Poule d'Essai des Pouliches 2026
The Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, often referred to as the French 1000 Guineas, is a race where class, tactical speed and adaptability are all tested.
At Turf Talk, every runner has been assessed against the historical race trends before being ranked using our Turf Talk ratings model. The trends identify the right type of filly, the ratings rank the strongest current profiles, and the final filter helps isolate the runners most likely to cope with a Group 1 mile at Longchamp on very soft ground.
This is a race where the market often matters, with favourites having a strong recent record, but the final decision still comes down to trends, ratings, trainer form, jockey form and proven ability under conditions.
Key Poule d'Essai des Pouliches Trends
• 20/20 winners had placed at no bigger than 9/1 during their career
• 20/20 winners had won at no bigger than 8/1 during their career
• 20/20 winners were beaten no more than 3½ lengths last time out
• 20/20 winners had won over 6f to 1m½f
• 20/20 winners had between 2 and 7 career runs
• 20/20 winners achieved an RPR of 83+ on their last win
• 19/20 winners were no bigger than 9/1 on debut
• 19/20 winners were no bigger than 8/1 last time out
The key profile is fairly clear: a lightly raced, high-class filly, usually already proven at or around a mile, with recent form strong enough to suggest she belongs at Group 1 level.
Pure Trends Table – Top 5
This table shows the strongest historical fits based on the Pouliches trends alone. It does not include trainer form, jockey form, very soft-ground suitability or wider race-day judgement.
| Horse | Trends Match | Why They Fit | Pure Trends Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Necklace | 96% | Unbeaten profile, proven at Longchamp, proven at the trip, strong RPR and ideal light-raced pattern | BEST PURE TRENDS HORSE |
| Zanthos | 94% | Lightly raced, progressive, strong ratings profile and a classic-style 3yo filly profile | ELITE TRENDS FIT |
| Narissa | 92% | Consistent profile, strong trainer form and plenty of solid Group-race indicators | STRONG TRENDS FIT |
| Showna | 91% | Excellent recent form, high RPR, very strong overall profile and progressive shape | STRONG TRENDS FIT |
| The Last Dance | 90% | Unbeaten, course and distance positive, very interesting if good enough for the jump in class | STRONG TRENDS FIT |
This section identifies the fillies most similar to past winners. The final ratings table then adjusts for current race-day factors such as very soft ground, jockey bookings, trainer form and overall class depth.
Turf Talk Final Ratings
This table combines the trends with race-day factors such as trainer form, jockey form, class, draw, very soft-ground suitability, course form and current profile. Ratings are shown on our established 200+ Turf Talk scale.
| Horse | Trend Match | Rating | Draw | Ground | Trainer | Jockey | Key Positives | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Necklace | 96% | 234 | 3 | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓ | Unbeaten, course and distance winner, Ryan Moore booked, proven very soft-ground profile | TOP RATED |
| Zanthos | 94% | 229 | 11 | ? | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | Strong RPR profile, progressive, Crisfords going well, Oisin Murphy booked | MAIN DANGER |
| Showna | 91% | 226 | 1 | ? | ✓ | ✓ | High RPR, arrives off a win, excellent draw, progressive profile | STRONG CONTENDER |
| Narissa | 92% | 224 | 9 | ✗ | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓ | Graffard in excellent form, Barzalona booked, consistent profile | SHORTLIST |
| The Last Dance | 90% | 222 | 4 | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | Unbeaten, course and distance winner, Soumillon booked, highly interesting | LIVE OUTSIDER |
| Twain | 88% | 220 | 5 | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓ | ✓✓✓ | Unbeaten, Ballydoyle, Ryan Moore style profile, major upside if ready after absence | DANGEROUS |
| Trustyourinstinct | 86% | 216 | 12 | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Strong course record and solid ratings profile, but draw and ground are concerns | PLACE CHANCE |
| Green Impact | 85% | 214 | 12 | ? | ✗ | ✗ | High official rating and class, but course/ground evidence is less persuasive | NEEDS MORE |
| Red Letter | 84% | 212 | 1 | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Curragh record, low draw and Colin Keane are positives | NEEDS MORE |
95%+ = elite match | 90-94% = strong contender | below 90% = needs extra positives elsewhere
Final Selections
Diamond Necklace
She comes out clearly on top of the final Turf Talk model. The unbeaten record, proven Longchamp form, course-and-distance win, very soft-ground evidence and Ryan Moore booking all point in the same direction. She is the strongest pure trends horse and also the strongest race-day profile.
Zanthos
The main danger on the model. She has a strong RPR profile, remains open to further progress and has the Crisford and Oisin Murphy combination in her favour. The only slight unknown is how well she handles very soft ground at this level.
Showna
A strong contender who arrives with a high rating, a recent win and a favourable draw in stall 1. She does not have quite the same depth of proven Group 1 profile as Diamond Necklace, but she has enough upside to be a serious player.
Verdict
Diamond Necklace rates as the strongest overall fit on the Turf Talk model, with Zanthos the main danger if handling the very soft ground, while Showna looks the next best profile from a favourable draw.
