The Prix Noailles is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run over a distance of 2,100 metres (about 1 mile and 2½ furlongs) at Longchamp in April.
History The event was established in 1878, and it was originally called the Prix du Nabob. It was named after The Nabob, a leading sire in France. Its distance was 2,500 metres.
The Prix du Nabob 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 Hocquart and the Prix Greffulhe. The Prix du Nabob was restricted to the produce of mares covered by stallions born outside France. It was funded by entries submitted before a horse's birth, in the year of conception.
The race was renamed in memory of Alfred de Noailles (1823–1895), a member of the Société d'Encouragement, in 1896. Noailles played an important role in the creation of Longchamp Racecourse.
The Prix Noailles was cut to 2,400 metres in 1902. It was abandoned throughout World War I, with no running from 1915 to 1919.
The race was cancelled once during World War II, in 1940. For a period it merged with the Prix Daru. The combined event, the Prix Daru-Noailles, was run over 2,150 metres at Le Tremblay in 1943. It was run over 2,100 metres at Maisons-Laffitte in 1944 and 1945, and at Longchamp in 1946.
In the post-war years, the Prix Noailles was contested over 2,200 metres. It was cut to 2,100 metres in 2005. It was shortened to 2,000 metres in 2011, and reverted to 2,100 metres in 2012. In 2014 it was downgraded from Group 2 to Group 3.
Twelve winners of the race have achieved victory in the Prix du Jockey Club. The first was Zut in 1879, and the most recent was Anabaa Blue in 2001.
Records Leading jockey (6 wins): Freddy Head – Goodly (1969), Dragoon (1970), Val de l'Orne (1975), Lydian (1981), Nerio (1988), Grand Plaisir (1992)
Leading trainer (14 wins): André Fabre – Jeu de Paille (1983), Cariellor (1984), Dancehall (1989), Fort Wood (1993), Walk on Mix (1995), Fragrant Mix (1997), Slickly (1999), Gentlewave (2006), Grand Vent (2011), Tableaux (2013), Soleil Marin (2017), Slalom (2019), Junko (2022), Flight Leader (2023)
Leading owner (4 wins): Marcel Boussac – Irismond (1924), Pharis (1939), Giafar (1947), Faublas (1953) Guy de Rothschild – Diatome (1965), Premier Violon (1966), Luthier (1968), Jeu de Paille (1983) Wertheimer et Frère - Special Quest (1998), Slalom (2019), Junko (2022), Uther (2025)
Winners since 1978 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1978 Gracias Jean-Claude Desaint John Cunnington Jr. Mrs Pierre Ribes 2:36.00 1979 High Sierra Michel Jerome E. Chevalier du Fau Ella Widener Wetherill 2:22.20 1980 Julius Caesar Henri Samani Serge Boullenger R. W. Dilley 2:19.90 1981 Lydian Freddy Head Criquette Head Ecurie Åland 2:21.80 1982 Persepolis Lester Piggott François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 2:23.00 1983 Jeu de Paille Henri Samani André Fabre Guy de Rothschild 2:37.40 1984 Cariellor Alfred Gibert André Fabre Suzy Volterra 2:20.10 1985 Glaros Éric Legrix Patrick Biancone Richard Eamer 2:23.90 1986 Bering Gary W. Moore Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 2:44.00 1987 Sadjiyd Yves Saint-Martin Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 2:19.30 1988 Nerio Freddy Head Gérard Collet Ecurie du Ring 2:22.40 1989 Dancehall Cash Asmussen André Fabre Tomohiro Wada 2:22.50 1990 Intimiste Gérald Mossé François Boutin Niccolò Incisa Rocchetta 2:27.10 1991 Pistolet Bleu Dominique Boeuf Élie Lellouche Daniel Wildenstein 2:19.00 1992 Grand Plaisir Freddy Head J. C. Cunnington Taisuke Fujishima 2:28.40 1993 Fort Wood Walter Swinburn André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 2:31.50 1994 Gunboat Diplomacy Olivier Peslier Élie Lellouche Daniel Wildenstein 2:34.10 1995 Walk on Mix Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 2:18.70 1996 Helissio Dominique Boeuf Élie Lellouche Enrique Sarasola 2:14.50 1997 Fragrant Mix Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 2:16.50 1998 Special Quest Olivier Doleuze Criquette Head Wertheimer et Frère 2:29.10 1999 Slickly Olivier Peslier André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 2:17.00 2000 Kutub Davy Bonilla Freddy Head Hamdan Al Maktoum 2:20.60 2001 Anabaa Blue Christophe Soumillon Carlos Lerner Charles Mimouni 2:35.90 2002 Ballingarry Jamie Spencer Aidan O'Brien Sue Magnier 2:17.30 2003 Super Celebre Dominique Boeuf Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 2:19.90 2004 Voix du Nord Christophe Soumillon David Smaga Thierry van Zuylen 2:17.47 2005 Ruwi Ioritz Mendizabal Jean-Claude Rouget Robert Bousquet 2:21.10 2006 Gentlewave Olivier Peslier André Fabre Gary Tanaka 2:11.00 2007 Soldier of Fortune Christophe Soumillon Aidan O'Brien Magnier / Tabor / Smith 2:07.40 2008 Full of Gold Thierry Gillet Criquette Head-Maarek Alec Head 2:22.50 2009 Grandcamp Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Daniel-Yves Trèves 2:10.77 2010 Planteur Anthony Crastus Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 2:12.04 2011 Grand Vent Maxime Guyon André Fabre Godolphin 2:05.42 2012 Hard Dream Stéphane Pasquier François Rohaut Pandora Stud 2:29.37 2013 Tableaux Maxime Guyon André Fabre Smith / Tabor 2:19.07 2014 Gailo Chop Julien Augé Antoine de Watrigant Oti / Chopard 2:09.33 2015 Karaktar Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 2:08.61 2016 Raseed Aurelien Lemaitre Freddy Head Hamdan Al Maktoum 2:12.08 2017 Soleil Marin Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Godolphin 2:08.34 2018 Pharrell Jean-Bernard Eyquem Jean-Claude Rouget Sarl Ecurie J L Tepper 2:23.51 2019 Slalom Maxime Guyon André Fabre Wertheimer et Frère 2:10.88 no race 2020 2021 Pretty Tiger Mickael Barzalona Fabrice Vermeulen White Birch Farm 2:20.55 2022 Junko Maxime Guyon André Fabre Wertheimer et Frère 2:12.14 2023 Flight Leader Bauyrzhan Murzabayev André Fabre Exors Of The Late K Abdullah 2:18.69 2024 Calandagan Stéphane Pasquier Francis-Henri Graffard Aga Khan IV 2:13.56 2025 Uther Mickael Barzalona Christophe Ferland Wertheimer et Frère 2:10.60 2026 Pearled Majesty Christophe Soumillon Mauricio Delcher Sanchez Mme Christiane Head & M Delcher Sanchez 2:09.33
Earlier winners
1878: Clementine 1879: Zut 1880: Pacific 1881: Forum 1882: Cimier 1883: Vernet 1884: Pi Ouit 1885: Aida 1886: Verdiere 1887: Gournay 1888: Walter Scott 1889: Achille 1890: Alicante 1891: Primrose 1892: Saint Michel 1893: Chapeau Chinois 1894: Ravioli 1895: Cherbourg 1896: Riposte 1897: Flacon 1898: Le Guide 1899: Maurice 1900: Royal 1901: Tibere 1902: Glacier 1903: Quo Vadis 1904: Ajax 1905: Jardy 1906: Querido 1907: La Serqueuse 1908: Souvigny 1909: Aveu 1910: Aloes III 1911: Combourg 1912: Imperial 1913: Vulcain 1914: Durbar 1915–19: no race 1920: Pendennis 1921: Meisonnier 1922: Kibar 1923: Grand Guignol 1924: Irismond 1925: Red Hawk 1926: Biribi 1927: Fenimore Cooper 1928: Le Correge 1929: Dark Times 1930: Chateau Bouscaut 1931: Brasik 1932: Bosphore 1933: Bengal 1934: Zenodore 1935: Bouillon 1936: Fastnet 1937: Actor 1938: Anchois 1939: Pharis 1940: no race 1941: Nepenthe 1942: Arcot 1943: Norseman 1944: Prince Bio 1945: His Eminence 1946: Prince Chevalier 1947: Giafar 1948: Flush Royal 1949: Rancio 1950: Lacaduv 1951: Thelus 1952: Corindon 1953: Faublas 1954: Le Grand Bi 1955: Vimy 1956: Tanerko 1957: Weeping Willow 1958: Noelor 1959: Cousu d'Or 1960: Le Ventoux 1961: Match 1962: Val de Loir 1963: Calchaqui 1964: Le Fabuleux 1965: Diatome 1966: Premier Violon 1967: Roi Dagobert 1968: Luthier 1969: Goodly 1970: Dragoon 1971: Maryambre 1972: Sancy 1973: Eddystone 1974: D'Arras 1975: Val de l'Orne 1976: Twig Moss 1977: Catus
* The race was merged with the Prix Daru from 1943 to 1946.
See also List of French flat horse races Recurring sporting events established in 1878 – the Prix Noailles is included under its original title, Prix du Nabob.
References
France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , galop.courses-france.com: 1878–1889, 1890–1919, 1920–1949, 1950–1979, 1980–present france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Noailles. galopp-sieger.de – Prix Noailles (ex Prix du Nabob). ifhonline.org – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Noailles (2019). pedigreequery.com – Prix Noailles – Longchamp.