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DEAUVILLEDESTINATION

Your guide as the French Guineas and Arqana breeze-up sale hit Normandy

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

French Racing And Breeding2 Wednesday, April 13, 2016 racingpost.com

Capucine Houel: “We take pride in marketing our industry around the world”

What is the FRBC?Created in 2000, the French Racing and Breeding Committee (FRBC) is a non-profit organisation entrusted with the promotion of the French racing and breeding industry abroad. It’s a gateway for all foreign professionals, prospective owners and racing enthusiasts wishing to discover and invest in French racing. The FRBC gathers the entire racing industry around one table, facilitating your project in France by connecting you with the right professionals at the right time.

Our team is made up of three racing fans – Cécile Adonias, Anne Delhom and myself. We’re united in our passion for horses and the atmosphere that makes our sport unique. We feel very fortunate to enjoy the countless charms and benefits of racing and breeding here in France on a daily basis and we take pride in marketing our industry all around the world.

The FRBC’s position within the industry affords privileged access to information and services. We’re here to provide any information about racing and breeding in France. We also organise tailor-made stud and training centres visits.

What special events are on in Deauville this May?Any visitor attending the French Guineas in Normandy should take the opportunity to visit some of the best French stud farms located around Deauville. The FRBC can arrange this.

We also offer an inward scheme for any foreign buyers purchasing horses at public auction in France (at Arqana and Osarus). We have an office at the Arqana sales complex and we will be pleased to welcome any racing enthusiasts curious to discover more about racing and breeding in France during that weekend.

Why should a British/Irish owner race in France?There has never been a better time to own racehorses in France. With 255 racecourses and €121 million in

prize-money on the Flat, €45m in owners’ premiums plus €30m in breeders’ premiums, it’s no surprise France attracts a large number of foreign owners every year.

French racing’s finances have continued to grow for more then ten years and the construction of new all-weather tracks at Deauville, Chantilly, Pornichet, Lyon la Soie, Pau and Cagnes-Sur-Mer has made Flat racing in France an all-year-round attraction. Furthermore, for British-based owners, the strength of sterling against the Euro reduces costs.

French prize-money typically begins from a base of €10,000 and there are very few races in France with prize-money below this. It’s then a gradual build as you move through the race classes to €70,000 for ‘Grand Handicap’ races. There is a minimum of €55,000 for Listed races, €80,000 for Group 3 races and €130,000 for Group 2s. Prize-money varies for Group 1s, with the biggest purse in French racing being the Qatar Prix l’Arc de Triomphe worth €5m.

All races in France pay prize-money down to fifth place. In big betting handicaps or Group races distributions vary, but are guaranteed to at least seventh place. In principle, there are no entry fees for races other than Listed class and above.

While prize-money is high in

its own right, the French racing industry, in a bid to encourage the racing of French-bred horses in France, also offers up to 64 per cent of prize-money as a bonus to lucky owners of locally-bred horses. A transport subsidy is also allocated for each horse trained in France when travelling to race meetings.

All owners registered with France Galop gain free entry to every race meeting in France without exception. Owners are also allowed access to racecourse stable yards when their horse is running.

Our historical training centres, such as Chantilly and Maisons-Laffitte, are located only an hour from the Champs-Elysées, so it’s easy to organise a pleasant weekend in Paris while visiting your horses in training.

Why should a British/Irish breeder have mares in France?For about eight years the French stallion ranks have shown a real resurgence. Compared to other European countries, France offers some of the best quality for value and, importantly, returns on investment at the sales.

Most of the yearlings sold in France are born and raised in France or assimilated (when a French-based mare is mated with a foreign stallion) and, as such, qualify the owner for a 64 per cent premium on top of any French prize-money earned at two, three and four, with 43 per cent at five or older in all open races. This has been an added attraction

Arqana Breeze-Up Sale and the first two French Classics

vvWhere/when Breeze-up takes place at 11.30am local time (10.30am BST) on Friday, May 13, at Deauville racecourse; sale starts at 2pm (1pm) on Saturday, May 14, at the Arqana sales complexvvRacing at Deauville Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Pouliches on Sunday, May 15; Prix Saint-Alary on Monday, May 16

Executive director of the French Racing and Breeding Committee Capucine Houel answers our questions

Here to explain: from premiums and bonuses to prize-money

N ECESSITY is the mother of invention, so they say, and the need to relocate this year’s French Guineas from Longchamp as the Paris

racecourse undergoes renovation has created the chance for trainers, owners, agents and racing fans to enjoy a weekend of top-class action on the track and in the sales ring in the charming seaside town of Deauville.

The Classics, spearheading two days of quality racing, and the Arqana breeze-up sale – usually held at Saint-Cloud – are hitting Normandy from Friday, May 13 to Monday, May 16.

Olivier Delloye, the newly installed managing director at French racing’s administrator France Galop, talks about the importance of the reshuffled weekend and the challenges facing him in an interview on pages 4-5.

If you arrive early in the week, you could organise a stud trip to visit one of the many top-class stallions who reside in the region. Siyouni, who has a strong hand in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches with Spectre and Trixia, at Haras de Bonneval, perhaps, or Kendargent at Colleville, Le Havre at Cauvinière, Martaline at Montaigu; the sires worth seeing are numerous.

Help planning that excursion can be provided by the French Racing and Breeding Committee, whose executive director Capucine Houel outlines what other services her organisation provides on these pages.

On the Friday you will have the chance to see the two-year-olds in the breeze-up sale strut their stuff at Deauville racecourse.

Among the lots on offer are two colts by perennial champion sire Galileo and two juveniles by his brilliant son Frankel, as well as representatives of Dark Angel, Exceed And

Excel, Lope De Vega, Oasis Dream and Siyouni.

Arqana president Eric Hoyeau and head of bloodstock Freddy Powell talk us through the catalogue, events surrounding the sale and the innovative wildcard auction – comprising only late entries and held in conjunction with the breeze-up – on pages 6-7.

While you’re at the breeze, see if you can spot the next star graduate. Trainer Harry Dunlop and agent Matt Coleman did so last year when they bought subsequent Group 1 winner Robin Of Navan for just €47,000; they talk about how they struck gold, and the advantages of buying and racing in France, on pages 8-9.

The sale takes place on the Saturday at 2pm and then it is the French Guineas on the Sunday.

The Poule d’Essai des Poulains has a rich heritage of producing top-class winners and its importance is demonstrated by the appearance of important stallions such as Blushing Groom, Irish River, Kendor, Linamix, Kingmambo, Shamardal and Lope De Vega on the roll of honour.

The fillies’ race has also been won by some legendary racemares – Allez France, Ivanjica, Three Troikas, Miesque and Zarkava to name a few.

We have even got your spare time in between racing, sales and stud trips covered on pages 10-11, as local resident Fanny Salmon gives us an insider’s guide to the hottest new places to eat, stay and play in Deauville.

Whether you are participating in only a day of the Deauville sales and racing weekend next month, or the whole week, enjoy – and see you back there in August!Martin Stevens, bloodstock editor

Eyes turn to Deauville as sales and Classics relocate to Normandy

Kendargent gets a kiss from his groom at Haras de Colleville, which could be a port of call

French Racing And BreedingRacing Post Wednesday, April 13, 2016 3

for foreign owners, increasing interest in buying French-bred horses.

French breeders qualify for an additional bonus of 15 per cent on top of Frenchprize-money won for racehorses born and bred in France and ten per cent for horses born and bred in France but conceived abroad. The

breeder premium can go up to 21 per cent under certain conditions.

France Galop’s €76m annual owners’ and breeders’ fund for Flat and jumps racing is something quite unique in Europe, and any British or Irishbreeder can benefit from it– just board your mare at one of our 4,000 stud farms.

Give us your favourite places to eat and drink in DeauvilleWith evening’s arrival, Deauville becomes illuminated and it’s time to enjoy the best local cuisine – soles, scallops, shrimps, butter, fresh cream, Camembert cheese,Pont-L’Évêque cheese, Livarot

cheese, cider and calvados.Several addresses are

essential to know: Le Comptoir et la Table is for me one of the finest restaurants in Deauville and I would definitely order a risotto aux truffes, which is a must-have accompanied with white wine like a Pouilly Fuissé 2009.

Chez Hervé is the perfect

place to enjoy the Deauville atmosphere. It’s one of my favourites and I always order the same – pig’s trotters. Try them, it will be just another exotic souvenir of Deauville.

Give us a tip for the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and PoulichesIn the Pouliches I’ll pick two

unbeaten fillies who were impressive at two – La Cressonniere (by Le Havre) and Trixia (by Siyouni). In the Poulains I’ll go for Zelzal(by Sea The Stars), bought at Arqana for €180,000 byAl Shaqab Racing. He’s trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and won impressively at Chantilly last week.

POULE D’ESSAI DES POULAINS WINNERSYear Horse Jockey Trainer SP

2015 Make Believe Olivier Peslier André Fabre 5-1

2014 Karakontie (right ) Stéphane Pasquier Jonathan Pease 6-4f

2013 Style Vendome Thierry Thulliez Nicolas Clément 9-2

2012 Lucayan Stéphane Pasquier François Rohaut 33-1

2011 Tin Horse Thierry Jarnet Didier Guillemin 10-1

2010 Lope De Vega Maxime Guyon André Fabre 10-1

2009 Silver Frost Christophe Soumillon Yves de Nicolay 7-1

2008 Falco Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias 215-10

2007 Astronomer Royal Colm O’Donoghue Aidan O’Brien, Ire 33-1

2006 Aussie Rules Kieren Fallon Aidan O’Brien, Ire 4-1

2008 Falco Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias 215-102008 Falco Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias 215-102008 Falco Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias 215-10

POULE D’ESSAI DES POULICHES WINNERSYear Horse Jockey Trainer SP

2015 Ervedya Christophe Soumillon Jean-Claude Rouget 11-8f

2014 Avenir Certain Gregory Benoist Jean-Claude Rouget 14-1

2013 Flotilla Christophe Lemaire Mikel Delzangles 7-1

2012 Beauty Parlour Christophe Soumillon Elie Lellouche 8-13f

2011 Golden Lilac (right ) Olivier Peslier André Fabre 5-2f

2010 Special Duty* Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek 6-4f

2009 Elusive Wave Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget 5-1

2008 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré 30-100f

2007 Darjina Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré 13-2

2006 Tie Black** Jean-Bernard Eyquem François Rohaut 20-1

*Liliside fi nished fi rst but was demoted to sixth **Price Tag fi nished fi rst but was demoted to third

2010 Special Duty* Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek 6-4f2010 Special Duty* Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek 6-4f2010 Special Duty* Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek 6-4f2010 Special Duty* Stéphane Pasquier Criquette Head-Maarek 6-4f

2008 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré 30-100f2008 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré 30-100f2008 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré 30-100f2008 Zarkava Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré 30-100fFrankie Dettori salutes the crowd

after Golden Horn’s victory in last year’s €5 million Qatar Prix de

l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp


M AY is often referred to in France as the smallest month, owing to a

preponderance of public holidays stretching from the workers’ celebration of May Day on the first, via Victory in Europe through Ascension and Pentecost (Whitsun).

This year the first two of those fall on a Sunday, halving the number of potential long weekends at a stroke.

But the combination of an early Easter and the closure of Longchamp for its €131 million redevelopment has provided French racing with a unique opportunity to take the waters in Deauville, combining the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale with two days of high-quality action across the Avenue Hocquart de Turtot at French racing’s summer HQ, the Hippodrome de la Touques.

The prospect of running the first two French Classics, the Poules d’Essai, up the straight mile at Deauville in front of a bumper holiday crowd, along with a who’s who of international racing drawn by the Arqana sale, is one that should prove an intoxicating mixture.

Of course the success of such a festival away from its regular moorings in Paris entails plenty of work, and it is perhaps fortunate timing that France Galop’s newly-installed director general, Olivier Delloye, knows Deauville intimately, both as a

destination and as a sales venue.

Ten years in his post as Arqana’s director general before taking the helm at French racing’s rulers on the outskirts of Paris early this year means Delloye is in a unique position to assess this new creation, one which will continue in 2017 even as the builders in the Bois de Boulogne near completion of the new fixtures and fittings at Longchamp.

“Something I’ve long thought is that the French programme lacks a little in terms of big meetings or events that last two, three or four days,” says Delloye. “That sort of event offers more possibilities to welcome partners and the public, and to really make a meeting more visible.

“This May there aren’t so many long weekends and so having one around which we could build a really strong racing programme and the sales at the same time is an excellent opportunity.

“It’s a decent selling point to say to someone: ‘Here’s something very good that will last more than just four hours in the afternoon’. It’s something quite different to have the sale on a Saturday and on the same site to then have two days of top-quality racing.”

Bloodstock agents, trainers and owners have long targeted the breeze-up at its regular home of Saint-Cloud, but Delloye believes that hasn’t always translated into interest in the Classics run the following day at Longchamp, on the opposite bank of the Seine.

“The fact the racecourse and the sales centre are in the same place means people can easily

frequent both, whereas we’ve seen clients of Arqana at Saint-Cloud in the past who then didn’t stay on for the racing at Longchamp,” he says. “Deauville is also a place that not only attracts people but holds their attention, all of which means it’s a better place to hold the two events together.”

The original decision to move the Poules to Deauville – along with the Group 1 Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary, Prix Hocquart and the Prix de Saint-Georges – predates Delloye’s appointment but he appreciates keenly the sporting dimension involved in the choice of racecourse.

The two mile Classics have long suffered from accusations that horses drawn high are at an unfair disadvantage, with the 1,600 metre (mile) start on Longchamp’s ‘grande piste’ sending runners into the long sweep of the right-handed bend within seconds of the gates opening.

D ELLOYE says: “The other opportunity is to experiment with the two Guineas over a

straight track, something we haven’t tried before. It will be interesting to see what effect that might have on the number of runners.

“Will trainers have more confidence in the race and aim more horses at it? We know there are some who worry about 1,600 metres around a bend at Longchamp being too reliant on the draw. It will be interesting to see how the trainers react to this different situation.”

Of course a straight mile does not guarantee the draw will not play a part, as has sometimes been demonstrated at Newmarket. But Deauville’s flat, fast dragstrip of a track should provide a fair test of the Classic generation.

Delloye’s connection to the town he called home for a decade means he has a

particular ear for what works there.

He says: “Deauville is a town whose rhythms are bound up very closely with life in Paris. It can really fill up at the weekends, more so if the weather forecast is good and especially over long weekends. So having a really good meeting over a holiday weekend in May is a great combination.

“By comparison there is a three-day meeting at the beginning of July that coincides with the beginning of the school holidays, but it’s midweek and wouldn’t have nearly the same power to attract the crowds. Even during August, when people may have been used to going up for a fortnight, these days there is a big difference between the crowds for weekdays and the weekends.”

Deauville’s director of racing Olivier Louit and his team will be ensuring the racecourse puts on its Sunday (and Monday) best for the two-day meeting that follows the sale.

Delloye says: “We’ll be going out of our way to publicise the weekend while the aim is also to offer a warm welcome to all the professionals attending. The ‘ Jardin des Propriétaires’ – which is usually only there during August – will be up and running. Coolmore, who have a long association as sponsors of the Prix Saint-Alary, will be hosting a large number of their clients on the Monday.”

Scott Burton talks to Olivier Delloye, newly appointed director of France Galop with a strong connection to Deauville, about what the future holds for French racing

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Olivier Delloye: ten years at the helm of Arqana before move


O LIVIER DELLOYE’S background in marketing and communication

with French retail giant PPR and pharmaceutical multinational Procter & Gamble made him a strong candidate to join the new Arqana company that had emerged from the fusion of the old Agence Française and Goffs France.

The spirit of openness that attracted Arqana then is still evident as the youthful-looking 42-year-old sits across a glass table at France Galop’s headquarters in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt a decade later.

One of his key challenges as French racing seeks to attract new followers at home and abroad is to make ownership more attractive.

And Delloye pulls no punches when asked how progress on this front might be achieved.

He says: “I have a personal conviction that we need to adopt a more user-friendly attitude across everything we do,” he says. “Ours is an organisation that is a bit too ‘French’ in the way we operate.

“Some of the information coming out of here is too complicated and the internet site is too difficult to navigate for foreigners as well as for the French. People need to appreciate the benefits of French racing beyond the fact the prize-money is good.

“That requires information to be clearly presented and easily accessible. New technology is an important aspect and it’s essential that replays of the races are almost instantly available to everybody who has a horse.”

And Delloye believes the responsibility to ‘sell’ racehorse ownership goes beyond the people who work in the same building as him, extending to those whose businesses are most directly linked to ownership.

He says: “A trainer who is asked to send a photo of a horse to the owner might say there’s no point because there has been no change since last week. The trainer may feel such a gesture isn’t really very informative, but most owners want to hear as much as possible about their horse.

“Even a phone call where he reports that last week the horse was trotting and hack cantering and this week the same. Regular contact shows the owner you’re committed to keeping them up to date with all the information and the little details of the horse’s life. Otherwise it’s like sending your children to boarding

school and only being sent their grades each term.”

Delloye goes on to list the institutional challenges facing French racing and affecting owners, trainers and breeders, great and small: the difficult climate the former monopoly betting operator PMU finds itself in; the burden of increased VAT payments imposed by the European Court of Justice; and the growth of the racing calendar that sees jockeys and training staff scurrying across the country.

B UT he retains faith there is a way forward to ensure France’s boast of having the best

system in the world can be restated in the future.

“We have to find ways to revive that system so in five or ten years it really will be the envy of everyone,” he says. “To do that we have to win back the betting public with an attractive race programme and for the PMU to become more dynamic in earning their business.

“We have to make sure we remain attractive to owners, with good prize-money and an attractive programme. In France you can have success with horses of many different types. There’s a good programme for Group horses but also a horse of a lesser ability can earn their living.

“It’s already a well-balanced

system, so the aim is to offer owners more in the way of service and fun. We have to make owning a horse and going to watch it run the best possible experience on a daily basis.

“If those things happen then we really will have a strong model, perhaps the best in the world.”

Which brings the conversation full circle.

More than half of France’s Group 1s are on the move this year and, whatever the future of the new Deauville weekend, the vast majority of them will be returning to the shiny new Longchamp in the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018.

“It will be a major ‘weapon’ in terms of bringing back value to the experience of owners and

the racing public,” he says. “I imagine many people will come to have a look when it first reopens and it’s important to entice them on that first visit. The aim is to have a racecourse that is digitally connected and that the new technology will aid people’s understanding of what we’re offering.

“We want to make it a place people really want to come back to again.”

Architect Dominique Perrault’s design envisages state-of-the-art facilities for both the general public and owners and sponsors who will enjoy the most commanding views from the new stand’s uppermost levels.

Delloye continues: “It’s important the boxes a sponsor might entertain their clients in gives the air you’re in a

prestigious location. That will bring a new kind of clientele to the racecourse. We have to offer both our existing and potential future customers a quality of experience that really adds value.

“If it works there it will help focus our efforts at our other racecourses. Obviously we can’t build four of five Longchamps, but there’s no reason why the things we learn there can’t be applied elsewhere.”

One Longchamp is well and truly on track, although the gates will not reopen until next September. Much closer at hand, Delloye’s team at France Galop and his former Arqana colleagues are anticipating an exceptional few days on the Normandy coast in ‘little May’.Scott rton

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Longchamp is undergoing a multi-million euro redevelopment; (inset left) the old stand is demolished to make way for the new and (right) the foundation stone ceremony last month

‘We have some very strong female pedigrees and sire power in the catalogue’


Arqana’s Freddy Powell (above) and Eric Hoyeau: confi dent the weekend is going to be a success

F OR the next two years due to Longchamp’s redevelopment, Arqana’s Breeze-Up Sale will be held at

the company’s Deauville base, a day before the French Guineas at the picturesque Normandy venue. Taking place on May 13-14 this year, the whole weekend promises to be one of the highlights of the calendar.

Last season the auction produced Group 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud victor Robin Of Navan, purchased by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for €47,000 from Bansha House Stables and the only juvenile to have won at the highest level who had passed through the ring at a European breeze-up sale last year.

In what newly appointed bloodstock director Freddy Powell describes as its “best catalogue ever,” the auction house will offer 135 lots during the afternoon sale. Impressively, a fifth of the horses sold last year hold entries in this year’s Classics,

while the sale is also known for having produced top-flight graduates such as Mshawish, The Grey Gatsby andLucayan.

“We’re confident the weekend is going to be a huge success,” he says. “Proceedings will start on Friday with the canters, where thetwo-year-olds will go on the grass that is used by the trainers for morning gallops inside the all-weather track, and then the sale will be held on the following afternoon.

“France Galop and the Deauville team are working extremely hard to give the best possible conditions for the breezes and both vendors and purchasers alike. They’re extremely motivated and keen to show it off as a top training centre.”

Since the inaugural Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in 2007, the auction has gone from strength to strength and this year it will be offering several high-profile lots. A colt and a filly by Frankel, as well as the only two juveniles by Galileo to go through any two-year-old auction this year, are the headline acts. What is more, one of the Galileos is the first foal out of dual Group 2 winner and Irish Oaksrunner-up Banimpire.

“We have some very strong female pedigrees and sire power in the catalogue,” says Powell. “Around 80 to 85 per cent of the catalogue went through the yearling sales and all the top vendors from Europe are here consigning. They’ve been upping the quality they bring here every year.

“Out of last year’s graduates, 20 per cent of the horses sold have been entered in Classic races, which is a big achievement for the sale. This means that for a potential buyer you have a one in five chance of purchasing a horse good enough for this.”

I N A new initiative, buyers will also have the chance to purchase a selectionof quality horses in training, both Flat and

National Hunt, with the inclusion of a boutique sale of ten to 20 lots at the end of the breeze-ups.

“Even if it’s quite early on in the season, we wanted to capitalise on our wildcard system that has worked really well since we first created it in 2010,” Powell says. “Entries will close a couple of weeks before the sale and could include runners during the weekend.

“Of the 85 horses we have sold this way, 32 have made €200,000 or more, and ten €400,000-plus.”

Further to these innovations and changes, the sales company has also undergone some restructuring in recent months. In March, Olivier Delloye moved to a new position as managing director of France Galop.

This resulted in a plan for Powell to move back permanently to Deauville after eight years in Newmarket as the company’s British and Irish representative.

Powell has been part of the furniture at Arqana since its creation in 2006, having worked a further three years before that with current president Eric Hoyeau at Goffs France. “I was born in Deauville, only about 100 metres from the sales ring,” he says.

Hoyeau adds: “Despite the change in the organisation, it will be much the same as before for our clients. It’s really to make it more of a horizontal structure on paper, and Freddy will be in charge of our bloodstock teams for different areas.”

Powell explains: “My role is the coordination of the teams we already have in place. This means Eric can take more of a step back to oversee everything.”

“Freddy will continue to work with and attend all the top events in Britain and Ireland, and at the momentwe don’t envisage taking anyone on to do this,” Hoyeau says.

“Ludovic Cornuel may also be more involved in the future with certain clients as well as to have a particular role on the innovation front, while

Guillaume Cousin, Bernard Salvat and Dominique Boulard will remain in charge of their respective client portfolios.”

R ACING has been in Powell’s blood since the word go, with his father David a well-known figure

on the scene, first through journalism and then through his role as a bloodstock agent, notably striking up an association with Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock and buying several top-class performers.

“I spent my childhood on our family farm, Haras du Lieu des Champs, just nearby, which is now owned by my brother Richard,” says Powell. “This is where Magalen Bryant’s current French National Hunt champions Milord Thomas and Blue Dragon were bred, and my father also looks after the interests of [owner] Simon Munir in France.”

While studying for his law degree in Caen, the now

38-year-old French-American first became associated with Goffs France when working as a bid-spotter “to make a bit of extra pocket money”, while at the same time writing pedigree analysis with his father for MarketWatch.

A year with Richard Henry at Primus Advertising followed, while he also spent time as an intern at Keeneland in 2000.

“My older brother Leo now trains in California and my step-brother Arnaud Delacour is also a very successful trainer at Fair Hills in Pennsylvania,” he says.

Together with his English wife Anna and their three children, Powell will move back to his hometown permanently in July, although will be spending a significant part of the time before then in France where yearling inspections for August begin at the end of the month.

“The weekend of thebreeze-ups and French Guineas is going to be a fantastic three days, as the Monday is also a bank holiday with the Group 1 Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary taking place, as well as the Group 2 Prix Hocquart, a Prix du Jockey Club trial,” Powell says.

“We’re planning some great things in addition to the sales and racing, and it’s also important to stress that things will be just like they are in August. All the bars, restaurants and shops will be open, as Deauville isn’t just a summer destination, and the atmosphere will be fantastic.”

Business – and pleasure – as usual in Deauville!

Isabel Mathew talks to two leading figures at Arqana ahead of the company’s breeze-up sale, which will be held in Deauville this year on a weekend also featuring the first two French Classics

Deauville will stage the French 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas this year due to Longchamp’s redevelopment

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‘We have some very strong female pedigrees and sire power in the catalogue’


Notable winners sourced from the Arqana Breeze-Up Sales since 2010

Glen’s DiamondPedigree b g Intikhab-Posta Vecchia (Rainbow Quest)Vendor Rathvin StudBuyer Bobby O’RyanPrice €32,000, May 2010Biggest win Yorkshire Cup-G2LucayanPedigree b h Turtle Bowl-La Vltava (Grand Lodge)Vendor Ecurie Prevost-BaratteBuyer MAB AgencyPrice €85,000, May 2011Biggest wins Poule d’Essai des Poulains-G1, Hollywood Turf Cup-G2Mshawish (right)Pedigree b h Medaglia D’Oro-Thunder Bayou(Thunder Gulch)Vendor Brown Island StablesBuyer Mandore InternationalPrice €170,000, May 2012Biggest wins Gulfstream Park Turf H-G1, Donn H-G1, Fort Lauderdale S-G2, Hal’s Hope S-G2, Zabeel Mile-G2The Grey Gatsby (below)Pedigree gr h Mastercraftsman-Marie Vison(Entrepreneur)Vendor Grove StudBuyer Stephen HillenPrice €120,000, May 2013

Biggest wins Prix du Jockey Club-G1, Irish Champion S-G1, Dante S-G2

Robin Of NavanPedigree ch c American Post-Cloghran (Muhtathir)Vendor Bansha House StablesBuyer Stroud Coleman BloodstockPrice €47,000, May 2015Biggest win Critérium de Saint-Cloud-G1

b h Medaglia D’Oro-Thunder Bayou

Gulfstream Park Turf H-G1, Donn H-G1, Fort Lauderdale S-G2,

Biggest winsChampion S-G1, Dante S-G2

Robin Of Navan

The sales grounds at Deauville and (top right) the heat of the action in the ring; (below right) an aerial view of the picturesque Normandy venue


T HE flagbearer for last year’s Arqana Saint-CloudBreeze-Up Sale is Robin Of Navan, a

son of American Post who was purchased by Matt Coleman of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock on behalf of trainer Harry Dunlop for €47,000 and went on to Group 1 glory when victorious in the Critérium deSaint-Cloud in November.

That sum was only enough to make the colt the 53rd most expensive lot at the sale, a considerable way behind top lot Al Erayg, a son of Oasis Dream who went to Al Shaqab with a bid of €600,000.

The inexpensively sourced colt is a fine advert for the sale that has also featured such luminaries as dual Group 1 winner The Grey Gatsby, purchased for €120,000 at the 2013 breeze-up, two-time US Grade 1 scorer Mshawish, a €170,000 buy at the 2012 sale, and 2012 Poule d’Essai des Poulains hero Lucayan, bought for €85,000 in 2011.

Since going into training at Dunlop’s Windsor House Stables in Lambourn, Robin Of Navan has won four of his six starts for owners Mike and Shirley Cross, Peter Deal, Richard Foden and Sir David Sieff, earning €397,822, with his last three runs yielding progressive victories in Listed, Group 3 and Group 1 company in France.

The colt’s story began at the Lepeudry family’s Haras de Tourgéville in Normandy where he was foaled on May 18, 2013. The first foal out of the once-placed Muhtathir mare Cloghran, a half-sister to Italian Group 3 winner Ming Zhi Cosmos and French Listed scorer Melodyman, he hails from the family of Liliside and Lily America, both sired by American Post.

Offered by Antoine Lepeudry on behalf of Haras de Tourgéville at the 2014 Arqana October Yearling Sale, he was picked up for €10,000 by renowned pinhooker Con Marnane, who handled the early careers of future Group 1 winners Amadeus Wolf, Fleeting Spirit and Rio De La Plata.

The following year Robin Of Navan returned to the Arqana sales ring when consigned by Marnane’s Bansha House Stables, a visit that coincided with Dunlop’s first trip to the breeze-up. Armed with a budget of £40,000, which equated to €56,000 at the time, Coleman and Dunlop identified the colt as a potential purchase but could hardly have dreamed of what the forthcoming season would bring.

“He breezed well, we looked at American Post and noticed that in his pedigree the nicks had worked twice, and that he was well in budget and a horse who we slightly felt would improve with time,” Dunlop says.

“I think he probably made what he should have done. He wasn’t expensive as a yearling but Con said he hadn’t done particularly well and that he was going to improve, but the main thing with him as an individual is that you wouldn’t recognise him now from what he was then.”

After returning from France with his new acquisition, Dunlop gave the colt a break. “When he got back he just grew and cantering-wise he seemed to do things quite easily here,” he says.

“It wasn’t until

we took him for a racecourse gallop and he worked exceptionally well with a lead horse we thought, ‘oh gosh, this lad could be okay’.”

On his racecourse debut at Kempton, Robin Of Navan finished sixth, the only time he would finish unplaced, but there was good reason for this introduction, as Dunlop

explains: “We ran him at Kempton purely because we always run them in Britain first due to the location and to get them savvy enough to go out there [to France]. The spec was very much to run in France.”

Robin Of Navan was ridden on his next start over 7f at Compiègne by Tony Piccone, the start of a fruitful relationship, resulting in him running out a winner bythree-quarters of a length. Dunlop adds: “It was a nice surprise, he made the running and nothing could catch him.”

“He really improved as the year went on. He got beat next time at Deauville by a horse [George Patton] who is highly regarded by his trainer

Jean-Claude Rouget, and from then on the step up in distance played into his hands and Tony really gelled with the horse.”

T HE colt’s final three starts as a juvenile saw him rack up a hat-trick of victories – in the Listed

Critérium du Fonds Européen de l’Elevage at Deauville, followed by the Group 3 Prix de Condé at Chantilly and finally in the Group 1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud.

“It was amazing, especially with a horse we bought in the middle of May,” Dunlop says. “I’d heard that Con liked him but to end up winning aGroup 1 at the end of the year is quite exceptional.

“Even this year, probably from mid-season, he’ll probably keep improving, which is exciting as there are

so many big races later in the year.”

It bodes well for a colt who holds entries in the Prix du Jockey Club and Grand Prix de Paris and could make his seasonal debut in either the Prix Greffulhe on May 8 or Prix Hocquart on May 15, theday after this year’s two-day Arqana breeze-up concludes.

Dunlop’s first foray into the French market was with Sir Patrick Moore, a €16,000 purchase at the 2011 Arqana October Yearling Sale. The son of Astronomer Royal won on his debut at Newbury and accrued €64,745 from four runs in France, aided by the valuable owners’ premiums available to French-bred horses.

Dunlop says: “I wanted totry to do something different, to try to improve things. We very much go out to try to get a French-bred qualified for French premiums.

“Sir Patrick Moore showed me the way and I really enjoy it. I took the view we’ll go to Arqana and we’ve bought Sir Patrick Moore, Red Tornado, fourth in a Group 3, and Robin Of Navan.

“Business-wise it gave the owners fun going out to France and they’ve won enough money to not worry about what happens as athree-year-old, something that is very hard in Britain.”

Robin Of Navan’s sire American Post was an exciting juvenile, winning the 2003 Racing Post Trophy and Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère for trainer

wasn’t expensive as a yearling but Con said he hadn’t done particularly well and that he was going to improve, but the main thing with him as an individual is that you wouldn’t recognise him now from what

After returning from France with his new acquisition, Dunlop gave the colt a break. “When he got back he just

introduction, as Dunlop the start of a fruitful relationship, resulting in him running out a winner bythree-quarters of a length. Dunlop adds: “It was a nice surprise, he made the running and nothing could catch him.”

“He really improved as the year went on. He got beat next time at Deauville by a horse [George Patton] who is highly regarded by his trainer

Harry Dunlop: “I’d heard Con liked him but to win a

Group 1 at the end of the year is quite exceptional”

Chris Hill talks to Harry Dunlop about the appeal of buying at sales in France and his prize find from last year, subsequent Group 1 winner Robin Of Navan

‘ hey’ve won enough to not worry a out what happens as a three year old something that is very hard in ritain’

A memento of Sir Patrick Moore’s Compiègne win.

The colt was a €16,000 buy in France in 2011

and “showed the way” for

Harry Dunlop


Criquette Head-Maarek. The following season saw the Juddmonte homebred claim the Poule d’Essai des Poulains before finishing sixth in the Derby. Originally retired to Haras d’Etreham in 2005, the son of Bering moved to Haras de Tréban in 2014.

With his victory in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud, Robin Of Navan became his sire’s first Group 1 victor, although he could have had a top-flight winner earlier had Liliside not been demoted from first place in the 2010 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

The 15-year-old stallion has produced black-type scorers from all but one of his nine crops, a number that includes French Group 3 winners Ameenah, American Devil and Ma Preference, with Liliside and Lily America achieving success in French Listed races.

Unsurprisingly, Dunlop is a

fan of the Arqana sales as he sees the combination of great facilities and the potential prize-money that can be accrued as a fantastic opportunity for British owners, so much so he has recently been granted permission to send out runners from boxes at Deauville racecourse.

Although his stable star will remain in Lambourn until transported to race in France, Dunlop hopes to increasingly take advantage of the lucrative prize-money on offer to French-bred horses running in their native country.

For owners of two-, three- and four-year-olds this can be boosted by as much as 64 per cent, while for

older horses it can increase by 43 per cent.

“It’s hard to buy but it was fantastic,” Dunlop says. “They’re not cheap and, although there aren’t a huge number of French owners, what I do find, and I’ve noticed even in the short time I’ve been going, is that the premium counts for so much.

“In the sales ring it counts

for another couple of bids, because they know they can get it back. I’ve noticed it has got stronger, certainly the October Sale. The Frenchman wants that premium; it’s bred into them and that’s what I think has definitely helped the prices.

“I also think the horses in the breeze there are given a little bit more time to mature and obviously our fellow is more a staying horse, not a whizz-bang six-furlong type, and it really probably helped him from that aspect.”

Despite only dipping his toe in to the French market within the last five years, Dunlop is undoubtedly a firm fan.

“I think it’s clever with Deauville, I love it, that you’ve got so much; good food, nice social side and obviously cracking racing, and the whole thing works very well,” he says.

Con Marnane, breeze-up consignor of Robin Of Navan

SO HOW did Con Marnane of Bansha House Stables spot Robin Of Navan as a yearling at the 2014 Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale – and pay just €10,000 to pinhook him?

“As a yearling he was a bit light, but he had a fractured molar, possibly caused by being kicked while out in the field,” he says. “We took him home and took the tooth out.

“John Halligan, one of my head guys who breaks all our yearlings, played a big part as he’s also a qualified dentist. We took the tooth out and then after two weeks the horse really thrived. He turned inside out and into a superstar.

“We actually offered ten at the Saint-Cloud breeze-up but only sold three. One of the others was Maximum Aurelius, a colt by Showcasing who

was purchased by Matt Coleman for €55,000. He won a Listed race [the Prix des Sablonnets] by two and a half lengths for Francis-Henri Graffard and could potentially be a very good horse as well.”

Matt Coleman, breeze-up purchaser of Robin Of Navan

BLOODStOCk agent Matt Coleman of Stroud Coleman Bloodstock has assisted Dunlop on many occasions when purchasing in France. He signed for the future Group 1 winner Robin Of Navan at the Saint-Cloud breeze-up for €47,000.

“We had one order for the sale with a budget, so we had to find a horse who was going to fit, which isn’t always easy at that sale as it tends to be a very strong market,” says Coleman.

“Robin Of Navan moved very well in the breeze and seemed to have a good attitude. Obviously the horses who do the very fast times tend to be the ones who make a lot of money.

“We had to work outside the box somewhat, as the ones who breezed best were by sexy stallions like Oasis Dream and Siyouni, which we would never be able to afford.

“For me the times are a tool but they’re not the be-all and end-all. What’s more important is how they move, what the horse looks like and what the vendor says, along with the pedigree really.

“Robin Of Navan did a very reasonable time for

his physique and Con Marnane tends not to really push his horses hard, which is a big thing because it means they tend to have a future afterwards. He moved well, was a good-looker, walked well and looked like he’d take quite a bit of time and make a nice three-year-old.

“When we bought him I thought he would excel at three, so what he’s done as a two-year-old has been a real bonus.”

Robin Of Navan runs away with the Group 1 Critérium

de Saint-Cloud last November

Deauville – whereto eat, stay and play


T HERE is a common misconception about Deauville. Many assume it lies dormant outside of

the summer months. But as visitors coming for French Guineas weekend will find out, nothing could be further from the truth.

Deauville is very much alive in May. I am among the lucky ones who can sleep and dine at home during the racing but I am, however, happy to share what’s new and who gets my vote in this ‘insider’s guide’.

Where to sleepShould you decide to splurge, do it in style! Deauville’s most legendary hotel will reopen its doors on April 29 after extensive renovations.

Le Normandy became the region’s first five-star establishment in 2009. One year after its grand 1912 opening, Coco Chanel picked it as the site of her new hat boutique. The grand hotel has been featured in many films, including the French Classic ‘Un Homme et une Femme’.

The traditional Toile de Jouy wallpaper and accessories are now decorated in blue and beige but also green, orange and red. Room prices start at €264 per night, with the ‘Un Homme et une Femme’ suite at €2,350. This iconic piece of Deauville architecture may not fit all budgets but you can experience its breakfast (€35) or brunch (€80) in the revamped restaurant La Belle Epoque. It is probably worth calling ahead to make a reservation; you’d be surprised how busy its restaurant can be, even in May.Hotel Normandy, 38 rue Jean Mermoz.Tel: +33 (0)2 31 98 66 22vvAlso reopening this month is the hotel formally known as Helios, now relabelled Ibis Styles Deauville Centre. Conveniently located, it offers 74 rooms, all refurbished and equipped with air-conditioning. The hotel, which has a bar, terrace and fitness room, is within walking distance of the train station, the beach, the sales and the racecourse.Ibis Styles Deauville Centre,10 rue Robert Fossorier.+33 (0)2 31 14 46 46vvAcross the Touques river, Trouville now also has itsfive-star facility – Cures Marines Trouville Hotel Thalasso & Spa-MGallery Collection. It has 103 rooms, including 16 suites, brought back to life after a two-decade hiatus. Adjoined to Trouville’s Casino and the sea-bath spa, the project recaptures the golden age of Deauville’s rival city, with rooms starting at €198 per night.

Cures Marines Trouville Hotel Thalasso & Spa, boulevard de la Cahotte, Trouville-sur-Mer.+33 (0) 2 31 14 26 00

Where to eat and drinkChez Hervé, Miocque andLe Drakkar need no introduction – they are the golden trilogy if you want to see and be seen. Just across the road from the last two mentioned is one of my personal favorites, La Cantine.

In its modern setting you’ll find a welcoming staff with a menu featuring hearty, traditional food with a twist. I love that you can come for a late lunch; they serve until 4.30pm, then transition into a tea room before dinner time.

Don’t miss the daily suggestions on its Facebook page. Among the staples is the Salade Cantine featuring foie gras and poached egg. Fishand chips are available if you are overdosing on French cuisine, plus steak tartare and all the regulars you canexpect from a quality brasserie.

It also serves my all-time favourite dessert, la Teurgoule. Describing it as a local rice pudding doesn’t do it justice. The traditional dish is bakedin a special terracotta pot at a low temperature for six to eight hours with creamy milk,

sugar and just a dash of cinnamon until a brown crust forms on top. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted Teurgoule, trust me (cold or it’s even better slightly warm). Lunch menus start at €16.90, dinner menus at €27.La Cantine, 90 rue Eugene Colas. +33 (0)2 31 87 47 47 lacantinedeauville.fr/, facebook.com/lacantinededeauvillevvA feast for the eyes and the tastebuds, the dishes served at L’Essentiel never fail to please. This restaurant is my first choice when I know my fellow guests have the time and

curiosity to enjoy a culinary journey.

Charles Thuillant andMir-Ra Kim met in Paris where they worked for some of France’s most renowned chefs. The husband and wife team up to produce the perfect fusion of seasonal, locally grown products from Charles’s native Normandy and Asian flavours reflecting Mi-Ra’s South Korean heritage. The result is creative, contemporary cuisine that takes the less travelled road to tickle your palate. Menu options start at €18 for lunch.

L’Essentiel, 29-21 rue Mirabeau. +33 (0)2 31 87 22 11lessentiel-deauville.comvvA new face at the Comptoir et la Table, another favourite for food lovers just acrossfrom the yacht club. André Lemarrié took over a year ago from Michel and Nadine Saggioro, who gave the establishment its strong reputation.

The scallop and truffle risotto remains on the menu, while fresh buys at the fish market determine the day’s suggestions. Langoustine, lobster and turbot make a

winning trifecta. Reservations are strongly recommended for this popular spot.Le Comptoir et la Table, 1 quai de la marine.+33 (0)2 31 88 92 51lecomptoiretlatable.frvvI have not had the chance to try Villa Gabrielle, which was due to open as this guide went to press. Its chef has spent the last 16 years working for Christian Dior’s private kitchen. He aims for simple yet classic cuisine with Mediterranean and Asian inspiration.

For your local fix, the croustillant d’andouille au Camembert sounds extremely promising. Translation would probably ruin the taste. When in Rome, eat like a Viking! A nice shot of Calvados will complete any Deauville experience. The bar is open all day and it’s about €20 for a main dish and dessert at lunch.Villa Gabrielle, 85 rue Eugène ColasvvThere is nothing more French than baguettes and croissants, and Yvonne is a new option worth sharing. You can sit in for breakfast or lunch. Every item sold is made on site and on the day. You can design your own salads, quiches or sandwiches, not to mention another staple of French pâtisserie – the éclair (€3.30) and the choux. Very

ee i dus o essio als o eau ille’s deli s

Ed Prosser, Keeneland European representative

Stay La Closerie is handy for the town, racing and sales with apartment-style rooms. But

having an indoor basement pool, there’s always adanger of finding an injudiciously-dressed bloodstock agent in the lift!Eat Les Quatre Chats across the water in Trouville is hard to beat, offering uncomplicated good French food and wine. In Deauville,

La Comptoir et la Table is also excellent, particularly for its seafood and truffles.Party Chez Hervé after dinner when Le Patron cranks up the volume for a bit ofAC/DC.Ed Sackville,bloodstock agent

Eat 21. I always have the same thing, snails and then a blue steak. I’m a creature of habit and like the

fact I know what I’m getting. Also, I like being able to walk there and to sit outside.

Party A cold beer on the grass outside the sales ring while the sale is going on. It’s a great atmosphere and you get to see what’s happening.Anne Delhom, event coordinator for theFrench Racing and Breeding Committee

Eat Chez Hervé is one of the racing community’s favourites. It’s a cosy restaurant

that offers a warm welcome and tasty traditionalcooking.

Fanny Salmon, a native of Deauville, with the insider’s guide to where to stay, eat and party in and around Normandy’s finest

Deauville – whereDeauville – whereto eat, stay and play

French Racing And BreedingRacing Post Wednesday, April 13, 2016 11Racing Post Wednesday, April 13, 2016 11

tasty, they come in 15 different flavours (€1.90).Boulangerie pâtisserie sandwicherie Yvonne, 68 rue Gambetta.+33 (0)2 31 89 57 71vvTo complement Yvonne’s delicious bread, you can stop at the mouthwatering cheese shop near the market. Cyrille Andrieu, the Deauville-born business owner, displays some 200 cheeses from the region and beyond, as well as butter and the delicious thick cream that sticks to your spoon when you flip it (only in Normandy!).

He also sells a variety of farm-made organic jams and apple juice. A piece of cheese on bread savoured outside with the sea on the horizon is just the perfect peaceful break before returning to the hustle and bustle of a busy weekend.Fromagerie Chez Madeleine,13 rue Breney.+33 (0)2 31 88 17 86vvWhile you’re on the beach, there are two great options for a drink or three. The Sunset beach in Benerville serves a Burger Normand withPont-l’Evêque, in case you haven’t had enough cheese yet, selections of tapas (starting at €12 for two), and crêpes (starting at €3.20). The outside lounge reopens for its third season from 11am to midnight. Don’t bother if it rains though.

Sunset Beach Boulevard de la Mer, Benerville-sur-Mer.+33 (0)6 45 08 45 16vvLa Terrasse des Ammonites, also in Benerville, provides a great view to enjoy the sunset while sipping on a drink. Salad, savoury galette and crêpes are served all day. It has also become a fashionable spot for dinner. The delicious Côte de Bœuf, which had disappeared from the dinner menu last year, is back by popular demand. Tasted and approved!La Terrasse des Ammonites,Rue des Lais de Mer. Benerville-sur-Mer. +33 (0)2 31 88 40 33 facebook.com/terrasse.desammonitesvvLa Touques, which gave its name to Deauville’s racecourse, separates Deauville from Trouville and I encourage you to cross the bridge to explore. The rivalry between the two towns is probably as strong as the one between the French and the British. We love to hate each other but couldn’t survive without one another!

Trouville has plenty to offer, starting with its fish market. Delicious seafood platters can be ordered to take home or be enjoyed on site. Come early though, there are only a few tables available per shop.

Opposite the street, Les Voiles and Les Vapeurs are often

packed but you will find many interesting options when you venture into La Rue des Bains.

Les Etiquettes, never one to publicise, has built a strong clientele on word of mouth. It’s a coffee shop, wine bar and more. The atmosphere is friendly and cosy and the room fills quickly, so reservations are in order for dinner.

During the season, Les Etiquettes opens from 10am to midnight for drinks and snacks with a strong emphasis on fresh products. Oysters and original choices of planchas to share are great for starters. Be careful, their copious main plates fill voracious appetites, in case you want to save room for dessert.Les Etiquettes, 65 rue des Bains, Trouville.+33 (0) 2 31 88 68 64vvLes Docks opened in the spring after more than five years of extensive work. The owner, Romain Martelli, fell in love with a condemned building, renovated it entirely and created a wine cellar and tapas bar.

I enjoyed its delicious ceviche (€9), its organic wine selection and tried only one of the many spiked rum options. I suppose I’ll just have to go back . . .Les Docks, 38 rue Carnot.+33 (6) 20 29 20 28

Le Normandy (main image, left) and the hotel’s suite

‘Un Homme et une Femme’ (below)

wednesday, april 13, 2016 deau destinviation lleimages.racingpost.com/pdfs/deauville2016.pdfracing...

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