Compiègne is set to host an extensive nine-race programme on Thursday, September 24, 2026, with the afternoon card offering a mixture of contests for three-year-olds and older horses. The meeting features races over distances ranging from 1,400 metres to 2,400 metres, providing different tests of speed, stamina and race experience. The programme begins at 1:55pm and continues through the afternoon, with the final race scheduled for 6:38pm.
The opening race of the day, the Prix de la Basse Automne, is scheduled for 1:55pm and is a 1,600-metre handicap for three-year-olds. The contest carries a prize allocation of €52,800 and has attracted a field of 16 runners. The mile distance will require the young horses to maintain a steady rhythm while also possessing enough speed to produce their best effort in the closing stages. With a sizeable field assembled, the opening event will provide an early test of the three-year-old runners.
The second race, the Prix du Berval, is due to start at 2:30pm. It is a maiden race for three-year-olds over 1,600 metres, with €20,100 in prize money. Twelve runners are scheduled to take part. The contest will give horses still looking to establish themselves in this category an opportunity over the mile distance. Maintaining position and handling the pace of the race will be important as the field approaches the final stages.
At 3:05pm, the programme moves to the Prix des Dauphines – Handicap Challenge. This race is open to horses aged four years and older and will be run over 1,800 metres. Classified as a Classe 4 handicap, it carries a prize allocation of €17,300 and features 13 runners. The 1,800-metre journey sits between the mile races and the longer events on the card, demanding both pace and the ability to maintain an effort over the additional distance.
The fourth race is the Prix de Blerancourt, scheduled for 3:40pm. It is a Classe 3 handicap for horses aged four years and older and is contested over 2,000 metres. Eleven runners have been declared for the race, which carries €22,100 in prize money. The longer distance will require the participants to conserve their energy during the early and middle stages before producing their strongest effort towards the finish. The contest adds another middle-distance challenge to the Compiègne programme.
The fifth race, the Prix de Fresnoy-la-Rivière, is scheduled for 4:15pm and represents the longest contest of the afternoon. The race is a 2,400-metre handicap for three-year-olds, with €24,000 in prize money and 12 runners. The extended distance will provide a significant test of stamina for the young horses. Unlike the shorter races earlier on the card, this event will require the runners to maintain their pace over a considerably longer journey and use their energy efficiently throughout.
The sixth contest, the Prix du Vermandois, is set for 4:50pm. Open to horses aged three years and older, the race is a Classe 3 handicap over 1,400 metres. Thirteen runners are scheduled to compete for a prize allocation of €22,100. The shorter distance introduces a sharper challenge after the 2,400-metre event. The participants will need to settle into the race quickly and maintain their speed through the final stages. The presence of both three-year-olds and older horses adds further variety to the contest.
At 5:25pm, the Prix de Vignemont will bring another large field of three-year-olds to the track. The race is a 1,600-metre handicap with €19,200 in prize money and has attracted 16 runners. The mile distance has already featured earlier in the afternoon, but the large field provides a different challenge. The runners will need to find their rhythm while negotiating the demands of a sizeable field and then sustain their effort over the final part of the race.
The eighth race, the Prix de Choisy au Bac, is scheduled for 6:00pm. It is another 1,600-metre handicap for three-year-olds, with 16 runners and €26,900 in prize money. As one of the final contests of the meeting, it will continue the strong presence of three-year-olds on the card. The field size makes the race another interesting mile contest, with the runners required to combine pace and consistency throughout the journey.
The afternoon concludes at 6:38pm with the Prix de Vieux Moulin. The final race is a 1,600-metre handicap for three-year-olds and features 15 runners. The contest carries €17,500 in prize money. After a full afternoon of racing across different distances and classifications, the final event will provide one more test over the mile. The young runners will need to maintain their rhythm and finish their race strongly as they bring the nine-race programme to a close.
The Compiègne meeting therefore offers a varied afternoon of racing on September 24, with nine contests covering sprint, mile, middle-distance and staying trips. Three-year-olds are strongly represented throughout the programme, while the races for older horses provide additional experience and variety. From the €52,800 Prix de la Basse Automne at the beginning of the card to the concluding Prix de Vieux Moulin, the meeting features a broad range of race conditions and field sizes.
The different distances will also provide contrasting challenges across the afternoon. The 1,400-metre Prix du Vermandois will place emphasis on speed, while the 1,600-metre races require a balance between pace and stamina. The 1,800-metre and 2,000-metre contests introduce greater emphasis on endurance, before the 2,400-metre Prix de Fresnoy-la-Rivière provides the longest test of the day. With nine races scheduled from early afternoon until the evening, Compiègne is set for a full programme of racing action on September 24.
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