Earlier this week at Paris-Vincennes racecourse, the organising body of French trotting, the Société du Trotteur Français, set out the complete plan of action for the Winter Meeting. Cited as the largest and most important meeting on the planet by SETF president, Jean-Pierre Barjon, these are some of the figures that the four months of racing (2 November - 2 March) represent:

• an incomparable density of meetings with 753 races run over 91 days, with no fewer than 73 ‘spectacle’ races
• total prizemoney on offer has increased by 3.5% to €42,273,000 making the Vincennes Winter Meeting the most valuable in the world
• average prize fund for each race has now reached €56,139

The PMU Prix d’Amérique races

A simple system, the first three in each of the Prix de Bretagne, Bourbonnais, Bourgogne, and Belgique will qualify for the annual highlight, as will the winners of the Prix Ténor de Baune and Critérium Continental. Not only do they earn a berth into the biggest show in town, but also into the other two Triple Crown races, the Prix de France and Prix de Paris.

Calendar Prix d’Amérique races

• 19 November: Gr.2 Prix de Bretagne - Prix d’Amérique Race, Qualification No.1
• 10 December: Gr.2 Prix du Bourbonnais - Prix d’Amérique Race, Qualification No.2
• 24 December: Gr.1 Critérium Continental - Prix d’Amérique Race, Qualification No.3. Gr.1 Prix Ténor de Baune - Prix d’Amérique Race, Qualification No.4
• 31 December: Gr.2 Prix de Bourgogne - Prix d’Amérique Race, Qualification No.5
• 14 January: Gr.2 Prix de Belgique - Prix d’Amérique Race, Qualification No.6
• 28 January: Gr.1 Prix d’Amérique - Legend Race
• 11 February: Gr.1 Prix de France - Speed Race
• 25 February: Gr.1 Prix de Paris - Marathon Race

Prix de Cornulier races

Automatic qualifiers to the monté showpiece will come from the Prix Jag de Bellouet, Prix Bilibili and Prix du Calvados, in a similar system to the Prix d’Amérique races. A first-three in any of the qualifications will also guarantee a run in the Prix de l'Île de France and Prix Henri Desmontils.

Calendar Prix de Cornulier races

• 17 December: Gr.1 Prix Jag De Bellouet - Cornulier Race, Qualification No.1. Gr.1 Prix Bilibili - Cornulier Race, Qualification No.2 
• 7 January: Gr.2 Prix du Calvados - Cornulier Race, Qualification No.3
• 21 January: Gr.1 Prix de Cornulier
• 4 February: Gr.1 Prix de l’Île-de-France 
• 2 March: Gr.1 Prix Henri Desmontils