After winning a minor race on his debut he established himself as one of the best colts of his generation in Europe with an emphatic victory in the Critérium de Saint-Cloud.
At the same track on 13 November he was stepped up in class and distance for the Critérium de Saint-Cloud over 2000 metres in which he was partnered by Bill Pyers.
Ben Trovato started the 6/4 favourite after finishing a close second to Satingo in the Grand Critérium with Simbir next in the betting on 4.6/1.
In the official French Free Handicap he was rated the third best two-year-old of 1972, one pound behind Targowice and level with the Grand Critérium winner Satingo.
In their annual Racehorses of 1972, Timeform commented "of all the two-year-old colts of 1972, none appeals more as a prospective classic winner than Simbir".