Plan Would End Thoroughbred Racing at 24 French Tracks

Twenty-four racecourses across France will no longer stage Thoroughbred racing under revised cost-cutting plans approved by France Galop, although all will continue to host trotting. The governing body's administrative council voted through a modified version of the controversial proposals following extensive negotiations, which France Galop president Guillaume de Saint-Seine described as "indispensable" to securing the reforms. Among the most significant changes is a reprieve for Tarbes, a popular flat venue in southwest France which had been earmarked for closure to Thoroughbred racing alongside Saint-Malo. The decision follows a vigorous campaign against the original proposal. Many of the original recommendations revolved around the specialization of certain courses which stage mixed meetings between flat and jumps racing, as well as trotting in many cases. The idea of specialization is to reduce costs, both for the organizers and for participants. Senonnes, a major regional training center for both codes, was among those tracks due to lose jump racing in favor of flat racing, but has now disappeared from the list of tracks that will move to specialization. Saint-Malo will keep its activity on the flat—though jump racing will cease in the Brittany port city while another racecourse that was due to cease staging any Thoroughbred racing, Amiens, does not appear on the revised list. Under the amended plan, Aix-les-Bains, Chateaubriant, Cholet, La Teste, Saint-Malo, and Toulouse will move to an all-flat function, to be joined progressively by Strasbourg and Vittel. Heading in the other direction, Jarnac, Le Lion-d'Angers, Nancy, Nantes, and Orleans will all now specialize in jumping.