228 THE TURF 



when August comes. At Boulogne there is a Premiere 

 Poule des PouHches, and a Premiere Poule des Poul- 

 ains, the distance in both cases being half a mile. 

 At the latter end of August a meeting, extending 

 over several days, is held at Dieppe, steeple chases 

 and hurdle races being included, as they are at Deau- 

 ville, odd as it seems to English sportsmen to be 

 jumping at this time of year. Racing at Dieppe, 

 however, is rarely of much importance. 



Sport is resumed at Longchamps towards the end 

 of August, with first and second Criterions for two- 

 year-olds, and the Prix de la Rochette, a triennial, also 

 for two-year-olds. There are a few rich handicaps at 

 this time of year, notably the Omnium at Longchamps, 

 and the Handicaps de la Seine et de la Tamise at 

 Maisons Laffitte ; but as a rule, and it is not a bad one, 

 handicaps are not well endowed. A notable race at 

 Longchamps is the Prix Royal Oak, the French St. 

 Leger (of course for three-year-olds) run over the 

 Grand Prix course, and worth close on ^3,000. The 

 Prix Vermeille, for three-year-old fillies, is another 

 good stake, and one of the most notable two-year-old 

 races, after the Grand Criterion in September, is the 

 Criterion International, run early in October, An 

 interesting contest has lately been started, called the 

 Prix du Conseil Municipal, sometimes known as the 

 " Autumn Grand Prix," for which English horses are 

 eligible. This is a substantial prize of ^4,000, run 

 over a mile and a-half, for three-year-olds and up- 



