He showed very promising form as a two-year-old in 1912 when he won four races including the Dewhurst Stakes as well as finishing third in the Middle Park Plate.
[11] On 30 April, in front of a cowd which included King George V the colt stated a 25/1[8] outsider in a fifteen-runner field for the 105th running of the 2000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course.
Craganour, ridden by Saxby, started favourite ahead of Fairy King, with the other fancied runners were Sanquhar, Roseworthy, Bachelor's Wedding, Day Comet and Radiant.
Ridden by the American jockey Johnny Reiff, Louvois tracked the leaders as Craganour set the pace, before making steady progress approaching the last quarter mile.
The judge, a Mr Robinson, called Louvois the winner by a short head from Craganour, with the 50/1 outsider Meeting House two lengths back in third.
[15] On 21 May Louvois was moved up in distance for the Newmarket Stakes over ten furlongs in which he was ridden by Frank O'Neill, and ran third behind Craganour and Sun Yat[16] in a race which reportedly saw a good deal of bumping and boring between the first three finishers.
The racecourse judge called Craganour the winner from Aboyeur and Louvois, ignoring the third-placed Day Comet who had been blocked from his view by other horses.
[8] On 18 July the colt was matched against older horses in the Eclipse Stakes over ten furlongs at Sandown Park and finished second behind the four-year-old Tracery with Bachelor's Wedding in third.
[20] A week later Louvois started 9/4 favourite for the St Leger over 14+1⁄2 furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse but after leading in the early stages, he dropped from contention in the straight and finished unplaced behind Night Hawk.