The annual Normandy Summer Festival takes place each August which covers two venues, Deauville and Clairefontaine with both hosting top-class competitive flat and jump racing. The eyes of the flat world will be focused for the next month on Deauville to see how the five Group One races pan out.
Normandy is the region in France known for being the home of the horse. Whether it is flat, jump or trotting, this district is one of the most densely populated regions for racetracks found anywhere in the world. It is also the location for some of the most famous horse stud farms.
Every August, the famous Normandy Thoroughbred Summer Festival takes place with the commune of Tourgéville welcoming people not just from France but around the world to one month of elite flat and jump racing.
This year, horses from England, Ireland, Germany along with countries as far away as Australia and Japan will join the best thoroughbreds France has to offer.
There are just four days across a four-week period when there will not be a meeting conducted at either Deauville or the sister track, 3.5km away at Clairefontaine.
Deauville has always been exclusively a flat racetrack. Originally only a turf circuit, during the first part of this century, an all-weather circuit was added enabling racing to be conducted throughout the entire calendar year. Deauville is also an important training centre. Created in 1864 by the Duke of Morny (for which the feature two-year-old Group One the Prix Morny – is named after) it has a rich history and is an important feature and attraction to the city maintaining a prominent presence.
Clairefontaine commenced racing in 1928. The venue hosts flat, jumping, and trotting races (on grass). Feature events are run to Listed level including the Grand Steeplechase de Deauville, Grand Hurdle (run this week and won by Shenko Magic) and three Listed flat races to be contested at the opening of the Normandy Festival on Sunday, making this the biggest meeting of the year.
For trotting fans, apart from Clairefontaine, a 25km journey west from Deauville will take you to Cabourg where trotting is conducted on a Tuesday and Friday evening throughout the summer attracting large holidaying family crowds.
From next Tuesday – 2 August – the Black Type flat action turns to Deauville where five races will be conducted including the first Group One of the Festival – the Prix Rothschild run over the straight 1600m for fillies and mares.
Late last year Deauville installed lights across the all-weather track. This has enabled primarily winter racing to be conducted during the times of the year when daylight is at a premium. Last winter this concept proved popular with both professionals and punters. A semi-night meeting will be conducted at Deauville on Thursday 11 August with the meeting commencing at 18.30 and concluding at 22.37.
Other feature Group One races are:
Prix Maurice de Gheest – 1300m – Sunday 7 August
Prix Jacques-le-Marlois – 1600m – Sunday 14 August
Prix Jean Rominet – 2000m – Sunday 21 August
Prix Morny – 1200m – Sunday 21 August
The Group Two Grand Prix de Deauville over 2500m winds up the feature races on Sunday 28 August.
