The Prix Exbury is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles) at Saint-Cloud in March.
History The event was originally called the Prix Boiard. It was named after Boiard, a successful racehorse in the 1870s. It was established in 1891, and initially run at Maisons-Laffitte over 2,000 metres. It was open to horses aged three or older.
The race was renamed in memory of Eugène Adam (1840–1904), a former president of the Société Sportive d'Encouragement, in 1905. It reverted to its original title when the present Prix Eugène Adam was given its name in 1911.
The Prix Boiard was abandoned from 1915 to 1918. It was contested at Saint-Cloud over 2,100 metres in 1919. It returned to Maisons-Laffitte in 1920, and began a longer spell at Saint-Cloud in 1929. Its distance was 2,100 metres in 1931 and 1932.
The event was held at Longchamp from 1940 to 1942. It was run at Le Tremblay over 2,150 metres in 1943, and Maisons-Laffitte over 2,200 metres in 1944 and 1945. It returned to Saint-Cloud in 1946.
The race was won by a horse called Exbury in 1963, and it was renamed in his honour in 1969. From this point it was closed to three-year-olds. It was given Group 3 status in 1971.
The Prix Exbury is usually France'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 Chinchon – 2010, 2012 Haya Zark - 2023, 2024
Leading jockey (7 wins): Olivier Peslier – Matarun (1994), Gunboat Diplomacy (1996), Nero Zilzal (1997), Loup Sauvage (1998), Court (2009), Polytechnicien (2011), Chinchon (2012) Christophe Soumillon - Polish Summer (2004), Spirit One (2008), Chinchon (2010), Air Pilot (2018), Pretty Tiger (2022), Haya Zark (2023, 2024)
Leading trainer (10 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), Cloth of Stars (2017), Soleil Marin (2019), Bright Picture (2026)
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 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 Élie Lellouche Mrs Gerard Sarfati 1987 Village Star 4 Dominique Regnard André Fabre Tony 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 Thierry van Zuylen 2:18.70 1992 Fortune's Wheel 4 Mathieu Boutin Robert Collet Richard 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 Poele 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 Élie Lellouche Daniel Wildenstein 2:08.60 1997 Nero Zilzal 4 Olivier Peslier Élie 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 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 Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 2:13.85 2004 Polish Summer 7 Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 2:10.70 2005 Samando 5 Éric 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 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 2012 Chinchon 7 Olivier Peslier Carlos Laffon-Parias SARL Darpat France 2:08.10 2013 Saga Dream 7 Thierry Jarnet Freddy Lemercier Freddy Lemercier 2:20.11 2014 Norse King 5 Alexis Badel Myriam Bollack-Badel Jeff Smith 2:10.19 2015 Affaire Solitaire 5 Nicolas Perret Patrick Khozian Luigi Roveda 2:08.54 2016 Garlingari 5 Stéphane Pasquier Corine Barande-Barbe Corine Barande-Barbe 2:09.98 2017 Cloth of Stars 4 Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Godolphin 2:07.05 2018 Air Pilot 9 Christophe Soumillon Ralph Beckett Lady Cobham 2:24.49 2019 Soleil Marin 5 Pierre-Charles Boudot André Fabre Godolphin 2:17.29 2020 Simona 4 Alexis Badel Francis-Henry Graffard Nigel & Carolyn Elwes 2:14.87 2021 Skalleti 6 Pierre-Charles Boudot Jerome Reynier Jean-Claude Seroul 2:11:11 2022 Pretty Tiger 4 Christophe Soumillon Fabrice Vermeulen Bernard Giraudon 2:06.11 2023 Haya Zark 4 Christophe Soumillon Adrien Fouassier Odette Fau 2:11.18 2024 Haya Zark 5 Christophe Soumillon Adrien Fouassier Odette Fau 2:25.22 2025 Map of Stars 4 James Doyle Francis-Henri Graffard Wathnan Racing 2:12.392026Bright Picture5Maxime GuyonAndré FabreWertheimer et Frère2:15.64
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: King's Darling 1928: Motrico 1929: Tuvari 1930: Mysarch 1931: Le Tourbillon 1932: Parsee 1933: Goyescas 1934: Le Centaure 1935: Farfadette 1936: Renette 1937: Le Calme 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: Mon Triomphe 1959: Tombeur 1960: Siva 1961: Djebel Traffic 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 </div> * The 1975 running was abandoned because of snow.
See also List of French flat horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1891 – this race is included under its original title, Prix Boiard.
References
France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 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 (2020). pedigreequery.com – Prix Exbury – Saint-Cloud.