In the 1780s the Prince of Wales (later Prince Regent and eventually George IV) and his court soon became regular sights at Brighton, especially for the quickly-established annual race meeting at the beginning of August 1783. Brighton was also relatively convenient for the sporting French gentlemen to reach. The Prince subscribed some prize money to one of the races in 1785, the Conflans Stakes, named after the Marquis de Conflans. The conditions of this race allowed horses bred in France and owned by French gentlemen to benefit by a weight allowance. The Frenchmen in his entourage who were obviously being given every chance to win a race for themselves.
Enthused by English racing, the Marquis de Conflans was one of the leading owners and breeders in the north of France, as well as being a member of the English Jockey Club. The French Revolution of 1789 put paid to such frivolities and the status of the surviving French peers gradually diminished as Republicanism took hold during the 19th century. The Marquis had died early in 1789 and the following year’s Conflans Stakes was the last for almost two centuries.
The Conflans Stakes was one of eight races at Brighton’s new fixture on 26 April 1971. Also on that programme were races named the Town Purse, the Prince of Wales and Orleans (qv all). The Conflans, Town Purse and Orleans disappeared after the 1997 meeting. The lure of sponsorship from Manny Bernstein Bookmakers meant that all the races on the equivalent card in 1998 were much less picturesquely named.
Nowadays the Marquis de Conflans is known as a brand of champagne.
Sources include:
The Brighton Races, by Jim Beavis
https://suzannehinton.uk/2024/12/01/the-marquis-de-conflans-and-a-pub-in-hove/