The event was established in 1861, and it was originally called the Prix de Longchamps. In the early part of its history its distance was 2,500 metres.[1] Due to the Franco-Prussian War, it was not run in 1871.
The Prix de Longchamps was one of several trials for the Prix du Jockey Club collectively known as the Poules des Produits. The others (listed by their modern titles) were the Prix Daru, the Prix Lupin, the Prix Noailles and the Prix Greffulhe. The Prix de Longchamps was restricted to the produce of mares covered by stallions born and bred in France. It was funded by entries submitted before a horse's birth, in the year of conception.
The race continued with its original title until 1884.[2] It was renamed in memory of Louis Hocquart de Turtot (1823–1884), a founder member of the board of French horse racing, in 1885.[3]
The Prix Hocquart was shortened to 2,400 metres in 1902. It was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1919. It was cancelled once during World War II, in 1940. It was contested at Le Tremblay over 2,300 metres from 1943 to 1945.
The event was staged at Chantilly over 2,200 metres from 1997 to 2000. Its distance at Longchamp was cut to 2,200 metres in 2005.
Twenty-seven winners of the race have achieved victory in the Prix du Jockey Club. The first was Patricien in 1867, and the most recent was Bering in 1986.
The race was moved permanently to Chantilly in 2017, and pushed back in the racing calendar to be run on the same day as the Prix de Diane. It therefore functioned as a Grand Prix de Paris trial instead of a trial for the Prix du Jockey Club. In 2020 it returned to Longchamp and was run in late May on the same day as the Prix Saint-Alary.
