The Classics are the pinnacle of UK flat racing, and they are the five races each season that attract the most attention and hold the most prestige. The Derby, the Oaks, the 2,000 Guineas, the 1,000 Guineas, and the St Leger are massive, historic and highly lucrative races that excite even casual racing fans and are capable of generating headlines on both the front and back pages of the newspapers.
The British Classics, to give them their slightly more formal name, are all over 200 years old. The St Leger was the first to be run, back in 1776, with The Oaks following three years later, The Derby 12 months after that and the 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas coming in 1809 and 1814 respectively.
These contests have given rise to many imitators around the world, with The Derby in particular spawning no end of races, such as The Kentucky Derby and Irish Derby. Indeed, Ireland has its own set of Classics, the Irish Classic Races, that are essentially straight copies of the five British contests. These were created between 1866, in the case of the Irish Derby, through to 1922 for the Irish 1,000 Guineas.
However, our focus here is the French Classics. France is, along with the UK, Ireland, America, Japan and one or two other countries, a leading nation when it comes to horse racing. And in France, they have not five, but six Classics. Or is it three? Or four?
Prix du Jockey Club
| First Run | Course | Distance | Alternative Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1836 | Chantilly | 1m 2½f (2,100m) | French Derby |
The Prix du Jockey Club is sometimes referred to as the French Derby, although since 2005 it has been run over a shorter distance. The Epsom original is contested over one and a half miles, or 2,400m, while the race at Chantilly has been run over 2,100m for two decades.
First run in 1836, it is not that much younger than the race that inspired it and was briefly run over the even longer distance of 2,500m. It has gone by various names and been run at different tracks over the years, too, but Chantilly, around 30 miles north of Paris, has long been the host.
It is usually run in early June and has been classed as a Group 1 since the current system of grading was introduced in 1971. As with the Epsom race, it is open to three-year-olds only, as are all the French Classics and offers a handsome prize pot that was €1.5m in 2026.
All the records for most wins as trainer, jockey and owner are held by Frenchmen, though over the years there has been more involvement from overseas raiders. In 1982, Assert became the first horse trained outside France to win. John Gosden (Mishriff in 2020) and Aidan O’Brien (St Mark’s Basilica in 2021, Camille Pissarro in 2025 and Constitution River in 2026) are among those to have landed wins.
Prix de Diane
| First Run | Course | Distance | Alternative Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1843 | Chantilly | 1m 2½f (2,100m) | French Oaks |
The Prix de Diane was inaugurated in 1843 and is also run at Chantilly in June. It is the French equivalent of The Oaks and as such, is a fillies-only race. The purse is typically a little smaller than for the Derby-equivalent but still hit seven figures (in Euros) at €1,000,000, with the winner taking home almost €600,000.
Again, it is 300m shorter than the British Classic it mimics, and once more has become more international as the years have passed by. Frankie Dettori rode West Wind to victory in 2007 and then won this one for a second time in 2015 aboard Star of Seville, the second win for Gosden.
However, four jockeys have ridden the winner in five editions of the Prix de Diane, while Harry Jennings is the leading trainer with nine wins – though all before 1876. Aga Khan has dominated more recently as an owner, though, boasting seven wins, his first coming with Shemaka in 1993.
Prix Royal-Oak
| First Run | Course | Distance | Alternative Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | Longchamp | 1m 7½f (3,100m) | French St Leger |
First run in 1861, this contest, generally held at Longchamp in October, is less lucrative than the two races mentioned above. Considered the rough equivalent of the St Leger, it differs markedly from the British Classics in that it is open to horses aged three and up, rather than just the “Classic generation”. This century, it has been won by horses ranging from three right up to 10. It changed in this regard in 1979, while geldings were allowed to race from 1986 onwards.
It was never in the same league as the other French classics, but these changes further reduced its prestige. In 2025, winning connections took home “just” €220,500, the contest taking place at Saint-Cloud rather than its traditional home of Longchamp, as it did in 2024 and, before that, between 2015 and 2017 inclusive.
Run over 1m7f90y, it is longer than the St Leger too, and this extra distance also takes a little away from the race. Due to all these changes, some no longer consider it to be a Classic. We would contest that, and even so, it retains its status as one of the biggest races in France and is well worth taking in.
Poule d’Essai
This race was founded in 1840 and initially served as the equivalent of both the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, being open to both colts and fillies. In 1883, however, it was replaced with two separate races, making a more direct comparison.
Poule d’Essai des Poulains
| First Run | Course | Distance | Alternative Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 | Longchamp | 1m (1,600m) | French 2,000 Guineas |
The equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas, this race is for three-year-old colts only and calls Longchamp home. It takes place over a trip of 1,600m, essentially the same distance as its British counterpart (the 2,000 Guineas is over a mile, or 1,609m). Illustrating the gap in prestige between France’s biggest Classics and the Prix Royal-Oak, this race was worth more than €409,000 to the winner in 2026. Frankie Dettori, Kieren Fallon, Ryan Moore and William Buick are among the successful jockeys in this race.
Poule d’Essai des Pouliches
| First Run | Course | Distance | Alternative Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1883 | Longchamp | 1m (1,600m) | French 1,000 Guineas |
Now the direct equivalent of the 1,000 Guineas, this, like the colts’ race, takes place in May at Longchamp over 1,600m. It is a fillies-only contest, and while the prize money does not match that of the colts’ race, it is still significantly more than for the Leger equivalent.
Grand Prix de Paris
| First Run | Course | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| 1863 | Longchamp | 1m 4f (2,400m) |
There is some debate about whether or not this race should be considered a Classic. While it has no direct British (or Irish) equivalent, its history, prestige and standing within French racing mean we believe it deserves that classification.
As with so many of France’s biggest races, it is normally held at Longchamp and is scheduled for July each year. It is run over 2,400m, or around a mile and a half and dates back to 1863. It is run in July and is open to three-year-olds only.
A Confusing Picture
Some would argue there are just three French Classics, others say four, some think five, and we’re suggesting six. Indeed, given that some authoritative sites (Britannica) include the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as one, while others posit that the Prix Vermeille is a classic, which could give us seven!
Far be it from us to suggest the French are awkward and like to do things their own way, but… well, maybe they do. There is no strict, fixed definition of what constitutes a Classic race. The status, distances, prize money, entry requirements and so on of many of the nation’s biggest contests have changed over time. This has affected the way they have been viewed and whether or not people consider them to be a Classic.
Ultimately, we are happy to include the six races above. However, some may restrict the French Classics to just the four clear equivalents of The Derby, the Oaks and two Guineas contests.