On Petite Etoile's 1960 debut she won the Victor Wild Stakes over ten furlongs at Kempton Park Racecourse. Following the death of Prince Aly Khan in May 1960, the ownership of Petite Etoile was inherited by his son Aga Khan IV. She was then sent to Epsom for the Coronation Cup in which she was pitted against The Derby winner Parthia. Starting at odds of 1/3 she was restrained by Piggott until the closing stages where she displayed "devastating speed", to accelerate past Parthia, "as if he were a selling plater" and win by one and a half lengths. Following the race, her owners reportedly turned down an offer of £320,000 for the filly from an American source.
