As a three-year-old in 1881 he proved himself to be the outstanding colt of the season in Europe, winning the Grand Prix de Paris and becoming the second of only three horses to complete the Autumn Double of the Cesarewitch and the Cambridgeshire.

His sire was King Alfonso, a leading American stallion who got the Kentucky Derby winners Fonso and Joe Cotton.

[6] On 12 June, Foxhall was sent to France for the Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp where he was ridden by George Fordham and started at odds of 2/1 for the 3000m race.

Foxhall went to the front from the start and led into the straight where he repelled the persistent challenge of the English colt Tristan (ridden by Fred Archer) to win by a head.

The American contingent in the crowd responded to the Foxhall’s victory by going “mad with excitement”, greeting the winner with tremendous applause and much waving of the Stars and Stripes.

[9] In late September, Foxhall won the Grand Duke Michael Stakes[10] and was then entered in the two great handicap races at Newmarket.

He was moved up to contest the lead half a mile from the finish and was soon clear of his rivals, winning by ten lengths from Chippendale with Fiddler third.

In a closely fought finish,[12] Foxhall, ridden by John Watts won by a head from the filly Lucy Glitters (91 pounds) with Tristan (107) third, setting a weight-carrying record for a horse of any age.

[18] The sale offer was later withdrawn, but Foxhall, together with Keene's other British-trained horses, were removed from Day's stable and sent to Richard Marsh at Newmarket, Suffolk.

[22] In May 1886 The Sporting Times carried out a poll of one hundred racing experts to create a ranking of the best British racehorses of the 19th century.