The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile) at Longchamp in May. It is France's equivalent of the 1000 Guineas run in Britain.
History Origins The Poule d'Essai, an event for three-year-old colts and fillies, was established in France in 1840. It was inspired by two races in England, the 2000 Guineas (for colts and fillies) and the 1,000 Guineas (for fillies only).
The race was initially staged at the Champ de Mars. Its first running was over one full circuit of the track (about 2,000 metres). It was cut to a three-quarter lap (1,500 metres) in 1841. It was cancelled due to insufficient entries in 1843 and 1844.
The Poule d'Essai was transferred to Longchamp in 1857. It was extended to 1,600 metres in 1867. It was abandoned because of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871. It continued to be run until 1882.
Modern version The modern Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was created in 1883, when the Poule d'Essai was divided into two separate races. The "Pouliches" was restricted to fillies, and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains was reserved for colts.
The events were cancelled throughout World War I, with no runnings from 1915 to 1918. There were two 1,800-metre replacement races at Chantilly in 1917. The version for fillies was called the Critérium d'Essai des Pouliches.
The "Pouliches" and "Poulains" were not run in the spring of 1940, but a substitute combining both races took place at Auteuil in October. Titled the Prix d'Essai, it was won by the colt Djebel.
The Poule d'Essai des Pouliches was held at Le Tremblay in 1943, and Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945.
The present race grading system was introduced in 1971, and the event was given Group 1 status. 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 Pouliches sometimes go on to compete in the Prix de Diane. Twenty-nine fillies have won both races. The most recent was Diamond Necklace in 2026.
Records
Leading jockey (8 wins): Freddy Head – Ivanjica (1975), Riverqueen (1976), Dancing Maid (1978), Three Troikas (1979), Silvermine (1985), Miesque (1987), Matiara (1995), Always Loyal (1997)
Leading trainer (7 wins): Charles Semblat – Esmeralda (1942), Caravelle (1943), Palencia (1944), Corteira (1948), Coronation / Galgala (1949), Corejada (1950), Djelfa (1951) Criquette Head-Maarek – Three Troikas (1979), Silvermine (1985), Baiser Vole (1986), Ravinella (1988), Matiara (1995), Always Loyal (1997), Special Duty (2010)
Leading owner (8 wins): Marcel Boussac – Esmeralda (1942), Caravelle (1943), Palencia (1944), Corteira (1948), Coronation / Galgala (1949), Corejada (1950), Djelfa (1951), Apollonia (1956)
Winners since 1970 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1970 Pampered Miss Maurice Philipperon John Cunnington Jr. Nelson Bunker Hunt 1:40.60 1971 Bold Fascinator Bill Williamson John Fellows Wendell Rosso 1:39.70 1972 Mata Hari Jean Cruguet Angel Penna Countess Batthyany 1:44.70 1973 Allez France Yves Saint-Martin Albert Klimscha Daniel Wildenstein 1:44.60 1974 Dumka Alain Lequeux Jacques de Chevigny C. Bauer 1:47.50 1975 Ivanjica Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 1:38.40 1976 Riverqueen Freddy Head Christian Datessen Ghislaine Head 1:38.60 1977 Madelia Yves Saint-Martin Angel Penna Daniel Wildenstein 1:39.90 1978 Dancing Maid Freddy Head Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 1:45.30 1979 Three Troikas Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 1:46.00 1980 Aryenne Maurice Philipperon John Fellows D. G. Volkert 1:43.60 1981 Ukraine Girl Pat Eddery Robert Collet Meg Mullion 1:41.00 1982 River Lady Lester Piggott François Boutin Robert Sangster 1:39.60 1983 L'Attrayante Alain Badel Olivier Douieb Mrs Charles Thériot 1:42.50 1984 Masarika Yves Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 1:39.30 1985 Silvermine Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 1:40.70 1986 Baiser Vole Guy Guignard Criquette Head Robert Sangster 1:39.90 1987 Miesque Freddy Head François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1:38.10 1988 Ravinella Gary W. Moore Criquette Head Ecurie Åland 1:38.30 1989 Pearl Bracelet Alfred Gibert Roger Wojtowiez Ecurie Fustok 1:37.10 1990 Houseproud Pat Eddery André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 1:38.50 1991 Danseuse du Soir Dominique Boeuf Élie Lellouche Daniel Wildenstein 1:38.60 1992 Culture Vulture Richard Quinn Paul Cole Chris Wright 1:37.00 1993 Madeleine's Dream Cash Asmussen François Boutin Allen Paulson 1:36.40 1994 East of the Moon Cash Asmussen François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1:37.10 1995 Matiara Freddy Head Criquette Head Ecurie Åland 1:42.40 1996 Ta Rib Willie Carson Ed Dunlop Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:38.70 1997 Always Loyal Freddy Head Criquette Head Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:40.20 1998 Zalaiyka Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 1:35.70 1999 Valentine Waltz Ray Cochrane John Gosden Kirby Maher Syndicate 1:36.00 2000 Bluemamba Thierry Jarnet Pascal Bary Ecurie Skymarc Farm 1:40.20 2001 Rose Gypsy Michael Kinane Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Tabor 1:36.70 2002 Zenda Richard Hughes John Gosden Khalid Abdullah 1:37.00 2003 Musical Chimes Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:36.00 2004 Torrestrella Olivier Peslier François Rohaut Bernard Bargues 1:35.70 2005 Divine Proportions Christophe Lemaire Pascal Bary Niarchos Family 1:38.50 2006 Tie Black Jean-Bernard Eyquem François Rohaut Javier Gispert 1:36.60 2007 Darjina Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Zahra Aga Khan 1:37.20 2008 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 1:35.20 2009 Elusive Wave Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Martin Schwartz 1:36.87 2010 Special Duty Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek Khalid Abdullah 1:37.40 2011 Golden Lilac Olivier Peslier André Fabre Gestüt Ammerland 1:39.31 2012 Beauty Parlour Christophe Soumillon Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 1:37.15 2013 Flotilla Christophe Lemaire Mikel Delzangles Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani 1:34.77 2014 Avenir Certain Grégory Benoist Jean-Claude Rouget Caro / Augustin-Normand 1:39.95 2015 Ervedya Christophe Soumillon Jean-Claude Rouget Aga Khan IV 1:36.48 2016 La Cressonniere Cristian Demuro Jean-Claude Rouget Caro / Augustin-Normand 1:36.00 2017 Precieuse Olivier Peslier Fabrice Chappet Anne-Marie Hayes 1:37.69 2018 Teppal Olivier Peslier David Simcock Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani 1:37.97 2019 Castle Lady Mickael Barzalona Henri-Alex Pantall Godolphin 1:40.91 2020 Dream And Do Maxime Guyon Frederic Rossi Haras du Logis Saint Germain 1:35.68 2021 Coeursamba Cristian Demuro Jean-Claude Rouget Abdullah bin Fahad Al Attiyah 1:39.28 2022 MangoustineGérald Mossé Mikel Delzangles Infinity Nine Horses, Ecurie Des Monceaux et al. 1:35.72 2023 Blue Rose Cen Aurélien Lemaitre Christopher Head Yeguada Centurion SL 1:38.24 2024 Rouhiya Maxime Guyon Francis-Henri Graffard Aga Khan IV 1:35.99 2025 Zarigana Mickael Barzalona Francis-Henri Graffard Aga Khan Studs SCEA 1:34.05 2026 Diamond Necklace Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Westerberg/Tabor / Smith / Magnier 1:40:73 Price Tag finished first in 2006, but she was relegated to third place following a stewards' inquiry.
Liliside was first in 2010, but she was placed sixth after a stewards' inquiry.
The 2016 and 2017 races took place at Deauville while Longchamp was closed for redevelopment.
The 2020 running took place at Deauville on 1 June as Longchamp was closed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Shes Perfect finished first in 2025, but she was relegated to second place following a stewards' inquiry.
Earlier winners
1883: Stockholm 1884: Yvrande 1885: Barberine 1886: Sakountala 1887: Tenebreuse 1888: Widgeon 1889: May Pole 1890: Wandora 1891: Primrose 1892: Kairouan 1893: Tilly 1894: Calceolaire 1895: Andree 1896: Riposte 1897: Roxelane 1898: Polymnie 1899: Sesara 1900: Semendria 1901: La Camargo 1902: Kizil Kourgan 1903: Rose de Mai 1904: Xylene 1905: Princesse Lointaine 1906: Sais 1907: Madree 1908: Sauge Pourpree 1909: Ronde de Nuit 1910: Vellica 1911: Bolide 1912: Porte Maillot 1913: Banshee 1914: Diavolezza 1915–18: no race 1919: Galejade 1920: Flowershop 1921: Nephthys 1922: Frisky 1923: Anna Bolena 1924: Rebia 1925: La Dame de Trefle 1926: Mackwiller 1927: Fairy Legend 1928: Roahouga 1929: Poesie 1930: Rose The 1931: Pearl Cap 1932: Ligne de Fond 1933: Bipearl 1934: Mary Tudor 1935: The Nile 1936: Blue Bear 1937: Colette Baudoche 1938: Feerie 1939: Yonne 1940: no race 1941: Longthanh 1942: Esmeralda 1943: Caravelle 1944: Palencia 1945: Nikellora 1946: Real 1947: Imprudence 1948: Corteira 1949: Coronation / Galgala * 1950: Corejada 1951: Djelfa 1952: Pomare 1953: Hurnli 1954: Virgule 1955: Dictaway 1956: Apollonia 1957: Toro 1958: Yla 1959: Ginetta 1960: Timandra 1961: Solitude 1962: La Sega 1963: Altissima 1964: Rajput Princess 1965: La Sarre 1966: Right Away 1967: Gazala 1968: Pola Bella 1969: Koblenza
* The 1949 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.
See also List of French flat horse races
References
France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , galop.courses-france.com: 1883–1889, 1890–1919, 1920–1949, 1950–1979, 1980–present
france-galop.com – A Brief History: Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. galopp-sieger.de – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (2017). pedigreequery.com – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches – Longchamp. tbheritage.com – Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.