Blackbeard got the better of Persian Force to lead home an Aidan O’Brien one-three in an all British and Irish-trained running of the Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on Sunday.

The No Nay Never colt was the Ballydoyle number one following his victory in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly last month.

After his usual pre-race antics, which involve him rearing up and scraping the ground, the 270,000gns buy was away well in the six-furlong Group 1 and setting the pace alongside Amy Murphy’s Manhattan Jungle in the early stages, as the five runners headed down the Normandy straight in two lines.

As the race developed Frankie Dettori appeared to be travelling smoothly on Richard Hannon’s Persian Force and was soon disputing matters with Blackbeard at the head of affairs. The pair drew clear of The Antarctic inside the final furlong, but it was the mount of Ryan Moore who pulled out extra when it mattered most to pick up the first prize.

The victory provided O’Brien with his fourth win in the two-year-old contest and his first since 2001. Of the winner, he said: "We’re very happy with him. He always feels like he has a little bit more, but he [Ryan] was delighted with him. He’s a proper fast, early, mature two-year-old; he jumps and takes loads of racing.

"He might get further but he has a lot of speed. He would have the option to come back [to France] for the Group 1 [Lagardere] or the Middle Park."