Maisons-Laffitte back in business on April 17 after floodwaters recede

Maisons-Laffitte will make a belated start to its season on April 17 after officials declared themselves satisfied with the progress of the racing surface following flooding.

The first two meetings of the new turf Flat season at the venue, which is in the western suburbs of Paris, will be run at Chantilly and Deauville respectively after the River Seine burst its banks in January.

With the clear-up then slowed by the arrival of heavy snow at the beginning of last month, there had been fears that further meetings would be lost, but France Galop have announced that the track is recovering well.

The two races over a mile and a half on the card which were scheduled to be run around the left-handed bend will now be run the other way round, while the two seven-furlong maidens - the Prix Good Luck and the Prix Balbonella - will take place on the straight course.