One of European racing’s longest-standing eligibility rules is set to disappear after France Galop’s board voted to allow geldings to compete in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe from 2027, ending a restriction that has increasingly set France’s premier race apart from other major international contests.

The decision was approved by board members on Monday, although a formal amendment to the race conditions must still be presented to the European Pattern Committee. There appears little prospect of opposition, given that many of Europe’s leading all-aged Group 1 races already permit geldings to compete.

The change will not affect next year’s Arc. Entries for the 2026 renewal at Longchamp on October 4 have already closed, meaning the revised conditions cannot take effect until 2027.

A Shift Away From Tradition

For decades, the Arc has remained one of the few elite European races restricted to colts, fillies and mares. In France, the Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois is now the only other major Group 1 operating under similar conditions after the Prix du Moulin was opened to geldings in 2020.

The restriction has become increasingly difficult to defend as some of the world’s highest-rated horses have been excluded from France’s most prestigious race solely because they had been gelded earlier in their careers.

The issue returned to prominence through the performances of Francis Graffard-trained stars Goliath and Calandagan. Both were ineligible for the Arc despite competing at the highest international level. Calandagan’s achievements were particularly notable, with the Chantilly-based runner ending 2025 as the Longines World’s Best Racehorse.

His campaign took him across several of the sport’s leading jurisdictions, including Dubai, Britain and Japan, while his only domestic appearance came in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. The global profile of horses such as Calandagan highlighted the growing disconnect between the Arc’s eligibility rules and the modern international racing landscape.

Godolphin’s Rebel’s Romance provides another example. The globetrotting gelding has collected top-level victories in Dubai, Hong Kong, the United States and Germany, demonstrating the calibre of horse that could potentially contest the Arc under the new rules.

Breeding Considerations Remain Central

Historically, Europe’s major Group 1 races for younger horses have been restricted to colts and fillies because they are viewed as important tests for future breeding stock. France Galop has long argued that both the Arc and the Prix Jacques le Marois serve a similar purpose despite being open to older horses.

That position has helped preserve the existing restrictions even as Britain and Ireland have taken a different approach. Races such as the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the British Champion Stakes and the Irish Champion Stakes have all welcomed geldings for many years.

The debate has remained contentious within French racing. There are differing views among trainers, veterinarians and administrators regarding whether gelded males enjoy physical or psychological advantages over entire horses. Those divisions have also been reflected within France Galop itself, where elected board members and officials have held contrasting opinions on whether the Arc should be opened to geldings.

With the board now having backed the change, the Arc appears set to enter a new era. From 2027, Europe’s richest race is expected to be open to the widest possible pool of elite middle-distance performers, bringing Longchamp’s showpiece into line with many of the sport’s other major international championships.