Despite the successful cross-Channel assault on all three group races on the final day of the Deauville meeting, the month of August was, on the whole, favourable for French-based runners, and trainers.

Of the 22 group races run, 15 went the way of French-trained horses, compared to seven lifted by UK raiders. In a strange twist of fate, Irish trainers were left hungry. Positive for local connections is that three of the five Gr.1s staged stayed in France, while none did the previous year.

André Fabre topped the trainer’s table with 17 wins, five of them Group contests, two at the highest level, his Mqse De Sévigné winning both the Prix Rothschild and Prix Jean Romanet. Worth noting is that Christopher Head, who lifted just one race during the meeting, nevertheless secured two Gr.1 second places, Ramatuelle in the Morny, and Big Rock in the Jacques le Marois.

The month also saw Jean-Claude Rouget win another Prix Guillaume d’Ornano, this time with the crack, Ace Impact, whose next appearance is set for the Arc early next month. When King Gold, ridden by Stéphane Pasquier, won the Prix Jacques le Marois, Nicolas Caullery notched up a first Gr.1 success.

Mickael Barzalona finished on top of the jockey’s table with 17 wins, even having missed the last week through suspension, but the revelation of the meeting was Alexis Pouchin. He won his maiden Gr.1 on Mqse de Sévigné in the Rothschild, before repeating in the Jean Romanet, and in the intervening period landed a German Gr.1 onboard Simca Mille, his future Arc mount.

Frankie Dettori, set to hang up his boots, went out in style with a fine Jacques le Marois victory on Inspiral, and duly graced the crowd with a concluding flying dismount at Deauville.