AIDAN O’Brien’s quest for a victory in the Prix de l’Opera Longines ended last Sunday when Rhododendron pipped her more fancied stablemate Hydrangea in a ding-dong battle to the line. The only Group 1 race in France to have eluded the 47 year-old master of Ballydoyle is now the Prix de Diane and that drought might have ended if Rhododendron had not broken a blood vessel in the classic back in June.

O’Brien has now clocked up 22 Group 1 successes and he is long odds-on to beat the world record of 25 set up by Bobby Frankel in 2003. Somewhat surprisingly, the Aga Khan-owned and Dermot Weld-trained Shamreen was made favourite for the 10-furlong Opera but she finished last of the 13 runners.

Rhododendron was always well up in the hands of Seamie Hefferman and they went to the head of affairs a full furlong and a half out. From here Ryan Moore and Hydrangea launched a challenge and a battled ensued to the line with Rhododendron toughing it out to prevail by a head. The 39-1 chance Lady Frankel was third and, as usual, she came rattling along at the end.

The winner and runner-up are old rivals and Rhododendron has always had the upper hand apart from the Matron Stakes where Rhododendron was having her first run since pulling up in the Diane. She was certainly back on song in the Opera and O’Brien commented: “Rhododendron is a very special filly when you consider what happened to her in the Diane. She is tough and courageous and had a bad day on her last visit to Chantilly. After that outing, she was stopped for six weeks and the team has done a fantastic job back at home. Hydrangea also ran well and both could now head for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare at Del Mar.”

The first five past the post in the Opera were covered by under a length and Charlie Appleby was pleased with last year’s Prix Marcel Boussac winner Wuheida.

The Godolphin trainer felt after the race that the daughter of Dubawi should be well up to winning another Group 1. The disappointment in the race was the Diane winner Senga and she did not appear to appreciate the soft ground.