French 1000 Guineas Preview: Bary has talent of Divine Proportions

By Adam Houghton — published 12th May 2017

Adam Houghton previews the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Deauville on Saturday and picks out his best bet.

The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, the French equivalent of the 1000 Guineas, has been won by Pau trainer Jean-Claude Rouget for each of the last three seasons, including with the very smart La Cressonniere 12 months ago. Rouget has endured a spell of terrible luck ahead of the latest renewal, however, with last year's winner now retired due to the recurrence of a back injury in April, and many of his other stable stars - including last year's champion three-year-old Almanzor - likely to be out of action for the foreseeable future after a deadly outbreak of the EH1-V virus at his yard.

Toulifaut has seemingly not been affected by the breakout, having proved better than ever when fourth on her seasonal reappearance in the Prix de la Grotte at Chantilly. She found less than looked likely when looming up dangerously with two furlongs to run that day, but wasn't given a hard time once it became clear her chance had gone and is entitled to improve with that first outing for six months under her belt. She had looked a good prospect when winning her first three starts as a juvenile and, one of the leading fillies from Frankel's first crop, Toulifaut could outrun her odds as she attempts to complete a four-timer in this race for the beleaguered Rouget.

The Pascal Bary-trained Senga was the winner of the aforementioned Prix de la Grotte at Chantilly and currently heads the market for the opening classic of the French season. She showed the best turn of foot in a typically steadily-run race on that occasion and was ultimately well in command at the finish, despite there being just a length and a quarter to separate the first four. She came up short on her only previous start at the highest level, finishing fourth in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly last October, but was unsuited by how the race developed that day and did well to finish as close as she did. She remains open to more improvement after just four starts and certainly deserves her place in the betting.

Bary last won this race with the high-class Divine Proportions in 2005 and is also represented by the improving Thais this time round. She took a signficant step forward when second on her most recent outing in the Prix Imprudence at Maisons-Laffitte, but is open to less improvement than the winner, Via Ravenna, and there is no obvious reason why she should reverse the placings here. Indeed, Via Ravenna should be seen to even better effect now stepping back up in trip and has to be respected for master trainer Andre Fabre, who has already won a remarkable nine Group races in France this year.

There is a strong international challenge standing in Fabre's way here, however, and Aidan O'Brien will be hoping to foil him once more this weekend, following Churchill's eclipse of Al Wukair in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Smart two-year-old Roly Poly is the standout candidate among the three Ballydoyle runners, although she was extremely disappointing when down the field on her return to action in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket and has something to prove now.

Sea of Grace, on the other hand, fared better than the bare result when fifth in the Nell Gwyn, doing too much too soon, and is worth another chance to confirm the promise she showed in three starts for John Oxx as a juvenile. William Haggas also runs Cristal Fizz, who remains unbeaten after two starts and shaped as if she would relish this longer trip when winning a listed race at Newbury last October. She still didn't look the finished article that day and is interesting with Gerald Mosse booked, although this test might come a bit soon in her development.

German raider Delectation, who won the Firth of Clyde Stakes for Bryan Smart at Ayr last September, and the unexposed Wajnah are others to mention, but the suspicion is that the market has this about right. Toulifaut is one that looks slightly overpriced as she attempts to give the Jean-Claude Rouget yard a much-needed boost, but it is difficult to see her reversing the placings with her recent Chantilly conqueror, Senga, and it is Pascal Bary's charge that gets the nod. She is among the principals on form and should prove extremely difficult to beat, with further improvement likely to be forthcoming after just four starts.