After a test by 14 top rider of ParisLongchamp's racecourse this week, it was decided that the open stretch, where the rail falls away at the top of the stretch, was too wide and will now be positioned at 60 metres wide. The open stretch gives horses that might be blocked in a chance to find a way out without causing interference.
During the two years of construction that has seen Longchamp closed since the day after the running of the 2015 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the track's watering system was thoroughly overhauled and some parts were drained, especially near the last bend and at the beginning of the straight, where the ground is less permeable due to a pond nearby.
The destruction of Longchamp's previous stands and the building of new ones took two years, and although some parts of the former racecourse are still standing it now looks completely different.
Altogether, the contractor Bouygues destroyed about 765,000 square feet and built a new 372,500 square foot building, while over 500,000 square feet of lawns were planted. The stables were extended with 30 new boxes and a brand new veterinary section for sampling and emergency procedures was built nearby the new paddock.
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