Second Empire's soaring reputation was enhanced at Longchamp yesterday when Michael Kinane partnered the Newmarket 2,000 Guineas favourite to a decisive one and a half-length victory over Charge D'Affaires in the one mile Grand Criterium.

The unbeaten juvenile, who runs in the colours of Michael Tabor, eased dramatically in the betting from 1 to 10 to 4 to 5 for the Group One race but quickly took over once Kinane asked him for his effort in the home straight.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: "Second Empire didn't like the very soft ground but you can't stop class." Third place went to David Morley's Alboostan, with the Barry Hills-trained Carrowkeel in fourth.

Bookmakers William Hill reacted quickly by reducing Second Empire's 2,000 Guineas price to 4 to 1 from 5 to 1, while they also trimmed his Derby odds to 8 to 1 from 12 to 1.

Earlier in the afternoon it had looked as though the £112,000 race might not take place at all after industrial action by stable lads based at Chantilly and Maisons Laffitte.

Their protest surrounded a new ruling which was thought to give trainers the right to sack stable lads who weighed over 10 st 3lb.

Just two of the eight races scheduled took place with the Grand Criterium starting almost two and a half hours after its scheduled off time.

In Germany, John Hills's Crimson Tide (61-10) (Michael Hills) raced to an easy six lengths win in the Group Two Grosser Preis von Dussledorf over an extended mile.