ENGLISH TEXTS
tempted by an international adventure?“ No, I don’ t want to shoot myself in the foot. My priority is to build a solid foundation, retain a loyal clientele in France, and keep proving myself.”
BACK TO THE ARTICLE �
DATA
RACING
� PAGE 34
By Bruno Barbereau
POULE D’ ESSAI DES POULAINS 2025: HENRI MATISSE, MASTER OF TEMPO
Some races are forgotten before you’ ve even left the track. Others carve themselves into memory. The 2025 Poule d’ Essai des Poulains( Gr. 1) clearly belongs to the latter— a live demonstration of what the word rhythm truly means over a mile at ParisLongchamp. Once again, tracking data reveals the on-track truth. And it’ s merciless.
A breakneck start As soon as the gates opened, four horses charged ahead with reckless urgency. There was no waiting to see who would take the lead— they hit full throttle from the outset, covering the first 600
meters in 35.54 seconds, with sub-11 second splits over 200 meters. Blistering numbers for a Group 1 mile. But who can absorb such a pace and still have fuel left for the final 600 meters? No one— or almost no one.
The sprinters’ trap The race leaders— horses likely more sprinter than true miler at heart— opened up a gap by the 800-meter mark. But the physiological cost was fatal. They broke away, yes, but they were already headed for certain defeat. Unable to sustain the full 1,600 meters, they were brutally overtaken in the final 400 meters.
Henri Matisse, a race within the race Meanwhile, one horse stayed ice-cool: Henri Matisse, ridden with serene assurance by Ryan Moore, trailed 28.58 meters behind the leaders with 600 meters to go. His ride was a masterclass in racecraft— no panic, no reaction to early fireworks, just trust in the pre-race plan. The art of the negative split, equine edition. Then came the moment. As the frontrunners paid the price for their madness, Moore called for acceleration. Tracking data showed a horse lengthening with ease, gaining ground meter by meter— like an artist completing his masterpiece. This was no longer a race; it was a lesson in pace management, a model of velocity control. He crossed the line in 1:33.91, a new record for the race. Also worth noting: the impressive finishes from Camille Pissarro, despite a tough outside stall, and Ridari— both ridden with composure and tactical intelligence. They placed in the top five and should be taken very seriously for the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club( Gr. 1) on June 1 st over 2,100 meters at Chantilly. Two colts built for longevity. As for Selinien, who likely doesn’ t stay a mile but was ridden with his limits in mind, he finished eighth yet left a lasting mark in the data: fastest section of the race in 10.57 seconds, and the final 600 meters in 33.15— a series of records that suggest we’ ll be thrilled to see him over 1,400 meters in the Prix Jean Prat( Gr. 1) this July at Deauville.
The science of galloping, revealed This Sunday, Henri Matisse didn’ t just win the Poule d’ Essai des Poulains( Gr. 1). He reminded us what it means to run the right race. In an era where races are sliced into sectionals and every fraction matters, this was a victory of precision and control. While others tried to blow up the clock from the first stride, he chose to strike when it mattered.
Poule d’ Essai des Pouliches( Gr. 1) 2025: Zarigana, a Champion’ s Signature Following Henri Matisse’ s tactical masterclass among the colts, the fillies deliv-
# 9 130