is certain to be no worse than the testing going that Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) had to deal with at Newbury last...

Either the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas on May 7 or the French equivalent on May 14 are next for 'TDN Rising Star' Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), trainer Saeed bin Suroor revealed. Two-for-two at Meydan after victories on Jan. 27 and Feb. 24, the royal blue silksbearer is pleasing bin Suroor since her latest effort. Bin Suroor said, "She ran really well [on Feb. 24]. She won over six furlongs in England and she came back here over seven furlongs, the way she worked in the morning I thought...