RACING IN FRANCE 221 



" French Oaks," dates from 1843, ^^^ there are races 

 corresponding to the EngHsh One Thousand and 

 Two Thousand Guineas in the Poule d'Essai des 

 PouHches and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, run at 

 Longchamps. 



These races are all for French bred horses, the idea 

 naturally being to encourage the production of native 

 stock ; but in the early sixties the notion of a great 

 International prize was mooted, and it took form in 

 1863, when the Grand Prix de Paris was instituted. 

 All thoroughbred horses, wherever they had their 

 origin, were eligible for this, and that moreover on 

 particularly favourable terms for the owners, who, if 

 they found that their animals had no chance, could get 

 out very cheaply indeed (for ^4) before the race. A 

 number of English horses were entered, and have been 

 ever since ; but though at first it seemed that horses 

 from this country would be very likely to overcome all 

 opposition, or, at any rate, to win most of the races, 

 this has by no means been consistently the case. 



Mr. Savile carried off the first Grand Prix with 

 The Ranger, in a field of twelve ; but next year, when 

 only five horses went to the post, a French colt, Ver- 

 mont, was successful, beating Blair Athol and Fille 

 de I'Air ; and it is very curious indeed to note how 

 victories oscillated between England and France for 

 a good many of the following years. Gladiateur was 

 the third Grand Prix winner, having been sent over 

 after his brilliant victory in the English Derby, and he 



