28 February 2017
Photo scoopdyga.com
A second entry deadline had been created by France Galop to boost participation in Group 2 and Group 3 races in France.
France Galop has modified its Gr2 and Gr3's entry process to attract larger fields. A second intermediate entry stage, about eight days before the actual race day, is now available in addition to the initial entry, at 19 days. The cost of the supplementary entry was also revised downwards.
The first Group race of the flat season in France is the Prix Exbury (Gr3), to be run at Saint-Cloud on Sunday, March 19th.
The first entry stage for that race, on Wednesday March 1st, costs €720. The second opportunity to enter your horse is scheduled on Friday, March 10th. It costs € 1,500. Forfeit is due on Wednesday, March 15th, supplementary entry (€3,500) on Thursday, and the definite runners list will be issued on Friday, March 17th.
The supplementary fee for that €80,000-added race went from €5,760 last year to €3,500, a decrease of almost 40%.
Please also note that final declarations for Grand Steeple-chase de Paris, Prix du Jockey Club, Prix de Diane Longines and Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe will now be made on the Thursday preceding these Sunday Grand Prix. Other races on the card however should not be affected by this.
Typical entry stages for Gr2/Gr3
- D-19 1st entry stage at X €
- D-8 2nd entry stage at X € x 2 (more or less)
- D-3 Declaration to run and Supplementary entry at X€ x 4 (more or less)
- D-2 Confirmation stage