Thursday at Deauville has a calm, familiar feel to it. There is no sense of rush, just trainers passing on final thoughts, riders settling into their rhythm, and a crowd arriving ready for an afternoon of proper racing. With Deauville Racecards 18 December setting the frame, the nine-race programme belongs firmly to the sport itself, while the festive highlights wait their turn.
Scheduled from 1:55pm to 6:35pm, the card is poised to test balance more than brilliance. Youth, stamina, and seasoned control will intersect across distances and classes, offering a clear read on form just before the seasonal shift begins.
The spotlight is set to fall immediately on Race 1, the PRIX DE LA SUISSE NORMANDE, a Class 2 handicap over 1300 metres that opens the card with authority. Worth €50,900 and drawing 16 contenders, it is positioned to command attention from the first stride. Congestion, positioning, and timing are expected to decide the outcome, with marginal advantages likely to matter most once pressure mounts.
Contenders expected to shape the contest include Soledad, Major Oak, Dobba, Apogeo, McLean House, Goluptious, Alparslan, Wootton Melody, Bacchilide, Reve de Vallarsa, among others.
Race 2, the PRIX DU MERLERAULT at 2:30pm, will begin the assessment of untapped promise. Over 1300 metres, 11 two-year-olds will line up for €27,400, where early composure is likely to count as much as acceleration.
That theme will continue in Race 3, the PRIX DE LA PLACIERE at 3:05pm. Again worth €27,400, this 1300-metre maiden with 12 runners will ask another group of juveniles to negotiate Deauville’s demands, often revealing temperament as clearly as talent.
Stamina will take precedence in Race 4, the PRIX DE PENNEDEPIE. Scheduled for 3:40pm, this claiming contest for three-year-olds stretches out to 2500 metres, the longest trip of the afternoon. With 12 runners contesting €18,200, rhythm and restraint are expected to outweigh speed, as the distance traditionally exposes limitations and rewards patience.
Race 5, the PRIX DE SAINT-PIERRE-EN-PORT at 4:15pm, brings older horses into focus over 1500 metres. Thirteen runners will contest €13,000, where measured handling is often the key to survival late on.
Race 6, the PRIX DU MORTAINAIS at 4:50pm, maintains the Class 4 theme but tightens the margins. Sixteen runners over 1300 metres for €17,300 will test consistency and concentration as the afternoon deepens.
Race 7, the PRIX DU VAL D’ORNE at 5:25pm, a Class 3 contest over 1300 metres, will feature 16 runners competing for €21,100, where tactical awareness is likely to prove decisive.
Race 8, the PRIX DU DOMFRONTAIS at 6:00pm, follows at the same level and distance, with another full field chasing €19,200. By this stage, efficiency rather than flair often separates the field.
Race 9, the PRIX DU MASSIF ARMORICAIN at 6:35pm, will close the afternoon. Sixteen runners will contest €25,900 over 1300 metres, ensuring the card concludes with intent rather than release.
As the final race approaches evening, attention is expected to drift toward what follows. Within days, Deauville will step into its Christmas chapter, complete with lights, markets, and seasonal warmth. Deauville Racecards 18 December will stand apart as the calm before that transformation, a meeting defined by racing itself. Without ornament or excess, the track is set to remind its audience that substance alone is enough to hold the stage.
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