Katherine Ford’s chronicle
The first time I heard about Deauville was during my Erasmus year in Pau, when I used to ride for François Rohaut in the mornings. People would ask me, “Are you going to Deauville in August? It’s full of English people over there…” I didn’t get the chance to leave the South-West that summer, but my curiosity had been piqued. The myth of Deauville, and the desire to discover this very special town, only grew stronger two years later, when I was working with one of the biggest English fans of the Normandy meeting. The late Desmond Stoneham, Director of the International Racing Bureau and Racing Post correspondent, likely played a big part in popularising Deauville among the British, notably thanks to his essential guide to local hotspots, published in the Bloodstock supplement of the Racing Post every August. He knew the town’s pleasures, and its pitfalls, inside out, and often warned: “Deauville is wonderful, but beware, some people go mad there!” The intoxicating mix of daily racing, closeness to jockeys and trainers, nightclubs and bars, sunshine (between rain…) and a holiday atmosphere - all set in a postcard-perfect town - had proven dangerous for some of his former assistants, known as the “Desmond Girls”! I survived the dangers of Deauville, and over twenty years later, I still feel like I’m discovering a dollhouse village every time I arrive. Gone are the long summer stays, cycling between our temporary office in Bénerville, the two racecourses, the Brok Café for race debriefs and the latest gossip, and finally wobbling back late at night, bike a little worse for wear, to the flat in Trouville - but the charm remains. A charm that never fails to work on the British. Holidaymakers find all their favourite pastimes, racing, the beach, good food paired with cocktails, rosé or even calvados for the boldest of them, all in a setting that’s green, relaxed, and not too foreign-feeling. Racing professionals come for work, but with a more laid-back spirit, at least on the surface, compared to many other race meetings or sales. Sometimes with family or friends, you’ll spot them jogging on the boardwalks in the morning, shopping at the Place Morny market, and of course, dining late into the night. A blend of business and pleasure that is not only allowed, but positively encouraged in Deauville!
Vicki Gibbins’ chronicle
It may be July, but it’s never too early to look ahead to the end of the pattern flat season and the closing two-year-old Group 1s of the European Flat calendar – the 1600m Critérium International and the 2000m Critérium de Saint-Cloud.
The Critérium International is a relatively new addition to the French racing calendar, introduced in 2001 and granted Group 1 status from its inauguration as part of a new programme for juveniles in France. Replacing the 1400m Prix de la Salamandre, the contest was originally run over 1600m, but as part of a review and changes to the French autumn two-year-old programme, reduced and tried over 1400m. The race was tried at both Chantilly (2018) and Longchamp (2019) however both changes were not successful, and the race was returned to its original home and distance in 2020 – a 1600m Group 1 held at Saint-Cloud. The Critérium de Saint-Cloud has a longer history, established in 1901 as a mid-November feature before its transition a decade ago to be run during the second half of October on the same day as the Critérium International. The race, particularly in recent years, has been used as a springboard for precocious enough juveniles with a future over middle-distances and has featured some important names amongst the honours list including future Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr.1) winner Waldgeist and Irish Derby (Gr.1) winner Fame and Glory. Although the two Group 1’s sit in their current position on the French racing calendar as part of initiatives to improve the juvenile programme for domestic runners, they have always been well-supported by Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien. Since the inauguration of the Critérium International in 2001, O’Brien has sent numerous runners and holds the accolade of leading trainer with six victories - Mount Nelson (2006), Jan Vermeer (2009), Roderic O’Connor (2010), Johannes Vermeer (2015), Van Gogh (2020) and Twain (2024). He holds a similar record in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud with five wins. In 2008, O’Brien won the contest with future Irish Derby hero Fame And Glory – a feat emulated fifteen years later when 2024 Irish Derby winner Los Angeles took the race ahead of an excellent Classic campaign. Both races have been targeted by a variety of different O’Brien prospects. Los Angeles firmly fits into the mould of future middle-distance horse good enough to pick up a juvenile Group 1 on the way; whilst in contrast, 2024 Critérium International victor Twain was considered one of O’Brien’s best Classic hopefuls before a setback ruled him out of the first part of his three-year-old campaign. There is an opportunity at this stage of the season to identify possible prospects for France, and one may have emerged during Newmarket’s July Festival. The 1400m maiden, run on July Cup (Gr.1) day, was won by St James’s Palace Stakes (Gr.1) hero Field Of Gold last year and often provides useful Classic clues for the following season. This year’s renewal was won by 1.9 million euro Arqana Breeze-Up purchase Distant Storm, but it was Aidan O’Brien’s Constitution River who caught the eye, finishing a close second. Bred by SARL Bloodstock, the Wootton Bassett colt is out of Le Havre mare Chuppy, who is a full-sister to Wonderful Tonight, winner of the British Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes (Gr.1) at Ascot. His predominantly French pedigree and the expectation that the colt will be a player over middle distances as a three-year-old suggests he looks the ideal candidate for the 2000m Critérium de Saint-Cloud.