The Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas, was first run at Longchamp in 1883 over 1600 metres when won by Regain, owned by Claude-Joachim Lefevre, trained by Robert Denman and ridden by Tom Loates. However, between 1840 and 1882 the Poule d'Essai race was held, although it was open to any 3-year-old, and it was only in 1883 that two versions were staged, the Pouliches for fillies and the Poulains for colts. During the First World War the race was abandoned between 1915 and 1918, although two makeshift versions were held at Chantilly in 1917 and were called the Criterium d’Essai des Poulains for the colts. During the Second World War the 1940 race was not officially staged, but a substitute race took place at Auteuil when won by Djebel. With the continuation of the War, the races in 1942 and 1943 were staged at Le Tremblay, and then moved to Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945. The race is seen as a good springboard to success in the Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby, with the most recent horse to win both being St Mark's Basilica in 2021.