THE Deauville clerk of the course, Olivier Louit, has described his track as “fatigue” (tired) at the end of a punishing July/August after 18 meetings had been run at the Hippodrome de la Touques.

The punishment to the grass has been combated to a certain extent by the all-weather track, but Deauville has been on the go since May when the Poulains and Pouliches were transferred to the Normandy track during the closure of Longchamp.