Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse

The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France was a turf horse racing facility and track for Thoroughbred flat racing. Opened in 1878 by Joseph Oller, inventor of the pari-mutuel machine, it sits on 92 hectares that belonged to the wealthy banker Jacques Laffitte.

Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse
View of the racecourse from the Maisons-Laffitte bridge
View of the racecourse from the Maisons-Laffitte bridge
LocationMaisons-Laffitte, France
Operated byGalop
Date opened1878
Date closed2019 (remain for horse training)
Race typeThoroughbred flat racing

The nearby Château de Maisons-Laffitte is home to The Museum of the Racehorse.

In November 2018 France Galop announced that the racecourse would close at the end of 2019 due to financial pressures on the organisation. The final meeting was held on 29th October 2019.[1] Despite the efforts of local government officials during 2020 there are no plans to re-open the track and the racing surface has been allowed fall into disrepair.[2] In early 2023 the sale of the racecourse to a public land operator, L’établissement public foncier d’Île-de-France (EPFIF), was completed.[3] The new owners plan to revitalize the site and restart horse racing.[4]

The racecourse layout was unique as it was one of the few courses in the world that staged both left- and right-handed races. It also featured a 2,000-metre straight track, one of the longest in Europe and three different winning posts.[5]

From early March through to the end of November, the major annual Conditions races at Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte were:

References
  1. "Not much of a send-off for a fine racecourse, but is there hope for Maisons-Laffitte after all?". Thoroughbred Racing Commentary (TRC). 7 November 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  2. "Are they fighting a losing battle in the effort to save Maisons-Laffitte?". Thoroughbred Racing Commentary (TRC). 6 December 2020. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  3. "Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse Sale Goes Through". TDN Europe. 29 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  4. "France Galop finally sold the Maisons-Laffitte racecourse to the EPFIF". Journal Special Des Societes (JSS). 7 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
  5. "The equine paradise where France's search for classic clues begins". Thoroughbred Racing Commentary (TRC). 30 March 2015. Retrieved 2021-07-12.

48°57′58″N 2°10′5″E


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