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Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Longchamp. (3 year-old colts, 1 mile, Group I, 500,000 Euros).

This event was created in 1883, when a mixed race dating from 1840* called the Poule d’Essai was split into two events – one for the colts and one for the fillies. Not held from 1915 to 1918 or in 1940, it took place at Le Tremblay in 1943 and at Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945. Since 1987, it has been run over the large track. The record time on the medium track is 1' 35'' 80/100 in 1984 by Siberian Express; on the large track, 1' 34'' 50/100 in 1998 by Victory Note.

On two occasions the finishing order at the winning post has been modified: in 1970, when Faraway Son was demoted to third place for having hindered the second-placed finisher Breton; and in 2001, when Noverre was disqualified after a banned substance was detected in testing. The highest number of starters, 16, went to post in 1914 and 1924, followed by 15 in 1898 and 1999. Only 3 horses took part in 1885, while 4 lined up at the start in 1895, 1905, 1933, 1937, 1965, 1967 and 1979. The purse was increased from 450,000 Euros in 2012 to 500,000 Euros in 2013. In 2013, the race will be run for the 126th time.

The “mixed” Poule d'Essai from 1840 to 1882
This version of the Poule d'Essai was first run in 1840 on the Champ de Mars, over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs, roughly one lap of the track. It was won by Gygès, owned by the Duc d'Orléans. From 1841, the distance was reduced to 7 ½ furlongs – around three quarters of a circuit -, starting just after the Pont d'Iéna bend. From 1857, the Poule d'Essai was run at Longchamp, initially over 7 ½ furlongs, and then over 1 mile after 1867.

Between 1840 and 1882, the Poule d'Essai was only held forty times. There were three cancellations: in 1843 and 1845, due to an insufficient number of entries, and in 1871 because of the war. Of these forty editions, thirty were won by colts and ten by fillies. During that era, the mixed Poule d'Essai was often won by the top 3 year-old of the day. Consequently, the list of the forty winners includes the names of two fillies who went on to triumph in the Prix de Diane: Bounty (1852) and Stradella (1862); and eight colts who were later victorious in the Prix du Jockey Club: Gambetti (1848), Experience (1849), Saint Germain (1860), Monarque (1855), Gontran (1865), Consul (1869), Revigny (1872) and Zut (1879).

During this period, one particular owner dominated this event: Auguste Lupin, whose silks were carried to victory on nine occasions, by Fiametta (1841), Gambetti (1848), Saint-Germain (1850), Florin (1857), Stentor (1863), Saint-Cyr (1875), Enguerrande (1876), Fontainebleau (1877) and Prométhée (1881). Also very prominent with five successes were the colours of Comte Frédéric de Lagrange, courtesy of Stradella (1862), Puebla (1866), Consul (1869), Clémentine (1878) and Zut (1879).

This Poule d'Essai had been based on the model of the "Guineas" run in England at Newmarket in early May over 1 mile, the original Classic test for 3 year-olds. But in England, there were two separate events: the Two Thousand Guineas (for horses of both sexes) run since 1809 and the Thousand Guineas, contested by fillies only since 1814. This segregation of the sexes was adopted in France from 1883, once the increased rate of thoroughbred births meant that there was likely to be a sufficient number of starters for each of the two events.

The Poule d'Essai, the Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris.
Winning all three of these races over increasing distances (1 mile, 1 ½ miles and 1 mile 7 furlongs) was regarded as a feat within the capabilities of a horse of truly high quality. Dreaming of such a treble is one thing, but actually achieving it is another. From 1883 to 1986 (the year when the distance of the Grand Prix was reduced to 1 mile 2 furlongs), five winners of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains won the Jockey Club: Heaume (1890), Perth (1899), Retz (1902), Dagor (1913), Right Royal (1961). Five also triumphed in the Grand Prix de Paris: Arreau (1896), Perth (1899), Chéri (1901), Verdun (1909), Fiterari (1927). Only one, though, managed to prevail in all three. This unique horse, nothing short of the perfect thoroughbred, was named Perth. Since 2005, the year in which the distance of the Jockey Club was reduced to 1 mile 2 ½ furlongs, two winners of the Poule d’Essai have gone on to win the Jockey Club: Shamardal (2005) and Lope de Vega (2010).

Foreign horses
It was not until 1981 that the first visitor from abroad left his name on the race’s winners’ list. The colt in question was England’s Recitation, who had been victorious in the Grand Critérium on the same track the previous year. After a 14-year hiatus, the overseas contingent enjoyed a flurry of further successes, four for English competitors: Vettori (1995), Victory Note (1998), Bachir (2000) and Shamardal (2005); and three for Ireland: Landseer (2002), Aussie Rules (2006) and Astronomer Royal (2007).

Owners
The record of eight victories is held jointly by Edmond Blanc: Arreau (1896), Governor (1900), Vinicius (1903), Gouvernant (1904), Val d'Or (1905), Ouadi Halfa (1907), Lord Burgoyne (1911), Dagor (1913); and Prince Karim Aga Khan: Buisson Ardent (1956), Zeddaan (1968), Kalamoun (1973), Blushing Groom (1977), Nishapour (1978), Ashkalani (1996), Daylami (1997), Sendawar (1999).

Next come:
7 Prince Karim Aga Khan: Zeddaan (1968), Kalamoun (1973), Blushing Groom (1977), Nishapour (1978), Ashkalani (1996), Daylami (1997) and Sendawar (1999).
5 Stavros Niarchos: Melyno (1982), L'Emigrant (1983), Hector Protector (1991), Shanghai (1992) and Kingmambo (1993).
3 Baron Alphonse de Rothschild: Brio (1887), Heaume (1890) and Le Nicham II (1893).
3 Maurice Caillault: Rodilard (1898), Perth (1899) and Chéri (1901).
3 Jefferson-Davis Cohn: Le Traquet (1921), Sir Gallahad (1923) and Vatout (1929).
3 Baron Guy de Rothschild: Guersant (1952), Cobalt (1953) and Soleil (1966).
3 Jacques Wertheimer: Green Dancer (1975), Red Lord (1976) and Green Tune (1994).
3 Mahmoud Fustok: In Fijar (1980), Siberian Express (1984) and Fast Topaze (1986).
3 Jean-Luc Lagardère and Lagardère family: Linamix (1990), Vahorimix (2001) and Clodovil (2003).
3 Godolphin: Vettori (1995), Bachir (2000) and Shamardal (2005).
3 Mme John Magnier & Michael Tabor: Landseer (2002), Aussie Rules (2006) and Astronomer Royal* (2007).
2 Claude-Joachim Lefèvre: Regain (1883) and Archiduc (1884).
2 Auguste Lupin: Xaintrailles (1885) and Phlégéthon (1889).
2 Michel Ephrussi: Gamin (1886) and Beaujolais (1894).
2 Baron Arthur de Schickler: Reyezuelo (1888) and Fra Angelico (1892).
2 Camille Blanc: Le Hardy (1891) and Retz (1902).
2 Henri Say: Launay (1895) and Indian Chief (1897).
2 Baron Maurice de Rothschild: Verdun (1909) and Sifflet (1910).
2 Baron Edouard de Rothschild: Mont Blanc (1922) and Brantôme (1934).
2 M.-P. Moulines: Faraway (1925) and Fiterari (1927).
2 Jean Prat: Drap d'Or (1937) and Gaspillage (1938).
2 Léon Volterra: Mistral (1945) and Amour Drake (1949).
2 François Dupré: Tantième (1950) and Relko (1963).
2 Mme Jean Couturié: Right Royal (1961) and Neptunus (1964).

*Also owned by Derrick Smith.   
N.B. One notable absentee from this list is the name of Marcel Boussac, who only one this race once, in 1926 with Astérus.

Trainers
Robert Denman holds the record with eleven wins: Regain (1883), Archiduc (1884), Vinicius (1903), Gouvernant (1904), Val d'Or (1905), Ouadi Halfa (1907), Lord Burgoyne (1911), Dagor (1913), Le Traquet (1921), Sir Gallahad (1923) and Astérus (1926).

Next come:
7 François Mathet: Tantième (1950), Relko (1963), Zeddaan (1968), Kalamoun (1973), Blushing Groom (1977), Nishapour (1978), and Melyno (1982).
6 François Boutin: L'Emigrant (1983), Blushing John (1988), Linamix (1990), Hector Protector (1991), Shanghai (1992) and Kingmambo (1993).
5 Etienne Pollet: Côte d'Or II (1954), Tyrone (1957), Right Royal (1961), Neptunus (1964) and Blue Tom (1967).
5 André Fabre: Siberian Express (1984), Soviet Star (1987), Vahorimix (2001), Clodovil (2003) and Lope de Vega (2010).
4 Alec Head: Buisson Ardent (1956), Riverman (1972), Green Dancer (1975) and Red Lord (1976).
3 Richard Carter senior: Launay (1895), Indian Chief (1897) and Monitor (1908).
3 Richard Carter junior: Rodilard (1898), Perth (1899) and Chéri (1901).
3 Geoffroy Watson: Guersant (1952), Cobalt (1953) and Soleil (1966).
3 William Head: Mincio (1960), Adamastor (1962) and Cambremont (1965).
3 André Fabre: Siberian Express (1984), Soviet Star (1987) and Vahorimix (2001).
3 Alain de Royer-Dupré: Ashkalani (1996), Daylami (1997) and Sendawar (1999).
3 Saeed Bin Suroor: Vettori (1995), Bachir (2000) and Shamardal (2005).
3 Aidan-Patrick. O’Brien: Landseer (2002), Aussie Rules (2006) and Astronomer Royal (2007).
2 George Rothera: Xaintrailles (1885) and Phlégéthon (1889).
2 George Cunnington: Gamin (1886) and Beaujolais (1894).
2 William Webb: Reyezuelo (1888) and Fra Angelico (1892).
2 James d'Okhuysen: Verdun (1909) and Sifflet (1910).
2 Roch Filippi: Faraway (1925) and Kant (1935).
2 Henry Count: Le Bécau (1932) and Rodosto (1933).
2 Henry Harper: Drap d'Or (1937) and Gaspillage (1938).
2 Max Bonaventure: Free Man (1951) and Près du Feu (1958).
2 John Cunnington junior: Klairon (1955) and Irish River (1979).
2 Mme Christiane Head-Maarek: Green Tune (1994) and American Post (2004).

Jockeys
Freddy Head holds the record with six wins: Green Dancer (1975), Red Lord (1976), Blushing John (1988), Linamix (1990), Hector Protector (1991) and Shanghai (1992).

Next come:
5 George Stern: Val d'Or (1905), Ouadi Halfa (1907), Monitor (1908), Lord Burgoyne (1911) and Dagor (1913).
5 Roger Poincelet: Mistral (1945), Tantième (1950), Buisson Ardent (1956), Tyrone (1957) and Right Royal (1961).
5 Yves Saint-Martin: Adamastor (1962), Relko (1963), Zeddaan (1968), Melyno (1982) and No Pass No Sale (1985).
4 Paul Blanc: Rigolo (1948), Free Man (1951), Guersant (1952) and Cobalt (1953).
3 Tom Lane: Phlégéthon (1889), Rodilard (1898) and Perth (1899).
3 François Hervé: Fiterari (1927), Xandover (1930) and Davout (1936).
3 Charles Bouillon: Brantôme (1934), Dogat (1943) and Pactole (1946).
3 Henri Samani: Kalamoun (1973), Blushing Groom (1977) and Nishapour (1978).
3 Maurice Philipperon: Moulines (1974), Irish River (1979) and Kendor (1989).
3 Cash Asmussen: L'Emigrant (1983), Fast Topaze (1986) and Kingmambo (1993).
3 Gérald Mossé: Ashkalani (1996), Daylami (1997) and Sendawar (1999).
3 Lanfranco Dettori: Vettori (1995), Bachir (2000) and Shamardal (2005).
2 Tom Loates: Regain (1883) and Le Nicham II (1893).
2 John-William Reiff: Retz (1902) and De Viris (1912).
2 Maurice Barat: Sifflet (1910) and Listman (1914).
2 Guy Garner: Pendennis (1920) and Le Traquet (1921).
2 Matthew MacGee: Mont Blanc (1922) and Sir Gallahad (1923).
2 André Dupuit: Drap d'Or (1937) and Gaspillage (1938).
2 William Johnstone: Mac Kann (1939) and Amour Drake (1949).
2 Jean Massard: Thymus (1959) and Cambremont (1965).
2 Jean Deforge: Soleil (1966) and Blue Tom (1967).
2 Jean-Claude Desaint: Zug (1971) and Riverman (1972).
2 Greville Starkey: Recitation (1981) and Soviet Star (1987).
2 Christophe Soumillon: Clodovil (2003) and Silver Frost (2009).