May 13 & 14: ABU DHABI WEEKEND TEST POULS
For the second consecutive year, Deauville is getting ready to welcome the new stars of the Turf industry for the prestigious Abu Dhabi Foal and Filly Trials, a weekend dedicated to speed and excellence in a city where the horse is king.
THE BEST HOPEFULS ON THE TRACK
The Poules d'Essai des Poulains et des Pouliches, two races organized by France Galop, decide between the best hopes of the 3-year-old generation. These two classic races will make their return to the Paris-Longchamp racecourse in the spring of 2018, when it reopens to the public after renovation.
2017 offers a unique opportunity for the public to come to the Deauville-La Touques racecourse, a field of equestrian jousting since 1864, to discover or rediscover events at the highest level, in the heart of a region internationally recognized for the quality of its breeding and sales. The Abu Dhabi Poules d'Essai will join the Epiqe series this year. The elite of the English thoroughbreds will compete in two races over the 1600 meters of the impressive Deauville straight. Two races for two titles: The Poule d'Essai des Pouliche on Saturday, May 13 for a princess, the Poule d'Essai des Poulains for a prince on Sunday, May 14.
THE CROWNING GLORY OF SPRING
The crowd was there for the first-ever Deauville Poules d'Essai in 2016.
11,230 spectators attended the two days, under the sun, approaching the athletes in sight of the new generation.
In particular, they were able to see jockey Ryan Moore riding the Irish colt The Gurkha to victory in the 2016 Foal Trial. Considered one of the finest whips in the world, the rider earned the title of Longines World Best Jockey in December, following an exceptional year in which he also won the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
A heroine born and bred in Normandy, La Cressonnière, winner of the 2016 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was born at the Haras de la Cauvinière, 50 kilometers from Deauville. The filly continued her momentum, winning the Prix de Diane Longines the following month. Now back on the land where she was born, La Cressonnière is now destined to become the mother of future champions.
THE RACE CYCLE
This is the way the race cycle goes, where champions are tested to become the sires of the next generation.
" You breed the best to the best and hope for the best" as the English maxim says, breeding thoroughbreds is the combination of a rigorous selection on the racetrack to "cross the best with the best" and a part of luck to "hope for the best.
Breeding racehorses is far from an exact science. When the sales (of yearlings or breeze-ups) come around, potential buyers make their choice on young horses that have never raced. The racing performance of the parents and the success of the first offspring are factors that contribute to the price of young recruits.
THE FUTURE COMPETITORS UNDER THE FIRE OF THE AUCTIONS
Arqana organizes sales of yearlings (young horses in their 2nd year) at the Elie de Brignac establishment in August, October and December.
In 2016, the sales agency chose to take advantage of the Poules d'Essai weekend in Deauville to relocate its breeze-up sales, which were usually held in the Paris region. The foals and fillies sold during the breeze-ups are mounted and presented on the track the day before the auction. They are then asked to perform a sustained gallop in order to convince future buyers.
This first edition of the Breeze-ups in Deauville broke all records with a turnover exceeding 10 million euros for the first time, average prices, medians and a percentage of horses sold never before reached, not to mention a top sale at 800,000 euros.
This year, more than 130 horses are registered for the sales which will start on May 12 at 2 pm and are open to the public.
The public gallops or "breeze-up", which give their name to the sale, will take place the day before (May 11 from noon on the Deauville - La Touques racecourse).
NEW SPONSOR AND PURE ARAB BLOOD ON THE TRACK
This year the Test Hens and the sales have a new partner: The Abu Dhabi Sports Council. Abu Dhabi and its neighbor Dubai are 2 of the 7 emirates known as the United Arab Emirates. The weekend will see its program enriched by a race reserved for Arabian thoroughbreds: The President of the UAE Cup - European Cup for Arabian Horses.
DID YOU KNOW ?
The English thoroughbred was born across the Channel by crossing local mares with three stallions imported from the Middle East: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian. While most flat racing is for English thoroughbreds, there is also a racing program for Arabians that includes nearly 80 events each year.
THE WEEKEND CALENDAR
- Thursday May 11 : Breeze-Up Arqana - mounted presentation of horses at 12:00 pm on the Deauville-La Touques racecourse,
- Friday, May 12 : Breeze Up Sale at 2:00 pm in the Arqana sales establishment,
- Saturday, May 13: start of operations at 1:30 pm, first race at 2:00 pm with The Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Pouliches Group 1 as headliner,
- Sunday, May 14: Start of operations at 1:30 pm, first race at 2:00 pm with The Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the Group 1 Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary and The President of the UAE Cup - Group 1 European Arabian Horse Cup as headliners.
