Toulon was a bay horse with a white star,[1] bred in the United Kingdom by his owner, Khalid Abdulla's Juddmonte Farms organisation.

With Suave Dancer being aimed at the Prix du Jockey Club, Toulon's connections targeted The Derby and sent him to England for the Chester Vase on 7 May.

[6] Toulon's Chester win saw him regarded as a major contender for the Derby, and Epsom on 5 June, he started 4/1 joint favourite for the race against twelve opponents.

[7] In July, Toulon returned to France to race against older horses in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse.

Toulon took the lead 200 m from the finish and went clear of his opponents before being eased down[8] in the final strides to win by two lengths from the Irish four-year-old Topanoora.

He finished fourth, six lengths behind Suave Dancer, but ahead of important winners including In the Groove, Quest for Fame, Generous, Miss Alleged, Jet Ski Lady and Snurge.

On his final European appearance he was sent to Germany and finished fourth of the five runners in the Preis der Spielbanken des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen at Düsseldorf in October, a race in which he was ridden by Paul Eddery.