Key Figures

To learn everything you need to know about Thoroughbred Horse Racing in France
 

  • France Galop’s budget in 2020

    €431,8 million

    France Galop’s budget is essentially powered by levies on betting registered on French races and a selection of foreign races offered to gamblers in France.
    This is complemented by another levy on sports betting and poker proposed by the EIG PMU, partnerships and sponsorship from major events, hospitality packages, space rental contracts of racecourses for events, TV Rights in France and abroad, services given to members, and revenues from holdings.  
    The budget in 2020, which totals €431,8 million, allows France Galop to support the industry (see below) and the 77,000 employees that it generates. The organisation also covers the functioning costs of racing as well as the promotion and regulation of over 7,000 races taking place at the 140 racecourses across France. It also manages six racecourses, as well as three training centres.

  • Prize Money and Premiums in 2019

    €257 million

    The distribution of financial rewards to the industry is one of the main reasons for France Galop’s existence. This includes prize money, Owners’ and Breeders’ Premiums for French-breds and assimilated horses, as well as travel allowances. In 2019, €257 million will be distributed by France Galop to owners, breeders, trainers and jockeys that win prize money in French races. These rewards are largely subject to the PMU’s betting activity on racing, ticket sales, sponsors, and entry fees into races from owners.

  • PMU Turnover in 2019

    €8.8 billion

    Europe’s number one betting operator on horse racing, the PMU registered a turnover of nearly €8.8 billion euros in 2019 from betting in France and from abroad on French racing, both thoroughbred and trotting. Of this amount, 75% was redistributed back to gamblers. Nearly €816 million was given to the government, and a further €760 million went to the governing bodies of racing, France Galop and Le Cheval Français for trotters.

  • Number of staff at France Galop in 2019

    398 people

    France Galop’s team is made up of 398 people spread between its headquarters in Boulogne Billancourt and the different sites run by the organisation.
    In addition to the more regular roles of any establishment, there are some very specific ones to horse racing that are based on the racetrack, training centres and at the head office.

  • Licensed professionals

    Nearly 9.600

    An organisation governed by the law of 1901, France Galop has nearly 9,600 licensed members including 4,500 owners, 4,098 breeders, 414 trainers, and 572 jockeys and apprentices. Each one votes every four years to elect their discipline’s representatives, which make up half of the France Galop board.

  • Number of Group 1 races

    37

    The most prestigious races in the world of horse racing are those with Group 1 status. The most famous of these are the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the Prix du Jockey Club, the Prix de Diane Longines and the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
    France Galop organise 28 Group 1 races on the flat each year, nearly a third of Europe’s total, as well as nine Group 1s over jumps.

    France's Group 1 races

  • Racecourses in France used for thoroughbred racing

    140

    Thoroughbred Horse Racing in France is spread between 140 different racecourses with 6,985 races taking place each year. This makes an average of 19 races per day from the beginning to the end of the year. France Galop directly manages six racecourses: Longchamp, Auteuil, Chantilly, Saint-Cloud and Deauville.
    The introduction of fibresand surfaces, notably at Deauville, Chantilly and Pornichet-La Baule, has allowed racing to continue north of the Loire river during the winter.

  • Horses In Training

    9.800 thoroughbreds

    There are around 9,827 horses in training registered with France Galop during the peak of the season (May/June) on the flat and over jumps. They are spread throughout France, however the biggest number resides in Chantilly, where up to 2,142 are trained. There are several other training centres across France including Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines), Pau (Pyrenees-Atlantiques), Callas (Bouches-du-Rhône), Deauville (Calvados), La Teste (Gironde), Sennones-Pouance (Mayenne), Chazey-sur-Ain (Ain), Nort-sur-Erdre (Loire-Atlantique), Royan-La Palmyre (Charente-Maritime), Moulins (Allier), Dragey (Manche) and Mont-de-Marsan (Landes), as well as a number of private establishments.
    These horses run across France throughout the year, adding up to nearly 69,600 runners together with other foreign challengers. In particular, a number come from the British Isles, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and Spain, as well as occasionally from Eastern Europe (notably the Czech Republic).

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