PARIS, France - One Doyle's misfortune was another's luck on Saturday as with Hollie Doyle suspended James Doyle and Trueshan denied racing great Stradivarius Group One success in the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp on the eve of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.
Trueshan's victory was the second of three on the day for Doyle -- no relation to Hollie -- on a weekend which the 33-year-old Englishman hopes will climax with English St Leger winner Hurricane Lane giving him his first win in the 100th running of the Arc.
Stradivarius and Frankie Dettori had every chance to win it in the finishing straight as it developed into a war of attrition on the rain-soaked ground.
Just when Dettori required the three-time Ascot Gold Cup winner to move up a gear he found nothing and it was Trueshan who accelerated away.
"That was absolutely wonderful," said Trueshan's co-owner Andrew Gemmell.
"It's a great day -– winning a Group One like the Prix du Cadran.
"What more can you ask? Stradivarius has obviously been a great servant and I'm pleased to beat him today."
Stradivarius did find something extra in the tank as the line neared but it was far too late for the old warhorse.
"I had nothing left," said Dettori.
"Bless him, he tries so hard and his courage got him there (to finish second)."
It is just possible that it is the seven-year-old Stradivarius's final bow in the sport he has enriched by posting 19 victories in 31 starts and endearing himself to racegoers.
"I don't want to race him on like an old boxer when one thinks he still has it but everyone else can see he does not," said owner/breeder Bjorn Nielsen.
"I am not saying we have definitely reached that point, but still..."
Dettori and Stradivarius's trainer father and son partnership John and Thady Gosden were to gain consolation in the other Group One race of the day, the Prix de Royallieu, with Loving Dream.
Doyle had got off the mark in the first race, the Group Two Prix Jean Chaudenay, guiding home Manobo for Hurricane Lane's trainer Charlie Appleby.
In what was a foretaste of the Cadran, Dettori rode the second Kemari also for Appleby.
Appleby -- who also is hoping for a first win in the Arc -- said he hoped the winner would be destined for even greater prizes next year.
"He is learning on the job and it was a brave performance," said Appleby, who also runs Epsom Derby winner Adayar in the Arc.
"Hopefully the winner will return for the Cadran next year."
Doyle said the going had been "testing" and the heavy rain predicted will only make conditions more arduous for Sunday's showpiece.
The irrepressible Dettori's absence from the winners' enclosure did not last long as the Italian steered home Real World in the Group Two Prix Daniel Wildenstein, a second winner for Manobo's owners The Godolphin Operation.
It was a rare moment in the racing spotlight in recent years for trainer Saeed bin Suroor on a track where he trained three Arc winners in Lammtarra, in 1995, and Sakhee and Marienbard in 2001 and 2002 rspectively.
“This horse has improved a lot," said Suroor.
"There was a question mark about the soft ground. He had never run on this ground, but we gave him a chance and thankfully he won."
Doyle rounded his day off as he started it by taking the honours in the final Group race, the Prix Dollar on Dubai Honour -- he will hope for more of the same come Sunday.
