The Prix de Seine-et-Oise is a Group 3flathorse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Maisons-Laffitte over a distance of 1,200 metres (about 6 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late October or early November.
History
The event is named after Seine-et-Oise, a former department of France which encompassed parts of Paris. It was established in 1906, and was originally open to horses aged two or older. It was initially run at Maisons-Laffitte over 1,400 metres.
The Prix de Seine-et-Oise was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1914 to 1918. It was staged at Saint-Cloud in 1920. It began a longer period at Saint-Cloud and was cut to 1,300 metres in 1929.
The race was cancelled twice during World War II, in 1939 and 1940. It was held at Maisons-Laffitte in 1941 and Le Tremblay in 1942. It took place at Maisons-Laffitte again from 1943 to 1945, and on the second occasion its distance was 1,400 metres.
In the post-war period, from 1946 to 1951, the Prix de Seine-et-Oise was usually held at Saint-Cloud. The one exception was in 1948, when it was switched to Longchamp. It returned to Maisons-Laffitte and was shortened to 1,200 metres in 1952.
The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and the Prix de Seine-et-Oise was classed at Group 3 level. It was closed to two-year-olds in 1981. For a period it took place in mid-September.
The race was run at Chantilly in 1995, and again from 1997 to 2000. It was moved to late October or early November in 2002.