Écurie Graffard: the entries for the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1000 Guineas)

Introduction

A week ago we finished our guide to the 3yo colts in the stable of Francis-Henri Graffard who have an entry in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, often referred to as the French 2000 Guineas, scheduled for Sunday 10 May. This guide can be found here.

This article is the companion piece focusing on the 3yo fillies in the Graffard stable who are entered in the distaff equivalent, the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (hereafter "Pouliches" for short), which is to be run on the same day.

Perhaps the key takeout from this piece, which has appeared much later than the colts' equivalent, is that certain trials have already been run, and the Graffard fillies involved have not run that well. At the time of writing, probably only Narissa could be said to be on a clear Pouliches trajectory, and even she will need to stamp her ticket in the Prix de la Grotte on 12 April. Pintara, who has also yet to race in 2026, is the other one lurking in the wings as a possible contender of note.

Aside from those who also have an entry in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) in mid-June, which may be an alternative rather than an additional target as discussed below, two of these fillies have an entry in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, 8 days prior to the Pouliches: the aforementioned Pintara and the Aga-Khan-silked Valasara. At the time of writing, the former had yet to make her seasonal reappearance but on track achievements would be of interest in either Guineas. Meanwhile, the latter made a rather dull reappearance in the G3 Prix Impudence at Deauville on 7 April, casting doubt on her participation in a Guineas either side of the English Channel.

Our many thanks to Graffard Racing and Aga Khan Studs for their assistance with the "current status" sections.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Daniel Morgan

The AntePoster

Narissa (Aga Khan Studs) Pouliches antepost price: 8/1

Pedigree: Siyouni/Narmeen (Le Havre)

Form: 1323

Rating: RPR 100, Timeform 105

Career: Thrashed a field of unraced fillies by eight lengths on debut over 7 furlongs at Saint-Cloud in early June; only 3rd by 1.5 lengths on second start (also 7 furlongs) in the G3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville in early August, but that race looks extraordinarily strong in hindsight: winner Green Spirit would go on to run 2nd in the Prix Marcel Boussac, runner-up Balantina would end season as Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner; again second to Green Spirit in the G2 Prix d’Aumale at Longchamp (8 furlongs) in September, this time by 1.25 lengths; ended season with a 2.5 length third to Diamond Necklace in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, finishing behind habitual nemesis Green Spirit (runner-up) by the same sort of margin for the third time in succession.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Entered in the G3 Prix de la Grotte over a mile at Longchamp on 12/04. Racing Manager Nemone Routh to The AntePoster, 07/04: "She worked this morning and if she recovers normally from this work, it is the intention to run on Sunday in the Grotte."

Assessment: It’s pretty clear from her overall body of form as a 2yo that Narissa is one of the better Classic prospects in France, being placed in Group company on three successive occasions (consecutively at G3, G2, and G1 level). Moreover, her final run in the Prix Marcel Boussac probably needs upgrading given how that race was run: it should be noted that, having shown keenness early, Narissa was restrained and kept well back off the pace, running on well but all too late (ran the fastest three furlongs of any horse). From a pure form perspective, however, having finished 1.25-1.5 lengths behind top French filly Green Spirit – herself shown to be inferior to current Pouliches favourite Diamond Necklace in the Boussac – on each of those runs in pattern company, she will have to have developed very well over the winter if she is to take top honours in the Pouliches. The Grotte will tell us much more.

Repel (Juddmonte Farms) Pouliches antepost price: 14/1

Pedigree: New Bay/Battlement (Dansili)

Form: 21-5

Rating: RPR 86, Timeform -

Career: Made her debut in a maiden race over 6 furlongs at Deauville, finishing 0.75 lengths second to the smart Valasara (see below), who would go on to win next time out. Reappeared in a conditions race a month later, again at Deauville but over the slightly shorter trip of 5.5 furlongs, winning convincingly as 1/2 favourite (form mixed: second has clearly regressed, third has clearly improved, no other runner finished within 10 lengths); made 2026 seasonal reappearance in G3 Prix Impudence over 7 furlongs at Deauville on 7 April, where she was keen early at the back of the group that provided the 1-2 finish, made her move but flattened out and ultimately finished a well-beaten 5th.

Other Classic entries: None.

Current status: Has only just made seasonal debut, no newsflow on future plans yet.

Assessment: Had a promising juvenile career for a filly bred to thrive over longer than the sprint trips over which she raced last summer, However, even allowing for the fact that she had been a long time off the track before reappearing in the Impudence, the rather dull 5th place finish in that G3 prep at Deauville doesn't look an automatic springboard for a tilt at the Pouliches in a month's time.

Pintara (Resolute Bloodstock) Pouliches antepost price: 20/1

Pedigree: Pinatubo / Abilene (Samum)

Form: 11

Rating: RPR 97, Timeform 101p

Career: Formerly owned by Ballylinch Stud and trained by Ralph Beckett; made her debut last August over a mile at Salisbury, upsetting a red-hot favourite of George Boughey in winning comfortably at 13/2 (form weak: almost every filly in that race has regressed); elevated to listed company on next outing for the Montrose Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket (again over a mile) in early November, which she won emphatically (3.75 lengths) from a favoured Gosden filly: that form is essentially untested but the time was eye-catching. Transferred to the care of Graffard Racing following purchase by Resolute Bloodstock at the start of the year.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: There are no firm plans for this filly yet (stable information to The AntePoster, 08/04). We await the next newsflow.

Assessment: With the form of her listed win untested, it is difficult to say quite how good Pintara might be, but both the visuals and the time of that Newmarket performance look very good indeed, and her acquisition by Resolute Bloodstock will no doubt have been for a substantial sum. Particularly intriguing her is the dual English and French Guineas entry: the transfer to a French trainer rather muddies the waters, but the fact that her most impressive win came over the Rowley Mile surely makes the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket a viable alternative to the Pouliches.

Valasara (Aga Khan Studs) Pouliches antepost price: 25/1

Pedigree: Hello Youmzain/Valdaya (Acclamation)

Form: 11-4

Rating: RPR 88, Timeform 93

Career: Both her races as a juvenile came in sprint races at Deauville last summer: narrowly justified 9/5 favouritism over six furlongs on 5 July, holding off stablemate Repel (good subsequent winner of conditions race) by 0.75 lengths; again started favourite (21/10) in the listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge at Deauville on 9 August, duly delivering by a head from Archie Watson’s Shine On Me (form of that race does not look strong in hindsight); reappeared at Deauville to kick off her 3yo season in the Prix d’Impudence over 7 furlongs at Deauville on 7 April, where she could only finish 4th: loomed up quite promisingly a furlong out but could make no further inroads and was ultimately beaten by 5+ lengths.

Other Classic entries: English 1,000 Guineas.

Current status: Still has the choice of the Pouliches or the Rowley Mile if connections want to pursue the Classic mile route after her so-so reappearance.

Assessment: Neither Valasara's sire, dam or damsire ever won over further than six furlongs, and connections were admitting that a mile would be “a stretch” for this filly ever prior to her flattening out over the 7 furlongs of the Prix Impudence on 7 April. The Racing Post analysis for that race commented "the step up to a mile could help but she'll have to fare a good deal better if she's to figure in the French 1000 Guineas". We are not sure at all about the first part of that observation, and as she still holds the twin entry she's a no-go betting proposition for now.

Clea Chope (Jathiere/Gousserie/Augustin-Normand) Pouliches antepost price: 66/1

Pedigree: Muharaar/Mercifilly (Whipper)

Form: 61211836-9

Rating: RPR 98, Timeform 101

Career: No other 3yo Classic prospect of either gender has more experience than this girl. Raced no less than eight times last year, the first half dozen under the care of Christophe Escuder: showed a gradual pattern over improvement which plateaued when she won a listed race at Vichy racecourse in July over 7 furlongs; she then finished last of 8 in the red-hot G2 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville  on 3 August, but beaten less than 4 lengths in a race dominated by those who raced prominently. Transferred to Graffard Racing, she then finished third in the G2 Prix Aumale won by Green Spirit on 11 September (beaten 3 lengths), before trying her hand at the highest level in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc Day, finishing 6th but again beaten 3 lengths. Very disappointing on her return in a listed race at Saint-Cloud on 15 March (heavy), where she started 42/10 but finished well down the field, some 15 lengths behind the winner.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Originally entered but withdrawn at the first forfeit stage from the G3 Prix Vanteaux on 5 April. No further status information.

Assessment : If the Pouliches were to go to the filly with the most experience, Clea Chope should already be in the winner’s enclosure. However, her eight runs as a 2yo makes it clear that she is a few lengths off the best in the division last year, and her dismal reappearance run hardly suggests that she has trained on well. We’ll give this daughter of Muharaar a pass for that performance given the arduous state of the going that day (had never run on ground that soft), but it would still be truly remarkable if this very exposed filly were able to win a Classic this year.

Anashkaya (Alain Jathiere) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Starspangledbanner/Karenine (High Chaparral)

Form: 5612-13

Rating: RPR 96, Timeform 88+

Career: Has raced half a dozen times (with no seasonal break) over distances ranging from 8 to 9.5 furlongs since making her debut in September last year; well beaten on first two starts at Chantilly (25 September) and Lyon La Soie (17 November); won two of three conditions races in which she participated in December/January, pulling impressively clear in the last of those contests (form middling); probably improved a little bit when finishing 3rd of 12 in a listed race over 9 furlongs at Chantilly on 8 March, but the form of that race has yet to be tested.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Originally entered but later withdrawn from the G3 Prix Vanteaux on 5 April. No further status information.

Assessment: Looks to have an exposed profile after six runs in the last six months, having shown some improvement but not enough to make her an obvious Pouliches contender. As five of her last six races have been at distances in excess of a mile, she also looks more likely to have a middle-distance future (dam side packed with stamina).

Child of Vision (Haras Voltaire) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Siyouni/Merimbula (Dalakhani)

Form: 33371-7

Rating: RPR 81, Timeform 75

Career: Ran 5 times as a 2yo; finished 3rd on each of her first three runs in the late summer (Chantilly 7f, Deauville 7f, Lyon Parilly 8f) before regressing (as 21/10 favourite) to finish 7th of 13 at Deauville on 2 November when dropped in trip to 6.5 furlongs; finally got off the mark at the same track in a conditions over 7.5 furlongs on 2 December (humble level of form); could only finish 7th of 8 at 22/5 on her seasonal reappearance over a mile at Chantilly on 2 April.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Unknown.

Assessment: With just one win in six attempts, Child of Vision looks a very unlikely candidate to line up in the Pouliches in a month’s time, let alone challenge for honours if she did so.

Edaja (Aga Khan Studs) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Siyouni/Edisa (Kitten’s Joy)

Form: 11

Rating: RPR - , Timeform -

Career: Only made debut in February this year: justified 12/5 favouritism in a fillies’ maiden race at Chantilly’s all-weather track (9.5 furlongs) on 12 February, winning by 1.5 lengths (form questionable: fourth won next time out but 7 others including runner-up disappointed on next start); returned to the same venue but dropped in a distance to a mile on 12 March, this time winning by a neck (9/5 second favourite, form untested since, favourite who finished third had previously won on debut).

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Racing Manager Nemone Routh to The AntePoster, 07/04: "It is not the intention to run her in the Poule d’Essai at the moment. She is being lined up for a Listed race over a mile a few days beforehand."

Assessment: This is a very unexposed filly who has won both starts since making her racecourse debut in February. Must surely have Group race pretensions, but connections appear to be setting their sights lower for the time being.

Family Secret (Gemini Stud/Ecurie Hannah) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Victor Ludorum/Gallic (Kodiac)

Form: 321-6

Rating: RPR 87, Timeform 85+

Career: Decent 3rd of 15 over 7 furlongs at Deauville on 14 August (soft, form OK); didn’t necessarily improve on that when finishing 2nd (beaten 3+ lengths) on her next start at Lyon Parilly on 9 September, or when breaking her duck (at 2/5) at the track on 7 October, both these runs being over 8 furlongs; returned from a 5-month break to finish 6th of 11 (beaten just under 7 lengths) in the listed Prix La Camargo at Saint-Cloud on heavy ground, which was probably quite a strong race for the level.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Originally entered but later withdrawn from the G3 Prix Vanteaux on 5 April. No further status information.

Assessment: Family Secret’s return this year was her best run yet on the form book, but even though that race was quite a decent one for a listed contest this daughter of Victor Ludorum has a mountain to climb to be competitive in a Pouliches. We would doubt her participation unless another run in the next two weeks were to yield a dramatic breakthrough.

She’s A Lady (J Tepper / D Layani) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Sottsass/American Beauty (Dark Angel)

Form: 5

Rating: RPR 65, Timeform 67

Career: Made her one and only start in a maiden contest for unraced fillies over a mile at Longchamp on 25 August last year, where she finished 5th of 7 (starting price: 41/10): mixed message from the form, as the 1st and 4th have improved significantly, whereas the 2nd and 3rd have regressed.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane

Current status: Unknown; no imminent entries.

Assessment: With no upcoming race planned and having by some way the weakest form of any of the fillies in this article, She’s A Lady appears to be long odds to be lining up in the Pouliches in just over 5 weeks’ time.

Siyntra (Aga Khan Studs) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Dubawi/Siyenica (Azamour)

Form: 2

Rating: RPR 81, Timeform -

Career: Sole run comprised a 7.5 furlong race on very soft ground at Saint-Cloud (very soft), where she was beaten in head into 2nd (started 23/10 favourite): form gives mixed messages, but winner was 6th (beaten just over 3 lengths) by the hugely promising Gilded Prize (now 4th favourite for the Epsom Oaks) in a conditions race on her next outing.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Nemone Routh to The AntePoster, 07/04: "Unfortunately she had a setback after we made the entry, so she is not a contender for the Poule d’Essai. If she recovers normally, she should get back to the races in the second half of the year."

Assessment: There was very little wrong with Siyntra's debut run, even if she didn’t justify favouritism that day, but it’s clear that this filly is out of Pouliches contention.

Zayida (Aga Khan Studs) Pouliches antepost price: not quoted

Pedigree: Frankel/Zaykava (Siyouni)

Form: 51-4

Rating: RPR 83, Timeform -

Career: Raced twice at the backend of last season, being well beaten on debut when second favourite over a mile at Chantilly (G/S), before readily justifying favouritism over the same distance at Saint-Cloud (soft, form OK); reappeared on 5 April in the G3 Prix du Vanteaux over 9 furlongs, where she was sent off 5/2 favourite but could only finish 4th.

Other Classic entries: Prix de Diane.

Current status: Nemone Routh to The AntePoster, 07/04: "We found the filly to be a bit quiet on Sunday and we are having her tested. For the moment the main objective will be to gain some black type with her in the first instance, but we have no defined next objective."

Assessment: Disappointed on paper when only 4th on reappearance when more was clearly expected as favourite, but she was outpaced there before quite clearly staying on all too late (ran the fastest final three furlongs). It seems pretty clear from Nemone Routh's comments to us that she is unlikely to head to the Pouliches.