Green Empress got Arc day off to a fine start for Joseph O'Brien by winning the Group 1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac over a mile.
The progressive Saxon Warrior filly, who is out of a Sea The Stars mare, relished the step up from seven furlongs having followed home Sun Goddess in last month's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
Sun Goddess has got the better of Green Empress on three occasions all told this season but with Aidan O'Brien's star not in the ParisLongchamp line-up, the well-backed 13/8 favourite made the most of the opportunity.
She was settled in midfield by Christophe Soumillon and came with her run in the home straight, hitting the front with a furlong to travel and holding the rallying Data (8/1) at bay by a head.
Queen Of the Day (11/2) finished third, while the front-running Spirit Of Tango, trained by Ralph Beckett, was pulled-up by Oisin Murphy having appeared to go wrong soon after turning for home.
The winner was clipped to 12/1 from 20s by Paddy Power and Sky Bet for next year's 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Green Empress wins the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 4, 2026
Our thoughts are with all connections of Spirit Tango, who suffered an injury during the race. pic.twitter.com/Pl0UDmTmfJ
It was a third career win in the Marcel Boussac for Soumillon, who guided the superstar Zarkava to victory in the race in 2007, and when asked if Green Empress could be a future champion, he said on Sky Sports Racing: "That's what I hope for and all of the team. The way Zarkava won was a different way but you never know with horses.
"We'll see but today she had a fantastic running. With the draw 10 I wasn't sure I could stay in the right position at the right time but finally on the downhill (part of the track) I could stay behind Pierre-Charles (Boudot, rider of runner-up Data) and when I came in the straight unfortunately the filly in front had a problem, an injury, which gave us a bit of a bump to come out.
"I was early in the front which was a surprise but she ran on to the line really well. She did everything professionally, especially going down to the start and she jumped out of the gate well.
"Joseph was asking me to stay with cover all the way and I was in a bad move before the corner as I was three-deep out, without any cover, but she was really relaxed. And finally when the pace goes a bit quicker I had the space to get in and it was very important today for us to have a clean race."
Winning trainer O'Brien said: "Close finish, never an easy watch but lovely ride from Christophe.
"Progressive and exciting filly. Really happy to win a Group 1 for Prince Faisal and his family. Very special weekend and it doesn't get any better than that. She's very tough. We were going up in distance today - it's a good start to a big day.
"We were hopeful that she would enjoy the extra distance."
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