RHODODENDRON saw off stablemate Hydrangea to claim top honours in the Longines-sponsored Group 1 Prix de l'Opera at Chantilly.

Ryan Moore sided with Hydrangea following her narrow victory over another Ballydoyle inmate Winter in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

Rhododendron, ridden by Seamie Heffernan, finished second in the 1000 Guineas and the Oaks earlier in the year, but had disappointed on her two most recent outings.

Aidan O'Brien's pair were never too far off the pace being set by John Gosden's The Black Princess and after fighting their way to the front in the final furlong, it was Rhododendron who claimed a narrow verdict.

O'Brien said: "We've just been talking, me and Michael (Tabor, part-owner), about sending her (Rhododendron) to the USA for the (Breeders' Cup) Filly & Mare Turf. I think that will be the plan.

"She had a bad day the last time she came here (pulled-up), which stopped her for six weeks, and the lads did a great job to get her back.

"She's all class and we thought she would win the Oaks, only for her to run into Enable at Epsom.

"I'm delighted with Hydrangea and there's a good chance that she could also go for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare."

Battaash led his rivals a merry dance to claim Group 1 glory in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines.

The Charlie Hills-trained three-year-old won twice at Sandown and once at Goodwood during the summer, but was only fourth when stepped up to the highest level in the Nunthorpe at York, getting agitated before the start.

However, he burst out of the stalls this time in the hands of Jim Crowley and never looked in serious danger of being caught.

Last year's winner and recent Nunthorpe heroine Marsha did her best to bridge the gap inside the last of five furlongs, but Battaash was away and gone, being comfortably clear at the line.

Sir Mark Prescott's filly held on to the runner-up spot from the Clive Cox-trained Profitable in a British-dominated finish.

Hills said: "He was quite simply a different horse today than the one you saw at York. As soon as he arrived in the stables this morning, I knew that.

"It's very important to win that Group 1 with him and he did it in great style. I'm looking forward to having him around next year. He's finished for this season, but everything is open next year, including the Breeders' Cup."

Marsha looks to have run her last race for Prescott and the Elite Racing Club.

Prescott's assistant and business partner, William Butler, said: "She's run consistently well all year and we'll do well to get another one as good as her.

"The next date in her diary is the December Sales and that's likely to be where she's heading."

Aclaim provided trainer Martyn Meade with the first Group 1 success of his career with victory in the Qatar Prix de la Foret.

Having opened his account for the campaign in the Group 2 Park Stakes at Doncaster a fortnight ago, the four-year-old lined up at Chantilly with major claims.

He was caught in a pocket behind the front-running Karar with two furlongs to run, but found top gear once switched wide by Oisin Murphy and got up late in the day. So Beloved, trained by David O'Meara, flashed home to fill the runner-up spot.

Aclaim's triumph meant of the six Group 1 events on the afternoon, four went to British challengers and the other two were trained by Aidan O'Brien.