THE existence of live split times for the leaders in the top tier of French racing meant it was possible to compare the principals in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (the French 2000 Guineas) and the Poule d’essai des Pouliches (the French 1000 Guineas) at Longchamp last Sunday.

An overall time matters, but how that overall time was arrived at matters, too.