The classics are fast approaching. In the French calendar, the prices of the Louvre, reserved for films, and Machado, open to males, (classes 1) are traditionally considered to be the last preparatory to the chicken pool of chicken and filths (groups I). But this year, a new rule has been upset the coaches. His name? Article 51 (which already existed, but which was then modified). Established on January 1, this revisited article in the shopping code stipulates: “The competent services of France Galop can decide that two races of the same meeting having the same specific conditions, but addressing one to males and the hunges and the other to females, are gathered in a single test open to males, hungar and females, if one or the other of these races records a number of starters deemed insufficient.” In this case, in this case, 26 subjects had been engaged beforehand: 11 males in the Machado price and 15 fillies in the Louvre. Then, 8 packages intervened (only two of them ran the preparatorys on Sunday April 13), before 8 other candidates disappeared to the probable. Pierre Groualle, who intended to run Motu propriowithdrew his resident when he learned that the two tests were merged. “I realize that you have to avoid races as much as possible with few runners”, tempers the ex-director of Aiglemont (60). But when you mount a category, you have to have fewer runners. It’s mathematics. In this specific case, we are talking about horses which have a strong commercial value. To face such strong lots at the start of the season, it’s a bit of a shame. There is no interest in taking a hard race to finish fifth or sixth. Same observation for Tim Donworth, who, at the base, wanted to come back to the return, Khadidja. “I didn’t want to run in front of the males. If it had been a normal class 2, that wouldn’t have bothered me. But it’s a classic preparatory! I’m not going to give a hard race to my resident unnecessarily. France Galop made this decision, but it’s risky. Fortunately, I made the choice to run Tigress of Gaul In the price of the cave (Gr. III), last Sunday, because, otherwise, it would have been dramatic. ”
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Francis-Henri Graffard: “It is a very bad orientation that France Galop took”
Untouchable in recent weeks, Francis-Henri Graffard, who has already won four classic preparations this season (May Prix de Mai, Pénélope Prize, Vanteaux Prize and Cave Prix), left Ultrafragola Who will start from the Louvre prize on Thursday, but the Cantilian (60) does not hesitate to share his dissatisfaction. “It is a very bad orientation that France Galop took. These races are preparatory to large deadlines and are essential in the selection program. It is harmful, because it will have devastating consequences on selection, breeding … and more generally on the French racing industry. At the start, this article 51 was sold for 2 -year races, before it was ultimately applied to all horses…” Victoria Head, on the other hand, who should initially have run the two distinctive races with her residents Sir Tommy Cen et Pinky Cenwho also have the same owner (Yeguada Centurion Slu), therefore had no choice but to run the male and the female together. “It is not ideal, because the females are not led to meet the males in the races of a higher level, at least for the moment. There is something illogical. This rule has been official since the beginning of the year, certainly. I therefore understand that we apply it. However, in this specific case, I do not find it interesting. When we prepare a race, we have a goal. No room for maneuver, because we only learn it four days before the race… ”
France Gallop’s response
Since the implementation of article 51, last January, the cases have been rare. And for good reason, only a race has already been merged. It was in Chantilly, on March 17, where the Prix du Lieutenant (class 2 for 3 years female) had merged with the price of the castle (class 2 for 3 years old), both initially played on 1,600m PSF. The sporting issue was not the same, but, on the other hand, the objective of France Galop was similar: to avoid two hollow races in order to save the recipe of the day. Because, it is a fact, the races with few starters are not popular with the bettors, as specified by the deputy director general of France Galop, Henri Pouret: “We are constantly fighting against the lack of runners in order to offer bettors composed of at least 8 runners. On average, the difference between the 7the et 8e leaving generates almost 40 % of additional issues. In addition, over the past three seasons, the percentage of hollow races in classes 2 has been around 85 % among 2 years old. Otherwise, on average, for the dish, we were around 20 %. Currently, it’s less. As a comparison, if we had adopted this new rule last year, we would have had around twenty mergers, flat and obstacle. Many proposals were therefore debated during the various flat advice, especially throughout last year. The modification of article 51 emerged, which houses a merger of the races. The Louvre and Machado were unfortunately a part of it. It is important to note that a race like the Louvre is not financed at 5 runners or less. ” Pierre Laperdrix, who is at the head of the programs of the parent company, specifies. “We are talking about classroom races 1. No lists or groups. It is therefore in a way the anteroom of the selection. In France, there are many preparatorys for testing hens, unlike our English neighbors. So we may need to rethink these races to avoid new mergers. Last year, the winner of the Test Poule of the Boles, Rouhiyawent through this race. She did not win. But as a result, the handicapper could not give a good rating to the 2024 edition of the Test Pool of the Pillics, which was therefore lowered. But of course, if we put ourselves in the place of the entourage of horses who prepared this race on Thursday with application, we understand that he can feel great frustration … “ The debate is far from closed.
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