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Flat racing - Mergers of races and changes to prize-money to strengthen competitiveness of Black Type programme

Sunday, February 23, 2025 - 09:55

France Galop
Flat
Organisation

Following the meeting of the European Pattern Committee on 7 February 2025 at France Galop's headquarters, and an exceptional meeting of the Board of Directors on Friday 14 February 2025, several changes to the Black Type programme were approved.

To strengthen the competitiveness and prize-money of French Black Type races, it was decided to merge certain races. By doing so, France follows a similar approach to the UK in 2023, while taking care not to eliminate racing opportunities. The idea is to offer a number of Black Type races in line with the number of horses available, ensuring that top-level events remain highly competitive.

The Prix Jean Romanet merges with the Prix Alec Head and sees its prize-money increased to €400,000

The Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet, a 2000m race traditionally open to fillies and mares aged four-years-old and older, was held on the same day as the 2000m Group 2 Sumbe Prix Alec Head (Prix de la Nonette) for 3-year-old fillies. In this configuration, the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet was worth €250,000, which did not match the attractiveness of similar Group 1 races in the UK: The Qatar Nassau Stakes at Goodwood offers €600,000 in prize-money, as do the Yorkshire Oaks in York. The merger of the Prix Jean Romanet and the Prix Alec Head means that the Group 1 race in Deauville now offers a total prize-money of €400,000, enhancing its appeal on the European stage.

The Group 2 Prix Alec Head (Prix de la Nonette), with its very open race conditions, was regularly used by Group 1 performing fillies, including Prix de Diane Longines or Prix Saint-Alary (downgraded to Group 2 2024) winners for their mid-season reappearance. Thus, despite being a Group 2 race, it was in danger of being in competition with other Group 1 races in the French calendar, such as the Qatar Prix Vermeille. At the same time, it also ran the risk of lowering the rating of French Group 1 races in the spring because of the potential absence of higher rated fillies in the race. However, 3-year-old fillies will not be missing an opportunity to run, as with the merger, the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet will now be open to 3-year-old fillies and older.

Alec Head’s memory will also continue to be honoured with a Group 2 race in his name: the Prix de Pomone (Group 2, 2500 m, for 3-year-old fillies and older), which will feature on the same card as the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet and Sumbe Prix Morny, will hence be renamed in tribute to Alec Head who has left an indelible mark on the history of our sport.

Mergers of three other races

Other Black Type races of a similar profile have also been merged in order to maintain their ratings and status, as well as freeing up funding to finance other Black Type races in the French programme.

  • The Prix du Prince d’Orange (Group 3, 3-year-olds, 2000m) and the Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte (Group 3, 4-year-olds and older, 2000m) are merged. The name of the 2000m Group 3 Prix du Prince d’Orange was retained and will now be open to 3-year-olds and older. Prize-money for that race is €80,000. The two races had previously taken place on the same Sunday as the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, but with the three Arc Trials (Qatar Prix Vermeille, Qatar Prix Foy and Qatar Prix Niel) joining that card, the Prix du Prince d’Orange has been moved back a week to Sunday, 14 September 2025. It is now run three weeks before the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe weekend.
  • The Prix des Tourelles (L, 3-year-old fillies and older, 2400m) is merged with the  Darley Prix Joubert (L, 3-year-old fillies, 2800m). The name of the Prix Joubert has been retained, as has its 2800m distance, but it will now be open to 3-year-old fillies and older. This change limits competition with Listed races over 2400m at the beginning of September, such as the Grand Prix de Craon (L, 3-year-olds and older), the Prix Turenne (L, 3-year-olds). Prize-money in the Prix Joubert remains unchanged.
  • The Prix du Carrousel (L, 4-year-olds and older, 3000m) merges with the Sumbe Prix Kergorlay (Gr2, 3-year-olds and older, 3000m). It was found that the Prix du Carrousel at the beginning of the Deauville Barrière Meeting no longer really fulfilled its role as a stepping stone to the Prix Kergorlay, run on the Sunday of the Sumbe Prix Morny and Prix Jean Romanet. Prize-money for the Sumbe Prix Kergorlay has been increased from €130,000 to €180,000 .