Seven French Group 1 races increase purses

The purses of seven Group 1 Thoroughbred races in France have been raised for 2018, according to a statement released earlier this year by the country’s organizing body, France-Galop.

The Prix Jacques le Marois-Haras de Fresnay le Buffard for turf milers at Deauville on Aug. 12 will be worth approximately $1.24 million, or 1 million euros, an increase from a purse of 700,000 euros last year. This is the first time the race has been worth seven figures.

More immediately, the Prix Ganay for older horses at 1 5/16th miles on turf will be run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris on April 29 for approximately $744,000, or double its previous level. Longchamp Racecourse is reopening this spring after a grandstand renovation project launched in October 2015.

The Arc de Triomphe program was run at Chantilly in 2016 and 2017 while Longchamp was redeveloped. The Arc and its brilliant supporting card will return to Longchamp on Oct. 7. The Arc purse is unchanged at 5 million Euros, or about $6.2 million.

Two races on the Arc undercard have been increased by approximately $124,000 – the Prix de l’Opera for fillies and mares will be worth $620,000, while the Prix Marcel Boussac for 2-year-old fillies will have a purse of $496,000.

Two races have been increased by $62,000 – the Jean-Luc Lagardere for 2-year-olds will be worth $496,000, while the Prix de la Foret for sprinters at seven furlongs will be worth $434,000.

A key prep for the Arc – the Prix Vermeille for fillies and mares at Longchamp on Sept. 16 - has been increased to $744,000, from $434,000.

The French 1000 and 2000 Guineas, which were run at Deauville while Longchamp was being redeveloped, will be held at Longchamp on May 13. The Group 1 Prix Jean Prat for 3-year-olds has been moved from Chantilly to Deauville on July 8.