The Prix Daphnis is a Group 3 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in August.

History The event was established for colts and geldings in 1921 alongside the Prix Chloé, a similar contest for fillies. The two races were named after the characters Daphnis and Chloe from a work by the Greek novelist Longus. The story was popularised in France by the translation of Paul-Louis Courier. Both races were originally held at Le Tremblay, and they usually took place in late April or early May.

The Prix Daphnis was initially contested over 1,600 metres. It served as a trial for the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. It was staged at Longchamp from 1940 to 1942, and returned to Le Tremblay in 1943.

The event was rescheduled to take place on the eve of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains in 1961. From this point its distance was 1,800 metres. Le Tremblay closed in 1967, and the race moved to Longchamp the following year. It was transferred to Évry in 1973, and switched to July in 1977.

With the exception of a single running at Longchamp in 1981, the Prix Daphnis remained at Évry until 1995. For periods thereafter it was held at Maisons-Laffitte (1996–98, 2002–03) and Chantilly (1999–2001, 2004).

The race returned to Longchamp in 2005. It was extended to 1,850 metres in 2010. It was run at Compiègne in 2013 and Chantilly again in 2014. Longchamp closed for redevelopment in October 2015 and the race was run at Chantilly in 2016 and Maisons-Laffitte in 2017. In 2018 the Prix Daphnis underwent major changes, being opened to fillies, transferred to Deauville's August meeting and reduced to 1,600 metres again.

Records Leading jockey (5 wins): Thierry Jarnet – Tel Quel (1991), Steinbeck (1992), Kouroun (2001), So Beautiful (2012), Almanaar (2015)

Leading trainer (10 wins): André Fabre – Thrill Show (1986), Tel Quel (1991), Steinbeck (1992), Signe Divin (1994), Alrassaam (1999), Bernebeau (2002), Cacique (2004), Golden Century (2009), Last Kingdom (2017), Delaware (2019)

Leading owner (7 wins): Marcel Boussac – Grazing (1921, dead-heat), Nosca (1942), Coaraze (1945), Djelal (1947), Galcador (1950), Faublas (1953), Alvedas (1973)

Winners since 1978 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1978 Rusticaro Maurice Philipperon Richard Carver Jr. Ferdinand Beghin 1979 Bellypha Jackie Taillard Alec Head Jacques Wertheimer 1980 Huguenot Yves Saint-Martin Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 1981 Dunphy Freddy Head Criquette Head Ghislaine Head 1982 General Holme Alain Lequeux Olivier Douieb Dan Lasater 1983 Glenstal Yves Saint-Martin Vincent O'Brien Robert Sangster 1984 Palace Music Éric Legrix Patrick Biancone Bruce McNall 1:50.90 1985 L'Irresponsable Cash Asmussen François Boutin Stavros Niarchos 1986 Thrill Show Alfred Gibert André Fabre Richard Winn 1:54.10 1987 Groom Dancer Dominique Boeuf Tony Clout Marvin Warner 1:52.84 1988 Bricassar Tony Cruz Pascal Bary Jean-Louis Bouchard 1989 Tartas Guy Guignard Noël Pelat Constantin Boikos 1:50.16 1990 Candy Glen Tony Cruz Chris Wall Antonio Balzarini 1:54.73 1991 Tel Quel Thierry Jarnet André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 1:50.51 1992 Steinbeck theirry Jarnet André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 1:51.43 1993 Astair Gérald Mossé Alain de Royer-Dupré Marquesa de Moratalla 1:48.40 1994 Signe Divin Sylvain Guillot André Fabre Paul de Moussac 1:48.71 1995 Silent Warrior Cash Asmussen John Hammond Stavros Niarchos 1:50.57 1996 Regal Archive Cash Asmussen Peter Chapple-Hyam Lucy Sangster 1:52.30 1997 Handsome Ridge Sylvain Guillot John Gosden Platt Promotions Ltd 1:53.50 1998 Kabool Gérald Mossé Nicolas Clément Maktoum Al Maktoum 1:52.50 1999 Alrassaam Philip Robinson Michael Jarvis Ahmed Al Maktoum 1:48.90 2000 Boutron Alain Junk Pierre Costes Gary Tanaka 1:54.50 2001 Kouroun Thierry Jarnet Jean-Marie Béguigné Henri de la Chauvelais 1:51.50 2002 Bernebeau Olivier Peslier André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 1:54.40 2003 Lateen Sails Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 1:58.20 2004 Cacique Gary Stevens André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 1:54.90 2005 Pinson Stéphane Pasquier Jean-Claude Rouget Guy de Rothschild 1:50.80 2006 Dilek Christophe Soumillon Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:55.70 2007 Loup Breton Christophe Lemaire Élie Lellouche Ecurie Wildenstein 1:51.10 2008 Indian Daffodil Christophe Lemaire Jean-Claude Rouget Edouard de Rothschild 1:49.70 2009 Golden Century Maxime Guyon André Fabre Sheikh Mohammed 1:52.20 2010 Emerald Commander Frankie Dettori Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin 2:00.72 2011 Ziyarid Michael Poirier Alain de Royer-Dupré HH Aga Khan IV 1:53.04 2012 So Beautiful Thierry Jarnet Sandrine Tarrou Sandrine Tarrou 1:57.19 2013 Superplex Mirco Demuro Michael Figge Stall Eivissa 1:55.36 2014 Master Carpenter Christophe Soumillon Rod Millman Links / Cheveley Park 1:54.37 2015 Almanaar Thierry Jarnet Freddy Head Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:48.89 2016 Taareef Ioritz Mendizabal Jean-Claude Rouget Hamdan Al Maktoum 1:55.48 2017 Last Kingdom Silvestre de Sousa André Fabre Prince A A Faisal 1:58.62 2018 Glorious Journey William Buick Charlie Appleby Sheikha Al Jalila Racing 1:44.11 2019 Delaware Vincent Cheminaud André Fabre Khalid Abdullah 1:45.56 2020 Thorin Andrasch Starke Henk Grewe Rennstall Gestut Hachtsee 1:44.27 2021 Bellharbour Music Ioritz Mendizabal Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti Haras Du Logis Saint Germain 1:45.60 2022 Checkandchallenge Christophe Soumillon William Knight A Hetherton 1:41.62 2023 Brave Emperor Luke Morris Archie Watson Middleham Park Racing 1:43.04 2024 Ramadan Aurelien Lemaitre Christopher Head Nurlan Bizakov 1:42.79 2025 Sahlan Mickael Barzalona Francis-Henri Graffard Al Shaqab Racing 1:37.96 2026 Distant Storm Billy Loughnane Charlie Appleby Godolphin 1:39.41 The 2006 winner Dilek was later exported to Hong Kong and renamed Viva Macau.

The 2011 winner Ziyarid subsequently raced in Hong Kong as Cheers Joy.

Earlier winners

1921: Grazing / Net * 1922: Joyeux Drille 1923: Sir Gallahad 1924: Optimist 1925: Aethelstan 1926: Bad Leg 1927: Licteur 1928: Orosmade 1929: Argonaute 1930: Bull Dog 1931: Ivan le Terrible 1932: Ronflon 1933: Jumbo 1934: Shining Tor 1935: Comilon 1936: Ambrose Light 1937: Drap d'Or 1938: Tranquil 1939: Mac Kann 1940: Flying Call 1941: Pampre d'Or 1942: Nosca 1943: Fanatique 1944: Tango 1945: Coaraze 1946: Sayani 1947: Djelal 1948: 1949: Oghio 1950: Galcador 1951: Free Man 1952: Faubourg 1953: Faublas 1954: 1955: Belebat 1956: Polic 1957: Mourne 1958: Pres du Feu 1959: Savarus 1960: Djebel Traffic 1961: 1962: Montfleur 1963: Garde Coeur 1964: Sigebert 1965: Sunday 1966: Silver Shark 1967: Blue Tom 1968: Chimist Amber 1969: Bergano 1970: Larko 1971: Maroun 1972: Tom Playfair 1973: Alvedas 1974: Schoeller 1975: Wronsky 1976: Happy New Year 1977: Solicitor

* The 1921 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

See also List of French flat horse races

References

France Galop / Racing Post: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , france-galop.com – A Brief History: Prix Daphnis. galop.courses-france.com – Prix Daphnis – Palmarès depuis 1980. galopp-sieger.de – Prix Daphnis. horseracingintfed.com – International Federation of Horseracing Authorities – Prix Daphnis (2018). pedigreequery.com – Prix Daphnis – Longchamp.