Dermot Weld's decision to skip the Melbourne Cup and run his Irish St Leger hero Vinnie Roe in the Prix Royal Oak, the French equivalent, at Longchamp this afternoon paid handsome dividends.
Under a confident ride by Pat Smullen the Irish raider powered through the mud to take the extended one mile seven furlong Group One by two-and-a-half lengths from Generic, with Germinis a neck back in third.
Earlier Repertory belied his eight years of age to land back to back wins in the Group Three Prix du Petit Couvert.
Malcolm Saunders` veteran, who was returned at 2.7-1 on the French Tote, made virtually all in the five furlong sprint to beat Dancing Mystery by two and a half lengths.
It was Ulster jockey Fergus Sweeney`s his first-ever Group winner.
PA