REVISED FIXTURE LIST ANNOUNCED IN FRANCE

The first European Classics of the season look set to take place at Longchamp on Monday, 1st June when the French Guineas will both be run, according to a revised fixture list announced by France Galop. The revised fixture list is based on the assumption that racing in France can resume on Monday, 11th May behind closed doors, as stated earlier in the week.

It has already been announced that races in France will be closed to overseas runners for the time being, in a bid to limit the potential spread of COVID-19, while runners can only be accompanied by their trainer and one attendant.

If racing is allowed to resume on Monday, 11th May, it will do so with a bang, with the Gr.3 Prix de la Grotte and Gr.3 Prix de Fontainebleau both scheduled to take place at Longchamp that day. Both races would have been staged on 12th April under normal circumstances. Current plans call for the Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club and Gr.1 Prix de Diane to take place on Sunday, 5th July, while the Gr.1 Prix Saint-Alary has been scheduled for Sunday, 14th June and the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Paris moved to Sunday, 13th September. Other Gr.1 races which have been rescheduled, along with their trials, include the Gr.1 Prix Ganay (14th June), Gr.1 Prix d’Ispahan (19th July) and the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (28th June).

While the majority of the Classic trials have been rescheduled, France Galop has confirmed that among the races which will not take place this year are the Gr.2 Prix Eugene Adam and Gr.2 Prix Niel, as well as the Prix Sigy, Prix Penelope, Prix Noailles, Prix Chloe, Prix Edmond Blanc and the Prix Allez France, all Gr.3s.

As not all racecourses will be able to meet the required health measurements needed to stage racing, even behind closed doors, France Galop has stated it is working on plans to ‘move certain on-course betting meetings and divisions, so as not to penalise racing professionals who are dependent on those type of meetings’.