THE false start farce that got proceedings under way at Longchamp on Arc day was not enough to deny Marchand D'Or a fifth Group 1 success in the rerun Prix de l'Abbaye.
The five-year-old made easy work of the reduced field despite concerns that the trip would be too short, to give trainer Freddie Head his second Group 1 of the day and eighth of the season.
With a typically late run, the 2-1 favourite came down the outside under Davy Bonilla to win comfortably from the Bryan Smart-trained Moorhouse Lad, with Nunthorpe winner Borderlescott back in third.
The race was rearranged after Fleeting Spirit's stall failed to open and a false start was called but confusion ensued as some jockeys failed to realise the situation, with Hungarian challenger Overdose coming home first of those that continued.
Trainer Sandor Ribarszki withdrew the unbeaten three-year-old while Desert Lord and Only Answer were also declared non-runners.
The winning trainer said that Hong Kong could now be on the agenda for Marchand D'Or. "I've never known a horse like him, going back to the great British sprinters over the years like Dayjur," he said.
"I've never ridden a horse as quick myself either and he proved he can run in Group Ones from five to seven furlongs.
"We might well go to Hong Kong now if he is OK."
Jim Crowley, rider of Moorhouse Lad, said: "Having the race called off earlier didn't help him as he's like a time bomb waiting to go off.
"It tooka bit of buzz out of him but it' still a great run."
And Robin Bastiman, trainer of Borderlescott, said: "It (false start) might have taken a bit out of him but it was still a level playing field for most of them and there are no real excuses.
"I think that was probably his last run of the season as I'm not sure we want to go to Hong Kong."
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