The Grand Prix de Paris of 2025 is the closest thing France has to the Epsom Derby since their own premier Classic, the Prix du Jockey Club, shortened to 2,100m. It’s the full mile-and-a-half (2,400m) distance for half-a-dozen runners heading to Longchamp on Sunday, 13th July.
Given the hot temperatures across Europe right now and the fact that the following Monday is a National Holiday commemorating the storming of the Bastille, this Group 1 for three-year-old colts (and fillies if any wished) takes place in the evening.
Although no British runners take part, there is one from the powerful Irish yard of Aidan O’Brien entered. That is Prix du Jockey Club fourth and subsequent Hampton Court Stakes winner Trinity College. He made all to win during last month’s Royal Ascot despite a tight turnaround from Chantilly.
A decent domestic challenge in the Grand Prix de Paris of 2025 sees Epsom Derby fourth New Ground back on home turf for Henri Devin and Juddmonte. The Aga Khan Studs’ Surabad and Luther for the Wertheimer Brothers have both won at Longchamp earlier in the season, meanwhile.
Respective trainers Francis-Henri Graffard and Christophe Ferland will hope they can build on that valuable course experience. Completing the line-up are two French Derby also-rans in the seventh home, Frankly Good Cen, and Jean-Claude Rouget’s Leffard, who didn’t fire that last day.
How British bookies and horse racing betting sites see the race from a completely neutral perspective is interesting. Using their odds, plus a look at the form, as key data, our experts have their say on every runner heading for the City of Lights and the Bois du Boulogne track below.
Grand Prix de Paris 2025 Runners Guide
1. Surabad
- Sire: Bated Breath
- Dam: Sunita
- Damsire: Motivator
- Draw: Stall 4
- Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
- Trainer: Francis-Henri Graffard
- Form Figures: 31-3112
- Notable Wins: 2025 Prix de l’Avre
Listed winner over course and distance in April. Not disgraced when half-a-length runner-up in the Group 3 Prix du Lys at Chantilly latest. All stamina imparted to him from damsire as by a sprinter. Others have stronger claims.
2. Leffard
- Sire: Le Harve
- Dam: Let’s Misbehave
- Damsire: Montjeu
- Draw: Stall 1
- Jockey: Cristian Demuro
- Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget
- Form Figures: 1120
- Notable Wins: None
Finished in front of New Ground in a Listed race around Chantilly following a couple of minor wins. Just not at the races in the French Derby / Prix du Jockey Club there latest, however. Another who needs to take a big step back in the right direction in the Grand Prix de Paris of 2025.
3. New Ground
- Sire: New Bay
- Dam: Gaining
- Damsire: American Post
- Draw: Stall 2
- Jockey: Alexis Pouchin
- Trainer: Henri Devin
- Form Figures: 11-334
- Notable Wins: None
Beaten by a length in the Prix la Force over too sharp a trip by subsequent French Derby second Cualificar here on reappearance. Filled same spot in Listed contest around Chantilly, but then career best when fine fourth from off the pace in the Epsom Derby latest. Repeat of that run looks good enough to win this with the front two again first and second in the Irish Derby.
4. Trinity College
- Sire: Dubawi
- Dam: Hermosa
- Damsire: Galileo
- Draw: Stall 5
- Jockey: Ryan Moore
- Trainer: Aidan O’Brien
- Form Figures: 91442-1241
- Notable Wins: 2025 Hampton Court Stakes
IMPRESSIVE! TRINITY COLLEGE WINS THE HAMPTON COURT STAKES! #ROYALASCOT pic.twitter.com/7wFTbPOU2I
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 19, 2025
Length fourth in Prix du Jockey Club on last trip to France. Made all in Royal Group 3 since. Regally bred horse who’s well worth trying up in trip for the Grand Prix de Paris in 2025. Ballydoyle rely solely on him with Galveston and Puppet Master not declared.
5. Uther
- Sire: Camelot
- Dam: Sosia
- Damsire: Shamardal
- Draw: Stall 3
- Jockey: Maxime Guyon
- Trainer: Christophe Ferland
- Form Figures: 1-213
- Notable Wins: 2025 Prix Noailles
Group 3 course winner beating one in the same ownership who bested both Leffard and New Ground next time out. Stayed on well into third in the Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud latest. Could have more improvement in him over this trip.
6. Frankly Good Cen
- Sire: Frankel
- Dam: Miss Melbourne
- Damsire: Kentucky Dynamite
- Draw: Stall 6
- Jockey: Augustin Madamet
- Trainer: Victoria Head
- Form Figures: 1-27
- Notable Wins: None
Seventh in the French Derby and never a threat latest. Has a couple of lengths to find with Trinity College on that form. Plenty of stamina from distaff side of pedigree. Guaranteed to finish at least one place that at Chantilly.
Grand Prix de Paris 2025 Shortlist & Verdict
It essentially amounts to deciding on which is the strongest form line. Obvious cases can be made for both NEW GROUND and Trinity College with the latter used as a pacemaker in the Jockey Club. He’s the only one from Ballydoyle declared this time, however, but the Juddmonte horse ran an absolute blinder on his first start abroad.
That swings the vote in favour of a home win thanks to the Epsom form being franked. Of the others, Uther looks to have the most upside. While Frankly Good Cen is still unexposed, this demands more of him, Leffard and Surabad.
