IT has been a fascinating season in France, although the year began in a disastrous way for Jean-Claude Rouget when an outbreak of equine herpes forced the Pau-based trainer to move over 50 of his horses into a quarantine barn.

Among them was the outstanding Almanzor. The winner of the Prix du Jockey Club and both the English and Irish Champion Stakes was being aimed for a tilt at the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but he never recovered from his setback in the spring.

His seasonal debut was much delayed and the colt was completely off form when dead-heating for fifth and last place in the Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville. He was subsequently retired to stud and will stand at a fee of €35,000 at his birthplace, the Haras d’Etreham.

Next year, all horses racing in France will need up-to-date vaccinations against equine herpes.

The French started the season well on the track as they kept all their classics at home.

Rouget gained some compensation when Brametot landed a narrow victory in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, which was sponsored for the first time by Abu Dhabi.

CLOSE FINISH

The colt was involved in another close finish when he took the Qipco Prix du Jockey Club.

A slow starter, Brametot never repeated his earlier form and he has now been retired to stud at his part owners’ (Al Shaqab) Haras de Bouquetot at a fee of €10,000.

The Abu Dhabi Poule d’Essai des Pouliches went to the Anne-Marie Hayes-owned Precieuse in the hands of Olivier Peslier.

The Niarchos family landed a fourth Prix de Diane Longines when Senga was tried over farther than mile for the first time. The daughter of Blame did not reproduce the same form afterwards and she is now at Coolmore where it is expected a meeting with Galileo will shortly be on the cards.

EXCEPTIONAL

The late Francois Boutin adored training two-year-olds and no one has really replaced him to keep the English and Irish at bay. The Norman’s record with juveniles was exceptional.

There were only three Group 1 races for two-year-olds in France as two were unnecessarily cancelled due to a storm in a tea cup.

The Darley Prix Morny was a major success for Karl Burke as he saddled both the winner Unfortunately and the runner-up Havana Grey.

Later in the season, Aidan O’Brien’s Happily defeated the colts in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and the Total Prix Marcel Boussac was picked up by the Charlie Appleby-trained Wild Illusion.