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.