The Prix Thomas Bryon is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to two-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Saint-Cloud over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in October.

History The event is named after Thomas Bryon, an Englishman who helped establish thoroughbred racing in France. He was the secretary at the founding meeting of the Société d'Encouragement in 1833, and published the first volume of the Calendrier des Courses de Chevaux in 1834.

The Prix Thomas Bryon was established in 1924, and it was initially contested over 1,600 metres. It was shortened to 1,500 metres in 1927. It was abandoned throughout World War II, with no running from 1939 to 1945.

The race took place at Longchamp in 1954, and at this point it reverted to 1,600 metres. It began a second period over 1,500 metres in 1958.

The Prix Thomas Bryon was restored to 1,600 metres in 1991. It was staged in November from 1995 to 2000, and was switched to the first half of October in 2001. The distance was reduced to 1,400 metres again in 2015 as part of a series of changes to autumn races for two-year-olds.

In 2025, the Prix Thomas Byron was held at the Chantilly racecourse with a change of date in the French racing schedule, as well as in surface and distance. Indeed, still reserved for two-year-olds, the Prix Thomas Byron was run over 1800m PSF on November 18, 2025.

Records Leading jockey (4 wins): Roger Poincelet – Iror (1947), Fort Napoleon (1949), Atrax (1959), Blaze of Glory (1961) Yves Saint-Martin – Sweet Girl (1960), Paolina (1963), First Bloom (1971), Melyno (1981) Maxime Guyon - Abtaal (2011), Earnshaw (2013), Alea Iacta (2014), Dreamflight (2021)

Leading trainer (11 wins): André Fabre – Fadeyev (1993), Housamix (1994), Pinakaral (1998), Songlark (2002), Apsis (2003), Thewayyouare (2007), Earnshaw (2013), Alea Iacta (2014), Candide (2015), Dreamflight (2021), Alcantor (2023)

Leading owner (4 wins): François Dupré – Apostol (1956), Regent (1958), Sweet Girl (1960), Paolina (1963) Guy de Rothschild – Chesa (1962), Fermina (1965), General (1976), Kenmare (1977)

Winners since 1978 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1978 Bellypha Jackie Taillard Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 1979 Nureyev Philippe Paquet François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1:40.40 1980 Big John Georges Doleuze E. Chevalier du Fau John Michael 1981 Melyno Yves Saint-Martin François Mathet Stavros Niarchos 1982 Bal des Fees Alfred Gibert Noël Pelat Hubert de Chaudenay 1983 Polly's Ark Cash Asmussen François Boutin Jean-Luc Lagardère 1984 Petit Bonhomme Henri Samani Freddie Palmer Gérard de Waldner 1985 Secret Form Alain Badel Pascal Bary Peter Goulandris 1986 Glory Forever Jorge Velásquez Steve Norton Ahmed bin Salman 1987 Raise a Memory Tony Cruz Patrick Biancone Alan Clore 1988 Silicon Lady Guy Guignard Jonathan Pease John Goelet 1:37.10 1989 Septieme Ciel Guy Guignard Criquette Head Johnny Jones 1:34.60 1990 Exit to Nowhere Freddy Head François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1:34.20 1991 Code Breaker Éric Legrix Pascal Bary Ecurie I. M. Fares 1:46.10 1992 Mil Foil Mathieu Boutin Jonathan Pease Henry Seymour 1:48.70 1993 Fadeyev Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:47.90 1994 Housamix Sylvain Guillot André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 1:46.10 1995 Ashkalani Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Aga Khan IV 1:42.30 1996 Varxi Dominique Boeuf David Smaga Thierry van Zuylen 1:53.80 1997 Gold Away Olivier Peslier Criquette Head Wertheimer et Frère 1:49.40 1998 Pinakaral Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Jean-Luc Lagardère 1:54.40 1999 Hightori Gérald Mossé Philippe Demercastel Ecurie Bader 1:49.80 2000 Chichicastenango Alain Junk Philippe Demercastel Béatrice Brunet 1:53.40 2001 Act One Thierry Gillet Jonathan Pease Gerald Leigh 1:46.00 2002 Songlark Christophe Soumillon André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 1:47.00 2003 Apsis Richard Hughes André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 1:44.00 2004 Vatori Stéphane Pasquier Philippe Demercastel Ecurie Bader 1:43.20 2005 Set Alight Christophe Lemaire Criquette Head-Maarek Khalid Abdullah 1:41.70 2006 Makaan Davy Bonilla Freddy Head Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:41.50 2007 Thewayyouare Stéphane Pasquier André Fabre Sean Mulryan 1:44.90 2008 Silver Frost Olivier Peslier Yves de Nicolay John Cotton 1:41.70 2009 Circumvent Ioritz Mendizabal Paul Cole Fairy Story Partnership 1:45.10 2010 Maxios Christophe Lemaire Jonathan Pease Niarchos Family 1:48.30 2011 Abtaal Maxime Guyon Jean-Claude Rouget Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:49.80 2012 US Law (aka Kitaya) Christophe Soumillon Pascal Bary Ecurie J-L Bouchard 1:52.50 2013 Earnshaw Maxime Guyon André Fabre Godolphin 1:47.70 2014 Alea Iacta Maxime Guyon André Fabre Kirsten Rausing 1:44.28 2015 Candide Pierre-Charles Boudot André Fabre Édouard de Rothschild 1:29.71 2016 Mate Story Christophe Soumillon David Smaga Aleyrion Bloodstock Ltd 1:27.91 2017 Sacred Life Theo Bachelot Stephane Wattel Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard 1:29.82 2018 East Stéphane Pasquier Kevin Ryan East Partners 1:27.84 2019 King's Command Mickael Barzalona Charlie Appleby Godolphin 1:31.49 2020 Normandy Bridge Theo Bachelot Stephanie Nigge Gerry Ryan 1:47.85 2021 Dreamflight Maxime Guyon André Fabre Lady Bamford 1:45.02 2022 Continuous Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Smith / Magnier / Tabor / Westerberg 1:45.86 2023 Alcantor Mickael Barzalona André Fabre Édouard de Rothschild 1:41.35 2024 Maranoa Charlie Aurélien Lemaitre Christopher Head Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter 1:44.852025Al ZanatiWilliam BuickCharlie ApplebyGoldophin1:48.61

Earlier winners

1924: Frisette 1925: Nino 1926: Farnese / Pescaro * 1927: Costette 1928: Meeting 1929: Potiphar 1930: Mydas 1931: Formosan / Pure Folie * 1932: Bipearl 1933: Mas d'Antibes 1934: Sanglot 1935: Fastnet 1936: Solace 1937: La Sultane 1938: Blue Moon 1939–45: no race 1946: 1947: Iror 1948: Tulette 1949: Fort Napoleon 1950: Mat de Cocagne 1951: La Mirambule 1952: For Chemist 1953: 1954: 1955: Cernobbio 1956: Apostol 1957: La Malivoye 1958: Regent 1959: Atrax 1960: Sweet Girl 1961: Blaze of Glory 1962: Chesa 1963: Paolina 1964: Faristan 1965: Fermina 1966: Farabi 1967: Lady Millie 1968: Beaugency 1969: Army Court 1970: Old and Wise 1971: First Bloom 1972: Targowice 1973: Northern Taste 1974: Dealer's Ace 1975: Arctic Tern 1976: General 1977: Kenmare

* The 1926 and 1931 races were dead-heats and have joint winners.

See also List of French flat horse races

References

France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Thomas Bryon. galopp-sieger.de – Prix Thomas Bryon. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Thomas Bryon (2018). pedigreequery.com – Prix Thomas Bryon – Saint-Cloud.