BALLYDOYLE (IRE) was both bred and named to be special, and she confirmed the lofty regards she was held in when winning the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac, a race with previous illustrious victors such as Zarkava and Finsceal Beo. Aidan O'Brien's filly faced stiff competition in the mile test, and it was fellow Irish challenger Turret Rocks (IRE), recently an impressive winner of the May Hill Stakes, that chased her home, finishing a length and a quarter back in second. Competition was stiff, and with a winning time of 1m 35.44seconds much quicker than the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, she looks a force to be reckoned with in next year's Classic contests. It was a second consecutive win in the race for both Aidan O'Brien, Coolmore and champion sire Galileo (IRE). BALLYDOYLE (IRE) is a full-sister to Misty For Me (IRE), who won the Prix Marcel Boussac in 2010, as well as the Moyglare Stud Stakes, Irish 1,000 Guineas and Pretty Polly Stakes. Their dam is a half-sister to Phoenix Stakes and Prix Morny winner and sire Fasliyev.

Irish Oaks heroine COVERT LOVE (IRE) landed her second Group 1 win when battling neck and neck with Jazzi Top to take the Prix de l'Opera for trainer Hugo Palmer and owners Fomo Syndicate. Virtually making all under Pat Smullen, she looked comfortable turning into the straight and the crowd was left wondering if she had anything left to give when her rivals began to make their challenges. The filly fought back tenaciously, giving everything she had to win by a head, with a further two and half lengths back to last year's winner We Are (IRE). Bred by Somerville Bloodstock, a partnership of Mark McStay and Hugo Merry, she was sold at the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale for €26,000. By the late Azamour (IRE) of Gilltown Stud, she comes from the family of Designs On Rome (IRE) and Grey Swallow (IRE).

Darley homebred ULTRA (IRE) made it three Group 1 wins for Irish-bred horses at Longchamp on Sunday when taking the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere for Andre Fabre and Mikael Barzalona. The mile contest began with a steady pace, turning into a sprint in the straight, with the eventual winner staying on strongly in the closing stages to deny fellow Godolphin horse Cymric by a neck, with Vintage Stakes winner Galileo Gold a further length back in third. Andre Fabre later said, 'I expect ULTRA (IRE) to get further next year, so he could be a Classic horse. The Derby may well be the aim for next season.'Out of the Nashwan mare Epitome (IRE), he is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Synopsis (IRE) and the Listed-placed dam of July Stakes second Figure Of Speech (IRE).

The jewel in Longchamp's crown, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, was won by GOLDEN HORN, providing sire Cape Cross (IRE) with his second winner of the race, with his son Sea The Stars (IRE) crowned the winner in 2009. Cape Cross (IRE), himself a top-class older miler on the track, stands at Darley's Kildangan Stud for a fee of €20,000. A half-sister to Golden Horn sold to Steve Parkin for €150,000 at last year's Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, and their dam is now owned by Harry McCalmont of Norelands Stud in County Kilkenny. The Dubai Destination mare is now in foal to Shamardal and produced a foal by Acclamation in 2014.