French horse racing

Jean-Claude Rouget is not prone to hyperbole so, when the decorated French handler compared the unexposed Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) to his only G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) earlier this week, some people did a double take. Not Benoit Jeffroy, who manages Haras de Bouquetot on behalf of the Al Shaqab operation. Jeffroy has long been aware of the standing in which the multiple Classic-winning trainer has held Al Hakeem and, when the colt won the Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly on...

Officials at the Pacific Racing Association and Golden Gate Fields (GGF) have announced that the track and stable area will be closed to all activities and occupants for a seven-week period beginning June 18, 2022 and extending through Aug. 7, 2022, in order to provide 'safe and unimpeded access for required upgrades, repairs and inspection of the utility infrastructure serving the GGF facility.' During that time frame, there will be no live racing or training and housing will be unavailable. In a memo issued late Wednesday, officials explained they have...

France is on the cusp of mirroring neighbour Germany by staging race fixtures once again and, while both countries emerge from lockdown in phased measures, it's not all that links the pair. Gestut Schlenderhan--having celebrated its 150th anniversary last year--has transferred a tranche of promising 3-year-olds across the border, sending the colts Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) and Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and the filly Shenouni (Ger) (Siyouni {Fr}) to Andre Fabre. All three former Jean-Pierre Carvalho trainees will race in the colours of Corinna Baronin von Ullman. Taking delivery...

France Galop and Le Trot, the governing bodies of flat racing and trotters in France, are in discussion with government regarding a possible return of racing behind closed doors. French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday night extended the country's lockdown to May 11, and so if racing is able to resume before that it would do so with limited PMU betting points operational; those betting shops located in cafes and restaurants would remain closed. The implications of this are currently being examined, with the presidents of France Galop, Le Trot...

French horse racing, both for Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds, has been cancelled until Apr. 15, effective Tuesday, as a means to help combat the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. A joint statement from France Galop and LeTROT read, "Our top priority is the health of all stakeholders in the industry and compliance with state directives. By suspending all competition, we want first and foremost to protect them from the current pandemic. With this decision, the French horse racing industry also shows its solidarity and responsibility towards the entire Nation. "We are fully aware...

The French-based Osarus sales company has announced that its breeze-up sale will be postponed until May 12 and 13, in the week after the Arqana Breeze-up Sale in Deauville. Seventy-nine 2-year-olds have been catalogued for the sale, with horses having originally been set to gallop at La Teste de Buch racecourse near Bordeaux on Apr. 8 and the sale conducted the following day. A statement released by Osarus on Friday read, "Due to the rising number of cases of coronavirus during the past few days and subsequent travel restrictions, the...

The downgrading of a pair of German Group 2s and a distance changes for two key French 2-year-old races were among the outcomes of the European Pattern Committee's annual meeting at the British Horseracing Authority offices on Jan. 23. Germany was hit hardest in the quality control realm, its Meilen Trophy and Goldene Peitsche downgraded from Group 2 status, and the G1 Deutsches Derby, G1 Preis von Europa, G2 Diana Trial and G2 T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis all put on notice for risk of downgrading in 2021. France was issued...