Emperor Napoleon III sailed down the Seine on his private yacht to watch the action unfold on the first day of racing at Longchamp. He joined a huge crowd on April 27, 1857, along with his wife Eugénie and many other members of the royal family and the broader aristocracy.
They watched on as Eclaireur got the better of a famous mare called Miss Gladiator in the inaugural race at Longchamp. There were four more races held that day, and the event proved to be a roaring success.
Since then, it has emerged as one of the world’s most famous racecourses, responsible for hosting more than half of France’s Group 1 races. When you check out today’s French horse racing tips, you will notice that the biggest events take place at Longchamp, including the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The Duke’s Dream Becomes a Reality
Racing had been held at the Champ de Mars in Paris since 1833, but the French aristocrats sought a higher level of grandeur. The Duc de Morny approached the authorities with a proposal to build a racecourse within the vast Bois de Boulogne in Paris, which is more than double the size of New York’s Central Park.
The authorities gave their consent, and the Longchamp opened the following year. It boasts a glorious setting, nestled amid manicured lawns and straddling the banks of the Seine, making it the perfect venue for elite racing.
In 1863, the Société d’Encouragement established the Grand Prix de Paris, which instantly became the world’s richest horse race. It took place at Longchamp. A British colt called The Ranger outstripped his rivals that year, seizing a prize of 100,000 francs, which the Duc de Morny raised from the Paris Municipal Court and the railway companies.
It turned Paris into the centre of the global racing scene. However, that all fell by the wayside when Longchamp was bombed during the 1870 Siege of Paris. Racing had to be abandoned throughout the Franco-Prussian War, but it would emerge stronger than ever in the 20th century.
The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe Debuts
Racing was also cancelled during the First World War, but the government was keen to mark the end of the fighting with a celebratory event. By that point, there were two very famous races at Longchamp – the Grand Prix de Paris and the Prix du Conseil Municipal, a handicap established in 1893.
The French racing committee decided to launch an event that was similar to the Prix du Conseil Municipal, but without any weight penalties. The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe was conceived – named after the Paris landmark that became a symbol of the Allied victory during the post-War celebrations – and it first took place in 1920.
Count Evremond de Saint-Alary’s three-year-old colt, Comrade, won the race, which carried prize money of 150,000 francs. Comrade also won the Grand Prix de Paris that year.
The War Years
Longchamp continued to grow in stature during the 1920s and 1930s, but racing stopped during the outbreak of World War II. It resumed during the German occupation in 1941, with a host of German officers in the stands to watch the likes of Le Pacha and Djebel triumph.
In 1943, Longchamp was hit by a bomb during a race, killing seven people. The bodies were cleared from the track, and racing resumed an hour and a half later. French essayist Jean Guéhenno decried it as a sign of just how far standards of decency had fallen, as people continued betting on races at the crumbling course that day.
A Major Renovation
Longchamp was fully restored after the war, and racing continued unabated until 2016, when it closed for two years, allowing the authorities to conduct a €150 million makeover.
More famous races were added during the second half of the 20th century, and the Hippodrome de Longchamp – to use its full name – also began hosting concerts. For example, the Rolling Stones played there as part of their Voodoo Lounge Tour in 1995 and they returned in 2022 for another gig.
The racecourse had received minor upgrades and expansions over the years, but it needed a major overhaul. France Galop, the governing body of French racing and the owner of Longchamp, commissioned renowned architect Dominique Perrault to overhaul the historic venue.
It reopened in 2018, just in time to host the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which had been held in Chantilly while the renovations were taking place. Guests mingled at a chic new open-air café, took in stunning views at the sprawling rooftop lounge and gathered in the ultra-modern grandstand to watch Enable seal a second Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win.
The Modern Era
Longchamp now has a capacity of 50,000. The complex is 56 hectares. It is essentially four racecourses intertwined into one larger course. That allows it to host a diverse mix of races, ranging from 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres in length.
The longest course is 2,750m, another is 2,500m, a third is 2,150m and there is also a 1,000m straight course that runs across the other three. It gives France Galop a great deal of flexibility, so there are 46 different starting points for races at Longchamp.
The main event each year is the Arc – Europe’s richest horse race, with a €5 million prize purse – but the Grand Prix de Paris, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches are also extremely prestigious.
It is a flat racing venue, so the season hits its stride in May with the Prix Gany and winds down with the Prix de Royallieu, Prix du Cadran, Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp, Prix Marcel Boussac, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, Prix de la Forêt, Prix de ‘l’Arc de Triomphe, Prix de l’Opéra and Prix Royal-Oak in October.
You can visit for a variety of meetings throughout the summer, and you can also take in famous artworks from the likes of Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas, who have depicted racedays at Longchamp.
If you asked the typical punter which event they most looking forward to in the racing calendar, you’d most likely be told either the Grand National or the Cheltenham Festival. Granted as a one off race the National has massive worldwide appeal (and I’m sure we all get involved in the office sweepstakes etc), but as a four day feast of top class racing the Cheltenham Festival has much going for it too.
Taking place this year from the 15th to 18th March The Cheltenham Festival is a golden opportunity to watch the best owners, trainers, jockeys and horses come together in a bid to put their stamp on an event that’s steeped in history. This year there is a really upbeat feel to the Festival along with a bustling crowd, due to the lifting of all Covid restrictions across the country. It’s a chance to soap in a top sporting event, and to have a punt, whether on course or watching the coverage from home. The racing public simply can’t wait for the ‘Cheltenham Roar’ to sound and the top class racing to begin.
To gear up to the Cheltenham Festival Betway decided to get together two well known figures in the world of trainers (one from the Premier League and another racing) to discuss the ins and outs of the role, how to maintain a successful career and how to get the best out of those you’re training (whether horse or human!). Of course there are plenty of differences between the two sports but without a doubt, on the mental side (determination etc) as well as the processes in place and expectations within the sport there are plenty of commonalities too. Once you’ve watched this entertaining exchange why not check out the betting odds for some of your favourite Cheltenham selections and have something to cheer on, during this unmissable Festival! Good luck!
A HIGH-CLASS renewal of the Irish Champion Stakes is guaranteed with Tarnawa taking on the likes of St Mark’s Basilica and Poetic Flare in the September clash.
With October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe the main target for Tarnawa, trainer Dermot Weld is lining up a run at Leopardstown as preparation for the Paris trip.
The five-year-old boasts a sequence of five straight wins, and in his only run this year impressed with a six-length success in the Grant Thornton Ballyroan Stakes at Leopardstown – his first run in 271 days, reports History of Sport.
And it was last season that Tarnawa really started making the racing world sit up and take notice, claiming the Prix Vermeille and Prix de l’Opera before beating the favourite Magical in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Keeneland.
“I thought she was very impressive,” said Weld after her seasonal debut. “Today was the intended day to start, because it’s a long way from now to November, and there are a lot of bridges to cross. We could have waited for the Give Thanks Stakes at Cork, but with the possibility of heavy rain we thought it more prudent to come here.
“She has done all of her work at home. I would have loved to get her away two weeks ago but it just wasn’t possible. She has been going extremely well at home and has probably strengthened since last year.”
On plans for the rest of the year, Weld added: “It’s a long season, but where she runs between now and the Arc will be the decision. At the moment I’d say the Irish Champion Stakes would be the most likely. The Breeders’ Cup and Japan Cup come later in November and December, and please God there are many more months to come. But the Arc has always been the plan – it’s the reason she stayed in training.”
While Tarnawa is currently trading as the 6/1 favourite for the Arc, as Horse. Bet reports, she is the 10/3 second favourite for the Irish Champion Stakes, with St Mark’s Basilica ahead of her in the betting – Aidan O’Brien’s son of Siyouni installed as the 2/1 favourite for the Leopardstown feature. Lauded as an “incredible horse” by O’Brien, who has seen more than his fair share of top-class racers, the colt has enjoyed a memorable season with three runs and three wins: two classics and a Group One with victories at Longchamp in the French 2000 Guineas, Chantilly for the French Derby, before dominating his rivals in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.
The three-year-old finished 2020 as Europe’s highest-rated juvenile, having won the Dewhurst Stakes on his final start of last year, and is priced at 10/1 for the Arc. BBC Sport
The English 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare is just behind the leading two in the Leopardstown betting, and was narrowly defeated in the Prix Jacques Le Marios at Deauville by Palace Pier. The Jim Bolger-trained son of Dawn Approach lost little in a narrow defeat, just pipped on the line in a thrilling finish at Deauville
HAYDOCK’S biggest race of the year, the Sprint Cup, is gearing up to be a high-class affair with Starman installed as the firm favourite to claim the £162K first prize. Some horse racing sites in the UK will offer good prices, odds and offers ahead of this event.
The Group One is a six-furlong test for the speedsters of Britain and Ireland, and has been in the grip of the English over recent years, with trainer Ed Walker keen to maintain that record with his four-year-old Darley July Cup winner.
Starman leads the betting despite following up his Newmarket success with defeat at Deauville, the trainer insisting he lost nothing in his third-placed finish in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Owner David Ward was keen to send him over the Channel in search of a second Group One, but the son of Dutch Art found both the conditions at the French track and the extra half a furlong not in his favour. BBC Sport
But Walker believes he will come on for the run despite registering a second defeat in seven career races, with the Sprint Cup still firmly in his sights.
“I’m very proud of him. He ran a massive race and was very brave. He’s genuine and talented and the ground just blunted his speed and put more of an emphasis on stamina,” said the Upper Lambourn trainer, who claimed his own first Group One success with Starman’s Darley July Cup victory at Newmarket.
“He was beaten by a couple of horses that have got very good form over further. I think he lost nothing in defeat and credit to David Ward for being brave enough to give it a shot.”
There’ll be stiff competition when he heads to Merseyside in September, with long-time rivals Dragon Symbol and Glen Shiel also near the top of the betting. Dragon Symbol was just over a length behind Starman in the Darley July Cup and despite Glen Shiel being down the field at Newmarket and at Deauville, the seven-year-old did inflict his only defeat on home shores in the QIPCO British Champion Spring Stakes at Ascot last year.
That reverse at Ascot, however, was in soft conditions, and Starman was taken out of the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot on account of the testing surface, with both owner and trainer having their fingers crossed for drying weather in the build up to Haydock, reports History of Sport.
The Sprint Cup trends point to the likes of Starman (9/2), Dragon Symbol (13/2) or Glen Shiel (9/1) being successful, with six of the last eight winners having been in the first three in the betting, and three of the last five favourites triumphing.
Further down the betting brings in the Irish contenders who will be targeting the Haydock showdown despite their distinctive lack of success in the race over recent years. The likes of Gustavus Weston and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Battleground will be hoping to mimic Gordon Lord Byron’s win in 2013 – the Tom Hogan-trained five-year-old beat Slade Power into second for an Irish one-two, the only success for the Irish in the race for almost 50 years.
There’s solid support for Gustavus Weston, who is currently trading at around 12/1, and Tipperary trainer Joe Murphy sends the horse over in great form following the most impressive win of his career under his belt – a front-running success under Gary Carroll in the Group 3 Rathasker Stud Phoenix Sprint Stakes at the Curragh.