The racecourse in Maisons-Laffitte/France was a very special one. The races on the straight track fascinated the fans above all. Now there is a small hope that racing could take place here again after all.
The return of racing to Maisons-Laffitte moved another important step closer when the racecourse and its buildings were officially bought by the municipality for 7.15 million euros.
France Galop held its last meeting at the track in the western suburbs of Paris in November 2019 as part of cost-cutting measures, spreading its 22 days of racing between Chantilly, Saint-Cloud, Longchamp and, most notably, Deauville, which now hosts two important Classic tests, the Prix Djebel and the Prix Imprudence, previously held at Maisons-Laffitte.
While the governing body invested in the modernisation of the adjacent training centre, the closure of the races at Maisons-Laffitte was proposed as a key element in eliminating France Galop`s budget deficit.
After opposing the closure, the mayor of Maisons-Laffitte, Jacques Myard, set up a local public-private consortium with the aim of buying the racecourse and eventually bidding to run France Galop`s fixtures. Similar agreements exist with the racecourses in Fontainebleau and Compiegne.
When the sale was approved in principle last December, the authorities presented a detailed technical dossier of the requirements that the new owners would have to meet in order to receive events in the future.
With one mile and two furlongs (2,000m), Maisons-Laffitte has the longest straight in Europe, but the circuit has proved difficult in recent years. Dramatically, the Seine River overflowed its banks in June 2016 and January 2018, flooding the entire course both times.
