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Course Profile: Saint-Cloud.

Saint-Cloud, or sometimes known as Val d'Or, is a grass racecourse for flat thoroughbreds which opened in 1901 at 1 rue de Camp Canadien, on the western outskirts of Paris. The track is situated on a plateau at the top of the hill of Saint-Cloud and boasts wonderful panoramic views of Paris.  There are 75 hectares of land at the site, with 20 dedicated to the racecourse.

History

The racecourse is built on the grounds of a former estate which dates to the ninth century. During the 1800s, Napolean III purchased this plot of land, which burnt down in 1871 amidst fighting against the Prussians. The estate was put up for auction in 1898 with the highest bidder coming from Edmond Blanc, heir to the Societé des Bains de Mer in Monaco, which owns the Monte Carlo casino. He was also a French politician, serving as the Mayor of La Celle Saint-Cloud and a successful breeder who owned operations in Saint-Cloud, including Haras Villebon and Haras Hardy. His stud farm in Jardy is just a few kilometres from the racecourse.

A new stand was erected, along with a weighing room and racecourse offices, which preceded the track's opening in 1901. The course was leased to the Société d'Encouragement pour l'amélioration du cheval Français de demi-sang, who organised trotting racing.

During the 1924 Summer Olympics, the racecourse grounds were used for polo matches. Racing stopped at the start of the second World War. One section of the turf was turned into vegetable gardens to supply the local population with fresh produce. The descendants of Edmond Blanc sold the track in 1952 to textile manufacture and owner-breeder Marcel Boussac, now famously remembered by the G1 two-year-old contest for fillies named in his honour, staged annually at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe meeting at Longchamp in October. The new racecourse opened in 1955 and was sold again in 1974. Today it belongs to France Galop. The private training centre at the track, along with Edmond Blanc's residence, were both restored and in 1981 transformed into a private sports club named the Paris Country Club. The Val d'Or region has a unique charm and its own golf course in the middle of Saint-Cloud racecourse. In 2016 and 2017 the track staged the G1 Prix Ganay (2100m) when Longchamp was being redeveloped. 

Track and races

Saint-Cloud stages between 25 and 30 race meetings annually. The layout of the course is relatively flat, with a long and wide home straight, which measure 500m in length. It is the only exclusively left-handed flat racecourse in the Paris region.

During its spring meeting, Saint-Cloud often witnesses three-year-olds that grace the turf before competing in Classic races. This season's fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane (2100m), Sibila Spain (Frankel), started her career with an impressive nine-length victory in a 2000m maiden. 

Saint-Cloud stages three G1 races during the season, notably the Grand Prix Saint-Cloud (2400m) for four-year-olds and over in July, with two G1 juvenile contests in autumn – the Critérium International (1600m) and the Critérium de Saint-Cloud (2000m). Notable recent Group winners at the track include three-time G2 winner The Revenant (Dubawi), who scored in the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc (1600m) in 2019. Skalleti (Kendargent) was successful in the G3 Prix Ebury (2000m) at the start of the 2021 season, before winning at G1 level for the first time in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan (1800m).

Sarafina (Refuse To Bend) was a notable winner of the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m) in 2011, a year after a stellar classic campaign for the Alain de Royer Dupre-trained and Aga Khan-owned wonder mare. She had previously landed the G1 Prix Saint-Alary (2000m) and G1 Prix de Diane (2100m) double. Waldgeist (Galileo) may be the most famous Group One winner to have raced at Saint-Cloud in recent seasons - having secured two G1 triumphs at the track - with success in the G1 Critérium de Saint-Cloud (2000m) for two-year-olds prior to landing the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud two seasons later. His greatest victory was to come in his final race - winning the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) in 2019 and now stands at Ballylinch Stud for a fee of €17,500.

Saint-Cloud in numbers

2300m round track

900m sprint course

500m finishing straight

191 races in 2020

144 horse stables

75 hectares

3 G1 races annually