Prix Exbury

Group 3 race
Prix Exbury

Location	Saint-Cloud Racecourse Saint-Cloud, France
Inaugurated	1891
Race type	Flat / Thoroughbred
Website	france-galop.com
Race information
Distance	2,000 metres (1¼ miles)
Track	Turf, left-handed
Qualification	Four-years-old and up
Weight	56 kg Allowances 1½ kg for fillies and mares 1 kg if not Group placed * Penalties 3 kg for Group 1 winners * 2 kg for Group 2 winners * 1 kg for Group 3 winners * * since January 1 last year
Purse	€80,000 (2011) 1st: €40,000

The Prix Exbury is a Group 3 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in March.

History

The event was established in 1891, and it was originally called the Prix Boiard. It was named after Boiard, the winner of the Grand Prix de Paris in 1873. In its early years the race was run at Maisons-Laffitte over 2,000 metres, and it was open to horses aged three or older. It was retitled the Prix Eugène Adam in 1905, in memory of Eugène Adam (1840–1904), a co-founder and president of the Société Sportive d'Encouragement, an organisation which owned the racecourse. It reverted to its former name when another race, the present Prix Eugène Adam, was given its title in 1911.

The Prix Boiard was abandoned from 1915 to 1918 because of World War I. The first post-war running was contested at Saint-Cloud over 2,100 metres, and it returned to Maisons-Laffitte with its regular distance in 1920. The race moved more permanently to Saint-Cloud in 1929, and it was briefly extended, again to 2,100 metres, in 1931 and 1932.

Saint-Cloud was closed for the duration of World War II, but the race continued throughout this period at alternative venues. It was held at Longchamp from 1940 to 1942, and at Le Tremblay over 2,150 metres in 1943. For the following two years it took place at Maisons-Laffitte over 2,200 metres.

The minimum age was raised to four in 1969, and in the same year the race was given a new title, the Prix Exbury. This pays tribute to Exbury, the winner of the Prix Boiard, and subsequently the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in 1963. The European Pattern system for grading flat races was introduced in 1971, and the Prix Exbury is now classed at Group 3 level. The event takes place early in the season, and it is usually Europe's first "Group" race of the year.

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

• Fourire – 1899, 1900
• Macdonald II – 1904, 1905
• Djebel – 1941, 1942
• Un Gaillard – 1943, 1944
• Yaxilio – 1970, 1971
• Mister Sic Top – 1972, 1973

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Leading jockey (6 wins):

• Olivier Peslier – Matarun (1994), Gunboat Diplomacy (1996), Nero Zilzal (1997), Loup Sauvage (1998), Court Canibal (2009), Polytechnicien (2011)

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Leading trainer (8 wins):

• André Fabre – Al Nasr (1982), Imyar (1983), Mille Balles (1984), Village Star (1987), Tuesday's Special (1995), Loup Sauvage (1998), Polish Summer (2004), Polytechnicien (2011)

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Leading owner (7 wins):

• Marcel Boussac – Goyescas (1933), Goya II (1940), Djebel (1941, 1942), Ardan (1945), Goyama (1947), Nirgal (1948)

Winners since 1981

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time
1981	Armistice Day	5	Yves Saint-Martin	C. de Watrigant	Luis Urbano Sanabria	2:19.30
1982	Al Nasr	4	Alain Lequeux	André Fabre	Moufid F. Dabaghi	2:26.80
1983	Imyar	4	Alain Badel	André Fabre	Peter Baumgartner	2:18.20
1984	Mille Balles	4	Freddy Head	André Fabre	Guy de Rothschild	2:15.50
1985	Darly	6	Freddy Head	David Smaga	Georges Blizniansky
1986	New Target	5	Jean-Michel Breux	Elie Lellouche	Mrs Gerard Sarfati
1987	Village Star	4	Dominique Regnard	André Fabre	A. J. Richards	2:10.80
1988	Coeur de Lion	4	Yvonnick Claudic	J. R. Lyon	Richard Swift	2:25.40
1989	Saint Andrews	5	Alain Badel	Jean-Marie Béguigné	Suzy Volterra	2:18.90
1990	Mansonnien	6	Dominique Boeuf	Noël Pelat	Mrs Bernard Destremau	2:07.90
1991	Leariva	4	Alain Lequeux	David Smaga	Baron Thierry van Zuylen	2:18.70
1992	Fortune's Wheel	4	Mathieu Boutin	Robert Collet	Richard C. Strauss	2:13.70
1993	Urban Sea	4	Mathieu Boutin	Jean Lesbordes	David Tsui	2:09.20
1994	Matarun	6	Olivier Peslier	Henri Van de Poële	Roland Soula	2:15.10
1995	Tuesday's Special	5	Thierry Jarnet	André Fabre	Patrick Offenstadt	2:24.70
1996	Gunboat Diplomacy	5	Olivier Peslier	Elie Lellouche	Daniel Wildenstein	2:08.60
1997	Nero Zilzal	4	Olivier Peslier	Elie Lellouche	Osvaldo Pedroni	2:11.50
1998	Loup Sauvage	4	Olivier Peslier	André Fabre	Daniel Wildenstein	2:18.80
1999	Barbola	4	Thierry Thulliez	Jean de Roualle	Bob McCreery	2:17.60
2000	Russian Hope	5	Goulven Toupel	Henri-Alex Pantall	Edouard E. de Rothschild	2:15.30
2001	Earlene	4	Thierry Thulliez	Henri-Alex Pantall	Sheikh Mohammed	2:24.70
2002	Jomana	4	Olivier Plaçais	Henri-Alex Pantall	Sheikh Mohammed	2:14.40
2003	Aquarelliste	5	Dominique Boeuf	Elie Lellouche	Ecurie Wildenstein	2:13.85
2004	Polish Summer	7	Christophe Soumillon	André Fabre	Khalid Abdullah	2:10.70
2005	Samando	5	Eric Legrix	François Doumen	Hans Wirth	2:16.40
2006	Kendor Dine	4	Stéphane Pasquier	Yves de Nicolay	Didier Kahn	2:15.60
2007	Pearl Sky	4	Anthony Crastus	Yves de Nicolay	Hugh Hogg	2:13.80
2008	Spirit One	4	Christophe Soumillon	Philippe Demercastel	Bouzid Chehboub	2:12.80
2009	Court Canibal	4	Olivier Peslier	Mikel Delzangles	Marquesa de Moratalla	2:14.20
2010	Chinchon	5	Christophe Soumillon	Carlos Laffon-Parias	SARL Darpat France	2:16.60
2011	Polytechnicien	5	Olivier Peslier	André Fabre	Wertheimer et Frère	2:10.50

Earlier winners

• 1891: Sledge
• 1892: Courlis
• 1893: Hoche
• 1894: Fousi Yama
• 1895: Merlin
• 1896: Omnium II
• 1897: Castelnau
• 1898: Quilda
• 1899: Fourire
• 1900: Fourire
• 1901: Codoman
• 1902: Cheri
• 1903: La Camargo
• 1904: Macdonald II
• 1905: Macdonald II
• 1906: Prestige
• 1907: Maintenon
• 1908: Biniou
• 1909: Verdun
• 1910: Lieutel
• 1911: Badajoz
• 1912: Martial
• 1913: Isard
• 1914: Nimbus
• 1915–18: no race
• 1919: Mont Saint Eloi
• 1920: Tchad
• 1921: Souviens Toi
• 1922: Cid Campeador

• 1923: Niceas
• 1924: Sir Gallahad
• 1925: Le Capucin
• 1926: Cerulea
• 1927:
• 1928: Motrico
• 1929:
• 1930: Mysarch
• 1931: Le Tourbillon
• 1932: Parsee
• 1933: Goyescas
• 1934: Le Centaure
• 1935: Farfadette
• 1936: Renette
• 1937:
• 1938: Sanguinetto
• 1939: Feerie
• 1940: Goya II
• 1941: Djebel
• 1942: Djebel
• 1943: Un Gaillard
• 1944: Un Gaillard
• 1945: Ardan
• 1946: Oural
• 1947: Goyama
• 1948: Nirgal
• 1949: Tharsis
• 1950: Wild Mec
• 1951: Alizier

• 1952: L'Aiglon
• 1953: Fine Top
• 1954: Banassa
• 1955: Soleil Levant
• 1956: Tropique
• 1957: Fric
• 1958:
• 1959: Tombeur
• 1960: Siva
• 1961:
• 1962: Match
• 1963: Exbury
• 1964: Prima Donna
• 1965: Free Ride
• 1966: Diatome
• 1967: Claquesous
• 1968: Taglietto
• 1969: Carmarthen
• 1970: Yaxilio
• 1971: Yaxilio
• 1972: Mister Sic Top
• 1973: Mister Sic Top
• 1974: Shari
• 1975: no race *
• 1976: Citoyen
• 1977: Cheraw
• 1978: Pappagallo
• 1979: Tempus Fugit
• 1980: Kamaridaan

* The 1975 running was abandoned because of snow.

See also

• List of French flat horse races
• Recurring sporting events established in 1891 – the Prix Exbury is included under its original title, Prix Boiard.

References

• France Galop / Racing Post:
  • 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
  • 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
  • 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
  • 2009, 2010, 2011

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• france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Exbury.
• galop.courses-france.com – Prix Exbury – Palmarès depuis 1980.
• galopp-sieger.de – Prix Exbury (ex Prix Boiard).
• horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Exbury (2011).
• pedigreequery.com – Prix Exbury – Saint-Cloud.