| Location | Longchamp Racecourse Paris, France |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1883 |
| Race type | Flat / Thoroughbred |
| Website | france-galop.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,600 metres (1 mile) |
| Track | Turf, right-handed |
| Qualification | Three-year-old colts |
| Weight | 58 kg |
| Purse | €450,000 (2011) 1st: €257,130 |
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sometimes referred to as the French 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.
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A mixed-sex race called the Poule d'Essai was established in 1840, and it was initially held at the Champ de Mars. It was inspired by two races in England, the 2,000 Guineas (for colts and fillies) and the 1,000 Guineas (for fillies only). The inaugural running covered one circuit of the track, about 2,000 metres, and it was cut to a three-quarter lap (1,500 metres) in its second year. The event was cancelled due to an insufficient number of entries in 1843 and 1844. It was transferred to Longchamp in 1857, and it was extended to 1,600 metres in 1867. It was abandoned because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.
The Poule d'Essai des Poulains was created in 1883, when the Poule d'Essai was divided into two separate races. The "Poulains" was restricted to colts, and the other race, the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, was reserved for fillies.
The event was cancelled throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1918. There was no racing in France in the spring of 1940, but a substitute which combined the "Poulains" and the "Pouliches" was held at Auteuil in October. It was titled the Prix d'Essai, and it was won by the colt Djebel. The Poule d'Essai des Poulains was run at Le Tremblay in 1943, and Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains was classed at the highest level, Group 1. It was switched from Longchamp's middle course (moyenne piste) to the main course (grande piste) in 1987.
The leading horses from the Poule d'Essai des Poulains sometimes go on to compete in the Prix du Jockey Club. The last to achieve victory in both races was Lope de Vega in 2010.
Leading jockey (6 wins):
Leading trainer (11 wins):
Leading owner (8 wins):
| Year |
Winner |
Jockey |
Trainer |
Owner |
Time |
| 1970 | Caro [a] | Bill Williamson | Albert Klimscha | Countess Batthyany | 1:41.30 |
| 1971 | Zug | Jean-Claude Desaint | John Cunnington, Sr. | William R. Hawn | 1:37.60 |
| 1972 | Riverman | Jean-Claude Desaint | Alec Head | Germaine Wertheimer | 1:38.60 |
| 1973 | Kalamoun | Henri Samani | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | 1:41.80 |
| 1974 | Moulines | Maurice Philipperon | Richard Carver, Jr. | Junzo Kashiyama | 1:43.90 |
| 1975 | Green Dancer | Freddy Head | Alec Head | Jacques Wertheimer | 1:39.30 |
| 1976 | Red Lord | Freddy Head | Alec Head | Jacques Wertheimer | 1:42.30 |
| 1977 | Blushing Groom | Henri Samani | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | 1:41.80 |
| 1978 | Nishapour | Henri Samani | François Mathet | HH Aga Khan IV | 1:46.10 |
| 1979 | Irish River | Maurice Philipperon | John Cunnington, Jr. | Mrs Raymond Adès | 1:39.80 |
| 1980 | In Fijar | Georges Doleuze | Mitri Saliba | Mahmoud Fustok | 1:38.40 |
| 1981 | Recitation | Greville Starkey | Guy Harwood | Anthony Bodie | 1:40.70 |
| 1982 | Melyno | Yves Saint-Martin | François Mathet | Stavros Niarchos | 1:38.60 |
| 1983 | L'Emigrant | Cash Asmussen | François Boutin | Stavros Niarchos | 1:46.30 |
| 1984 | Siberian Express | Alfred Gibert | André Fabre | Mahmoud Fustok | 1:35.80 |
| 1985 | No Pass No Sale | Yves Saint-Martin | Robert Collet | Richard C. Strauss | 1:38.10 |
| 1986 | Fast Topaze | Cash Asmussen | Georges Mikhalidès | Mahmoud Fustok | 1:48.30 |
| 1987 | Soviet Star | Greville Starkey | André Fabre | Sheikh Mohammed | 1:36.20 |
| 1988 | Blushing John | Freddy Head | François Boutin | Allen E. Paulson | 1:37.20 |
| 1989 | Kendor | Maurice Philipperon | Raymond Touflan | Adolf Bader | 1:36.10 |
| 1990 | Linamix | Freddy Head | François Boutin | Jean-Luc Lagardère | 1:35.90 |
| 1991 | Hector Protector | Freddy Head | François Boutin | Stavros Niarchos | 1:37.60 |
| 1992 | Shanghai | Freddy Head | François Boutin | Stavros Niarchos | 1:38.20 |
| 1993 | Kingmambo | Cash Asmussen | François Boutin | Stavros Niarchos | 1:39.10 |
| 1994 | Green Tune | Olivier Doleuze | Criquette Head | Jacques Wertheimer | 1:37.40 |
| 1995 | Vettori | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 1:40.40 |
| 1996 | Ashkalani | Gérald Mossé | Alain de Royer-Dupré | HH Aga Khan IV | 1:37.60 |
| 1997 | Daylami | Gérald Mossé | Alain de Royer-Dupré | HH Aga Khan IV | 1:42.60 |
| 1998 | Victory Note | John Reid | Peter Chapple-Hyam | Magnier / Sangster | 1:34.50 |
| 1999 | Sendawar | Gérald Mossé | Alain de Royer-Dupré | HH Aga Khan IV | 1:36.20 |
| 2000 | Bachir | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 1:39.40 |
| 2001 | Vahorimix [b] | Christophe Soumillon | André Fabre | Jean-Luc Lagardère | 1:35.40 |
| 2002 | Landseer | Michael Kinane | Aidan O'Brien | Tabor / Magnier | 1:36.80 |
| 2003 | Clodovil | Christophe Soumillon | André Fabre | Lagardère Family | 1:36.40 |
| 2004 | American Post | Richard Hughes | Criquette Head-Maarek | Khalid Abdullah | 1:36.50 |
| 2005 | Shamardal | Frankie Dettori | Saeed bin Suroor | Godolphin | 1:39.20 |
| 2006 | Aussie Rules | Kieren Fallon | Aidan O'Brien | Magnier / Tabor / Salman | 1:37.00 |
| 2007 | Astronomer Royal | Colm O'Donoghue | Aidan O'Brien | Smith / Tabor / Magnier | 1:37.10 |
| 2008 | Falco | Olivier Peslier | Carlos Laffon-Parias | Wertheimer et Frère | 1:35.60 |
| 2009 | Silver Frost | Christophe Soumillon | Yves de Nicolay | John D. Cotton | 1:35.43 |
| 2010 | Lope de Vega | Maxime Guyon | André Fabre | Gestüt Ammerland | 1:36.10 |
| 2011 | Tin Horse | Thierry Jarnet | Didier Guillemin | Marquesa de Moratalla | 1:36.33 |
a Faraway Son finished first in 1970, but he was relegated to third place following a stewards' inquiry.
b Noverre was first in 2001, but he was subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance.