Arrow Eagle won the Group 1 Prix Royal Oak at Saint-Cloud

Sixth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on his most recent start, Arrow Eagle was sent off as the 2/1 favourite despite a strong field featuring the winner of the last two renewals in Double Major and the winner of the Prix du Cadran, Caballo De Mer.

The latter, who was dropping back half a mile in trip, raced wide of the field early before being asked to move to his left and join Queenstown at the head of affairs by Tom Marquand.

The lead changed hands on two or three occasions in the first half of the race but Caballo De Mer was the first to cry enough when the race developed in the straight.

Double Major went on narrowly from Queenstown but couldn't shake off his resolute rival but neither runner had an answer to Arrow Eagle who swooped in the centre of the track to win a shade cosily on his first attempt over a staying trip.

Arrow Eagle was ridden by Cristian Demuro who enjoyed some of his biggest moments in the saddle when partnering a half-brother of the winner, Ace Impact, to victory in the French Derby and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Demuro told Sky Sports Racing: "It is good for this horse and it's a pleasure to be part of this family, I won the Arc de Triomphe and many Group 1s on his brother and now this horse has won a Group 1 as well.

"All the time we thought this horse should be a good stayer, we tried [the new trip] today at the end of the year, he liked the left-handed track and did everything very easily.

"I had a perfect race behind Double Major and coming into the straight I was going really easily and, when I pulled him out, he showed a good turn of foot and did it pretty easily.

"We took some time to find his optimum conditions but he is showing now that he is improving race by race."

Demuro will be crowned the leading jockey in France this season [the Crevache d'Or] and said of the honour: "It means a lot because I come from Italy.

"I tried hard all my life and won a lot of Classics in France and now to be a Crevache d'Or means a lot and now my C.V. is complete."

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