IT ended up a match race evocative of the 18th century but last Friday morning expectation for an interesting renewal of the Criterium International at ParisLongchamp some 48 hours later was strong, even though only five horses remained eligible.

Then Freddy Head decided not to declare Devil, a Group 3 winner and Group 2 runner-up, and the race was living up to its name, all four candidates hailing from outside France and three of them under of the care of members of the first family of Irish racing, the O’Briens.