15 February 2023
Season 2 of the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters: following the success of the inaugural 2022 Grand Steeple-Chase Masters, a series of races that lead to the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, France Galop is pleased to renew the Masters in 2023.
France Galop launches the 2023 Grand Steeple-Chase Masters, which highlights the most important prep races leading to the greatest challenge in the jump racing calendar, at the end of February. The Masters effectively start with the first prep race for horses aiming to run in the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
The Masters were created to allow racing enthusiasts to increase their knowledge of jump racing by exploring in more detail how horses are trained for the legendary Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, the greatest challenge and ultimate target: 6000m long, peppered with 23 formidable obstacles to jump and record prizemoney of €900 000.
During the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters, regular press releases and immersive media on the France Galop social media platforms, which can be found by using the hashtag #GRANDSTEEPLECHASE, will focus on the different events.
The 2023 renewal of the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters series runs from Saturday, 25 February, to Sunday, 21 May. As last year, it includes the four major prep races that take place at the Auteuil racecourse:
- Grand Steeple-Chase Masters - Prix Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre (Grade 3) – Saturday, 25 February
- Grand Steeple-Chase Masters - Prix Troytown (Grade 3) – Sunday, 19 March,
- Grand Steeple-Chase Masters - Prix Murat (Grade 2) – Saturday, 8 April
- Grand Steeple-Chase Masters - Prix Ingré Grade 3) – Saturday, 29 April
- Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris (Grade 1) – Sunday, 21 May
The Prix William et Alec Head (Tuesday, 18 April at Auteuil) will also be included in the press releases, even though it is not an official leg of the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters. However, the race features regularly in the spotlight as a producer of future champions of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
The Grand Steeple-Chase Masters attracts the interests of owners, trainers, jockeys and stable staff. France Galop is offering a special bonus of €150 000 to connections if their horse wins two prep races, as well as the 2023 renewal of the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
A further bonus of €75.000 (bringing the total bonus to €225 000) will be paid out if the horse goes on to win the Grand Slam: two prep races, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris and the Prix La Haye Jousselin, which takes place in the autumn!
You can only win if you are in!
Entries for the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters – Prix Robert de Clermont-Tonnerre will close on 17 February 2023. Don’t forget to enter your most talented jumpers in the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters series so that they can follow in Sel Jem’s hoof steps!
The Guillaume Macaire & Hector de Lageneste trained Sel Jem, owned by the Papot family, defied the odds when he lifted the Prix Troytown and the Prix Murat, two Grand Steeple-Chase Masters events, before storming home to victory in the 2022 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris.
Enjoy insightful updates with racing experts and jump racing enthusiasts Charly Milpied and François Pradeau
From the end of February to the end of May, the duration of the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters, the @FranceGalop social media platforms will be brimming with news from the major events that lead to the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris at the Auteuil racecourse.
Over three months, video content posted on the France Galop social media platforms will give you a unique look behind the scenes of how this year’s contenders and their connections prepare themselves for the big event: discover interviews with the connections of possible runners, features on how horses are prepared, jockey cam footage and tracking of favourites...
Find these videos on the France Galop social media platforms under #GRANDSTEEPLECHASE
"Charly's Diary”
Before each event of the GRAND STEEPLE-CHASE MASTERS, you will be able to watch an episode of "Charly's Diary".
On camera, journalist Charly Milpied, who is well-known to regular viewers of the Equidia racing channel, will reveal his list of horses to follow. He will give you an intimate introduction to their personality, strength, and their connections.
And as a racing expert, he will tell you who impressed him most. He will also interview connections of runners during their morning work routine in the run-up to the 5 events of the Grand Steeple-Chase Masters.
NEW – “At the heart of the Masters” interviews
This year you can go on a journey into “the heart of the Masters” with Equidia’s jump racing pundit François Pradeau. In the run-up to each prep race, the journalist will interview a person involved in the series to review the past prep race and to give his or her opinion about the next leg whilst revealing all the latest news of the Masters.
Everyone will be able to test their knowledge of jump racing and answer the questions in our quiz. There are many prizes to be won online, like a tour of the famous jumps at Auteuil with a jump racing expert and invitations to spend a VIP day at the races...
As part of the GRAND STEEPLE-CHASE MASTERS, the France Galop media department will issue a press release after each event, including quotes from the winning connections in French and English. This year, the Prix William Head offers a different route towards Auteuil’s greatest challenges will be included in the press releases
For the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, Zoom conferences (in French and English) with trainers who are likely to saddle one of the favourites in the race will be organised during the week before the event. A press release including quotes from connections with runners will also be sent out during that week.
On the day of the race, the France Galop media department will issue a press release that includes the finishing order, quotes of winning connections, race video free of rights, as well as jockey cam images.
Follow racing live at the Auteuil racecourse
The Auteuil racecourse, accessible by the metro (get off at Porte d'Auteuil), has vast open-air areas. The GRAND STEEPLE-CHASE MASTERS is the latest opportunity to discover the thrill of racing whilst enjoying a day in the open air, surrounded by the different shades of green of the Bois de Boulogne.
Various areas, the parade ring and the lawns in front of the track, allow spectators to get close to the heart of the action and appreciate the performance of these champions.
Admission from €5 per person, free for children under 12
DISCOVER THE 2023 GRAND STEEPLE-CHASE MASTERS ON VIDEO
Link of the video on France Galop YouTube chain : HERE
