Tim Carroll 's Bio

Tim started off as a jockey in Australia before pursuing a media career. He is a highly experienced and respected racing presenter who has been based in England since 2005. Tim has travelled the world covering many of the major meetings, including Royal Ascot, The Epsom Derby, The International meeting from Sha Tin, The Dubai World Cup, The Everest, The Saudi Cup and The Breeders. He is currently a presenter for Sky Sports Racing, specialising in both the local and international scene. Tim is a regular contributor to the At The Races Website where his twice weekly tipping column on Hong Kong racing has gathered a strong following.

ParisLongchamp Racecourse – Track Analysis (Poule d'Essai des Poulains Day):

ParisLongchamp, where holds more than half of the G1 races contested in France, is an interlaced right-handed track with five different combinations, including three circular tracks, large (2750m), medium (2500m), small (2150m), a straight course (1000m), and there is also a chute which begins at the furthest point away from the stands on the right hand side, this is known as the ‘new track’ (1400m). The chute joins the large circular main course before taking in both the false and main straight. The track does go up and down with the highest point (back of the course on the right-hand side) – the “Boulogne” section, where horses indeed “disappear” briefly from the grandstand into the woods – being nearly 30 metres above the lowest point (bottom of the course right-hand side).

All three circular courses join the main straight, with two winning posts in use, depending on the race distance. The straight-course dissects the large and medium circular tracks before joining the back straight of the small circular track in the centre of the course. They run the straight races right to left as viewed, the same as they do at Sha Tin over 1000m.

The Poule d'Essai des Poulains Day sees two turf races for coverage.

For the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains over 1600m, start is situated approximately halfway down the back straight, and runners have a relatively short run to a sweeping bend that heads downhill, where they then bottom out before taking in both the false and home straight, which has a slight but testing uphill run to the finish. The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, sees a notable barrier bias to horses that are drawn low. This is predominately due to the short run to the first bend, and the large field the race usually attracts. With the straight having a slight incline most of the way to the finish, horses ridden aggressively usually find it difficult to hold off the finishers.

Last year’s Poule d’Essai des Poulians was run on Good to Soft ground, and saw a field of fifteen go to post. On leaving the stalls, the favourite, MODERN GAMES stumbled at the start but was still able to take up a prominent position, sitting second, just behind the leader, TEXAS, with TRIBALIST and MAKING MOOVIES directly behind the leading pair. As they approached the first bend, TEXAS led the field but CLAYMORE, who had drawn the extreme outside, charged up on his outside to move into second spot, which ensured a strong gallop. As they came into the straight, CLAYMORE was the first to come under pressure, but TEXAS, despite being a rank outsider, kicked strongly with the Godolpin pair of MODERN GAMES and TRIBALIST to his immediate inside. Nothing came out of the pack, as these three settled down to fight it out, but MODERN GAMES asserted over the final 200m to win by just one and a quarter lengths from the very game TEXAS, with TRIBALIST a further three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up.

For the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches over 1,600m, it sees a barrier bias to horses that are drawn low, although not as significant as the colts division. This is predominately due to the short run to the first bend, and the large field the race usually attracts. With the straight having a slight incline most of the way to the finish, horses ridden aggressively usually find it difficult to hold off the finishers.

Last year’s Poule d’Essai des Pouliches was run on Good to Soft ground, and saw a field of fifteen go to post. On leaving the stalls, TOY, with CACHET on her outside, took up the running, whilst the favourite, ROSACEA, was held-up in midfield on the rail. As they went around the bend, Frankie Dettori sent WHO KNOWS up to challenge CACHET for the lead with TOY now back in third, as TIMES SQUARE moved up on the inside to fourth, whilst MANGOUSTINE travelled strongly in behind the leaders. There was no change in the order of the race until they entered the main straight, where CACHET was asked for maximum effort and shot just over a length clear, with TIMES SQUARE laying down the gauntlet along the inside, as WHO KNOWS came under pressure. However, MANGOUSTINE loomed up large on the outside and it looked like she was going to go on by, but CACHET and TIMES SQUARE where up for the fight, and in a blanket finish, it was MANGOUSTINE who prevailed by a head to CACHET, and just a short head back to TIMES SQUARE.

The weather forecast suggests there will be some light rain in the week leading up till the raceday, with a chance of light rain on race day itself. The last ten renewals have seen everything from good to heavy ground, but if the forecast are correct, there is a strong possibility that there will be soft in the description on race day.

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