Deauville's little sister has seductive charm - and the champagne's cheap

In some ways you have to feel sorry for neighbouring Deauville racecourse, or Deauville La Touques to give its full, for-the-avoidance-of-cab-driver-doubt, title.

With five Group 1s crammed into a month it equals Saint-Cloud and beats Chantilly in a normal year for the number of top-class races on offer and is one of the classiest venues in the country.

Yet for thousands of visitors every year, it is the attractive little sister next door, Clairefontaine, that gets all the admiring looks.