Auteuil Racecourse in Paris, France, will host an eight-race National Hunt programme on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The meeting will feature hurdle races and steeplechases across a range of distances, with contests for young horses as well as experienced runners aged five and above. The first race is scheduled for 1:58 PM local time, while the final contest is set to begin at 6:28 PM.
The programme includes three Group III contests and a Listed handicap, making for a varied afternoon of jumping action. The Prix Heros XII carries the highest announced prize money of the day at €152,000, followed by the Prix Orcada, worth €140,000, and the Prix Pierre de Lassus, which offers €125,000. These races will bring the meeting’s feature events into focus.
The card begins at 1:58 PM with the Prix Isopani, a 3,600-metre hurdle race for three-year-olds. The contest offers €50,000 in prize money and lists 11 runners. Classified for newcomers, it will provide an early opportunity to see young horses begin their careers over hurdles at Auteuil.
At 2:33 PM, the Prix Orcada will bring four-year-old steeplechasers to the course for a 4,400-metre contest. The Group III race carries €140,000 in prize money and has seven entries. Its longer distance will test the participants’ jumping technique, stamina and ability to maintain rhythm over fences.
The third race, the Prix Prince d’Ecouen – Grand Handicap d’Automne, is scheduled for 3:15 PM. Open to horses aged five and above, this 4,300-metre hurdle handicap offers €120,000 and lists 20 runners. The large field makes it one of the most populated contests on the programme, with participants required to negotiate the hurdles over a demanding distance.
The Prix Adrien Besnouin follows at 3:50 PM. This 3,600-metre hurdle race is for horses aged four and five and offers €51,000 in prize money. Fourteen runners are listed for the Class 2 contest, which will add another middle-distance hurdle event to the afternoon’s schedule.
At 4:35 PM, the Prix Pierre de Lassus will be run over 3,900 metres for four-year-old hurdlers. The Group III event carries €125,000 in prize money and has seven entries. The race will place emphasis on jumping fluency and stamina as the horses tackle the extended hurdle distance.
The Prix Heros XII is scheduled for 5:18 PM and is the day’s richest race, with €152,000 in prize money. This Group III steeplechase is open to horses aged five and above and will cover 4,400 metres. Ten runners are listed. The combination of the long distance and steeplechase obstacles will make stamina and consistent jumping important factors.
The seventh race, the Prix Soulange-Bodin, is set for 5:53 PM. This 4,300-metre hurdle handicap is open to horses aged five and above and offers €60,000 in prize money. Eighteen runners are listed, giving the race one of the largest fields on the card.
The meeting concludes at 6:28 PM with the Prix Ferdinand Riant, a 4,400-metre steeplechase for horses aged five and above. The Class 2 contest offers €55,000 in prize money and lists nine runners. It will bring the day’s jumping programme to a close with a test over fences at Auteuil.
Saturday’s meeting combines races for developing three-year-olds with established contests for older hurdlers and steeplechasers. Distances range from 3,600 to 4,400 metres, while prize money across the eight races ranges from €50,000 to €152,000. The Prix Orcada, Prix Pierre de Lassus and Prix Heros XII headline the Group III events, alongside the Listed Grand Handicap d’Automne.
With eight races scheduled from early afternoon into the evening, Auteuil’s October 17 card offers a full programme of French National Hunt racing. The meeting will feature a mix of age-restricted contests, handicaps and graded events, with each race presenting its own demands over hurdles or steeplechase fences.
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