HOLDTHASIGREEN won a dramatic race for the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak at Chantilly.

Tony Piccone kicked on some way from home on the Bruno Audouin-trained six-year-old and was all out to beat Called To The Bar by three-quarters of a length, with Morgan Le Faye a short-neck a way third.

The winner had finished second in the Prix du Cadran on Arc weekend.

However, there was a crucial incident early in the 15-furlong contest when Aidan O’Brien’s Flag Of Honour almost ran out at the course crossing.

Ryan Moore’s mount stopped the Charlie Appleby-trained Brundtland in his tracks and the pair suddenly found themselves at the rear of the field.

It cost both horses their winning chance. They finished close-up but were only the heels of the first three at the line. Brundtland was only a short neck off third place in fourth with Flag Of Honour a head back in fifth.

Neither Andrew Balding’s Horseplay nor the Willie Mullins-trained Max Dynamite posed a real threat and filled the last two places.