French 1000 Guineas: a horse-by-horse antepost guide

The following horse-by-horse guide to the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas), which will take place on Sunday 11 May, was published on the afternoon of Thursday 8 May, a day before the final declaration stage. Some of those listed may therefore be withdrawn come final declarations. Prices given were the best available at the time of publication and are those of an antepost nature until the final field is set (full risk of loss with non-runners until then).

We are not recommending any bet at this stage, not least because the impending draw for this race is important (though not as crucial as in the colts’ race, which is likely to have a bigger field): being handed a high stall over a mile at Longchamp mile as the course turns right soon after the start in a way that favours the inside posts.

However, the horses we like at the prices will be clear enough from the summaries below.

Zarigana 11/8

Siyouni filly trained by Francis-Henri Graffard

Career figures: 112-1

Looked very good on debut at Chantilly in July, slamming a decent maiden field by four lengths. Duly started odds-on (4/5) for the G3 Prix d’Aumale in September and meted out the same treatment to rivals without being asked for more than a hands-and-heels ride. Again went off as very short favourite (1/2) for the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day but found things rather harder work there, eventually taking the lead 50 yards from home but then run down by stablemate Vertical Blue in the shadow of the post (shock result at 33/1). Odds-on favourite again on reappearance in the G3 Prix de la Grotte, but for the second time running looked less than imperious, winning by a neck from the reopposing Shes Perfect. Entitled to come on for that run but she’s awfully short in the betting for a filly who has looked vulnerable on her last two starts.

Mandanaba 6/1

Ghaiyyath filly trained by Francis-Henri Graffard

Career figures: 1-1

Very lightly-raced filly: dominant, six-length winner on debut on the Chantilly all-weather track in November, then narrow winner of six-runner G3 Prix Vanteaux at Longchamp on seasonal debut in early April. Far from clear whether she beat anything of quality in the latter race – the only two (well-beaten) fillies from that contest to have run since have been well beaten again – but she could still have any amount of upside, and fast ground looks a positive. Represents the same connections as Zarigana.

Better Together 10/1

Oasis Dream filly trained by Andre Fabre

Career figures: 211-1

Raced twice in the summer season at Deauville last summer, finishing 3.5-length runner-up on debut (good to soft ground) before narrowly winning a conditions race three weeks later (on heavy). Closed out juvenile season by winning a listed race on the all-weather track at the same venue in November. Impressive reappearance in the G2 Prix Impudence – once again at Deauville – at the same venue, running on strongly from the rear to lead in the closing stages. This first start at Longchamp in a deeper race will ask a whole lot more but she’s answered the questions so far and there’s no way of knowing how good this Juddmonte filly might be.

Exactly 12/1

Frankel filly trained by Aidan O’Brien

Career figures: 9122331-2

Totally different profile from the fillies above her in the betting in that she had a long two-year-old campaign, racing seven times. Only won two of those contests, but her racetrack performances in the latter half of the season make for strong reading: probably should have beaten Bedtime Story in the G2 Debutante at The Curragh (dwelt in stalls, beaten half a length), then third to Lake Victoria in the G1 Moyglare at same venue (beaten 1.5 lengths), filled the same position in the G1 Marcel Boussac on Arc day (just half a length behind Vertical Blue and Zarigana), before rounding off season with an emphatic six-length victory in the G3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown just two weeks later. Was only second to Swelter (skips this race to wait for the Irish equivalent) in the G3 Priory Belle at the same venue in late March, but ran on strongly from an unfavourable position and likely to come on leaps and bounds for that seasonal reappearance. Much more exposed than the market leaders but that also means she’s more experienced and her form puts her right in the mix.

Shes Perfect 14/1

Sioux Nation filly trained by Charlie Fellowes

Career figures: 13-2

Narrowly won on debut at Haydock (fast ground) in August; finished third (beaten almost 3 lengths) in a listed race at Goodwood in September (heavy). Trainer must see a great deal on the gallops in the mornings as he shipped this filly over to France for the G3 Prix Impudence, a key trial for this race, where she led almost the whole way at 11/1 and gave 1/2 favourite Zarigana a right scare (ultimately beaten just a neck). That was a slowly-run race in which she was placed more forwardly, so logic points to the form being upheld in what is likely to be more strongly-run race, but the discrepancy in prices between the two for that neck separation is still eye-catching. Not without a chance if she can progress again.

Bedtime Story 14/1

Frankel filly trained by Aidan O’Brien

Career figures: 111155

Beat odds-on stablemate Giselle on debut at Leopardstown in early June, then put in one of the performances of Royal Ascot, taking the listed Chesham Stakes by a staggering 9.5 lengths (though form now looks weak). Impressive winner once again in a G3 at Leopardstown in late July (beat Exactly by more than three lengths) but rather fluffed the start and raced keenly, a trait that would reappear on her next few runs. Won the G2 Debutante at The Curragh in August but hardly impressively (Exactly narrowing the previous deficit to half a length), then finished last of five in the G1 Moyglare Stud on Irish Champions Weekend in September despite starting 4/5 favourite. In a bizarre twist she was found to be lame in the aftermath of that race, but for some reason reappeared just three weeks later to contest the G1 Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, where she was yet again keen and finished fifth, beaten just over 4 lengths. Her inability to settle, lack of a prep run, and downward trajectory in the latter half of last season make her an unappealing proposition to us, but there’s no doubting her talent.

Celestial Orbit 16/1

No Nay Never filly trained by Olly Sangster

Career figures: 711-2

All three starts as a two-year-old came within the space of six weeks: well beaten at Kempton over 6 furlongs on her debut in early June, won a 7-furlong novice stakes at Haydock in early July, then built on that impressively by winning a 10-horse listed race at Sandown later that month at 9/1, beating two good yardsticks in Anshoda and Flaming Stone. Was sent off at the same price for the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket on her reappearance in mid-April, where she got off to a very awkward start but closed well to be second to Zanzoun (withdrawn from this race as second favourite earlier today). The Sangster stable has a wealth of classic talent in the distaff division this year (Flight and Simmering were 2nd and 3rd in the English Guineas last Saturday) so needs to be taken seriously, but trainer is adamant she wants give in the ground and there’s no sign of help from the skies on that front. Looks overpriced if that concern proves a red herring.

Daylight 20/1

Earthlight filly trained by Patrice Cottier

Career figures: 131322-3

Experienced filly: easy winner on debut at Chantilly in May, third in a G3 at the same track next time out, then won at the same level at Deauville. Two G1 contests followed, a 1.5- length third to Whistlejacket in the Prix Morny at Deauville in August being followed by a three-length runner-up placing behind Lake Victoria in the G1 Cheveley Park at Newmarket. Has been turned over twice as a short-priced favourite since, in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly to close out her two-year-old season, and then again when a length or so behind Better Together on her seasonal reappearance in the G3 Prix Impudence at Deauville. This filly is not far off the best of these on the ratings, but the step up to a mile for the first time would be a question market on pedigree and there’s a distinct lack of progression in her last few races. A longshot for the first time in her career.

Merrily 25/1

Frankel colt trained by Aidan O’Brien

Career figures: 414351-9

Won her maiden on second start; didn’t seem to progress much in her next three races at listed/G3 level but was then a shock winner of the G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket the back end of last season, running greenly but swooping from the rear to run past both Flight (second in English 1000 Guineas last Saturday) and the highly-regarded Beckett filly Cathedral. That was a big leap in form that seemingly came from nowhere (hence her price of 25/1), and she looked very dull when only ninth of 13 in the G3 Priory Belle at Leopardstown on her seasonal reappearance in late March (in which stablemate Exactly was runner-up), but who knows what she might find for her second run back. Interesting outsider if declared, not completely dismissed.

Ghoufrann 25/1

Oasis Dream filly trained by Hedi Ghabri

Career figures: 251-2

Three runs as a two-year-old came in the last quarter of the year: runner-up on heavy ground at Saint-Cloud on debut in October, well beaten by Better Together in a listed race at Deauville in November, then recorded first win on the all-weather track at the same venue in December. On that spread of form she had every reason to go off at 38/1 for the G3 Prix Imprudence on her 2025 seasonal debut but she ran a cracker, coming through from the rear to run the Fabre filly to a length at the finish. Has to prove that she wasn’t flattered by coming from so far back in that race (leader went off like scalded cat), but she’s an awfully big price to do so. Not the craziest idea for a place showing.

Godspeed 33/1

Hello Youmzain colt trained by Carlos & Yann Lerner

Career figures: 11-3

Only made debut a few months ago: easily won on debut on all-weather track at Chantilly in February; disappointing third in a conditions race as 7/10 favourite at same venue in March, but then made a big jolt of progress when third (beaten just over two lengths) in the G3 Prix de la Grotte at Longchamp last month won by Zarigana. This filly was slowly away and in last place for much of that race, which was not run at a strong pace, so she arguably did well to get so close. Unexposed, interesting wild card.

Heavens Gate 33/1

Churchill filly trained by Aidan O’Brien

Career figures: 21331410-0

Like the other Ballydoyle entries in this race, this one has had plenty of racecourse experience, running eight times as a 2-year-old. However, unlike stablemate Exactly she didn’t progress with racing, running to a similar level in multiple listed, G3 and G2 contests before peaking in the G3 Weld Park Stakes at The Curragh in late September, winning by a neck. Well beaten in her seasonal finale in the Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf out in Del Mar (11th of 14, seven lengths behind stablemate Lake Victoria), and then truly dreadful on her seasonal reappearance in the G3 Fred Darling at Newbury in Aprill (last of 15, beaten 18 lengths). Entitled to progress for that, but it would be astonishing if this exposed filly was up to a task like this.

Mimos 50/1

City Light colt trained by Nicolas Le Roch

Career figures: 1351-4

Won on debut at Angers in August, then third to Lambourn (recently won Cheshire Vase) on second start in a listed race at Craon. Regressed to finish fifth in another listed race at Chantilly but then sprang quite the surprise when winning the G3 Prix Miesque (won by some nice fillies in the past) at 19/1 in late October. Fourth to Better Together (beaten just over four lengths) on seasonal reappearance in the G3 Prix Impudence), where she finished just ahead of the same filly she had beaten in the Miesque, suggesting that she ran right up to her best form.  Logical outsider of the field and very difficult to fancy.