Racing Resumes at ParisLongchamp

[Wandering Eyes]

Around 4,000 horseracing fans and horsemen gathered at ParisLongchamp for the Parisian racecourse’s reopening. A total of 917 days had passed since the major rebuilding was initiated to transform the white elephant that had become too big for its daily routine into a more versatile, modular and green site for horse racing in Paris.

On Sunday morning, the activity on social media showed a real excitement ahead of the day, as many trainers, owners, breeders, riders and fans were anxious to experience the new ParisLongchamp. A sunny day helped to clear the clouds that could have piled up as the building site was just about ready to welcome the public.

The main paddock restaurant isn’t open for business yet–it will be inaugurated on the eve of the Grand Opening on Apr. 29– and the organization in some areas still has room for improvement, especially in the way people move around the new site as they become used to the new surroundings, but generally speaking, it was a position start.

People seemed happy to be here on an historic day. Olivier Delloye, France Galop’s managing director, has been pretty much hands-on with the project for the last two years, and he more than anybody could have been worried about the public’s reception, but he seemed authentically relieved on Sunday evening.

“Four thousand people was a perfect crowd to check out what was working and what was still to be worked on,” he said. “My feeling is that positive vibes were dominant and although people will need time to adjust, and so will we, for everybody to find one’s whereabouts, it has been a mostly positive day. Many things can and will be made better, but I am pretty happy with the way things went today.”

As for the racing at ParisLongchamp, it hasn’t changed that much since the course itself has not been affected. The only major change is the open stretch in the early straight. Fourteen riders tested it on Mar. 27 and they seemed to like it, but Christophe Soumillon didn’t and he doesn’t seem to care much about the new buildings.

Even though he won the G2 Prix d’Harcourt aboard Lady Cobham’s Air Pilot (GB) (Zamindar), the Belgian star wasn’t such a happy bunny.

‘Soumi’ plans to travel more to Britain to ride better horses this year, and the lesson we have learned so far this season on the turf is just supporting that idea. Air Pilot had previously won the G3 Prix Exbury in a snowstorm just before the races were cancelled that day, beating Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) and Star Victory (Fr) (Tot Ou Tard {Ire}) in the very same order as on Sunday in the Harcourt, which could make one think that the Prix Exbury, run in extreme conditions, was actually an accurate result.

Okay, the ground on Sunday at ParisLongchamp was deemed heavy, but it was brand new, lush with fresh grass, and that helped the horses to overcome it.

Chilean(GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) , also trained in Britain, won the G3 Prix La Force, while a Cagnes-sur-mer Listed graduate, Barkaa (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) more or less ridiculed a field of six rivals, mostly G1 Longines Prix de Diane pretenders.

Although he wasn’t spotted at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, John Gosden can sit back and relax. As far as it goes, his Cracksman (GB) (Frankel {GB}) hasn’t much to fear from France in the G1 Prix Ganay.

By the look of it, French trainers are happy to let their British and Irish rivals win on French turf, just as long as they let us win on Britain’s all-weather tracks.

View the full article