Danedream lowered the colours of some more illustrious names in winning the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. Trained by Peter Schiergen in Germany, the three year old filly was only supplemented for the big race on Thursday having pleased connections in her work. The winner of the Italian Oaks earlier in the season had since picked up two Group Ones in Germany but was winning here on the biggest stage in Europe.
Always well placed from a low draw in two, she quickened clear in the straight under Andrasch Starke to record an impressive success in a course record time. Shareta, in the field as a pacemaker for favourite Sarafia, stayed on to take second with Ed Dunlop's Snow Fairy running a gallant race in fourth.
So You Think and Sarafina were just outside the places, running big races from their high draws whilst French Derby winner Reliable Man never looked comfortable on the ground.
Schiergen said: "This is my best moment in racing. I don't believe it - she was such an easy winner.
"It's fantastic and she is the best horse I have trained. It's a great moment.
"She is a small filly with a big, big heart and there's no better race to win.
"I have trained some Group winners, but she is the greatest filly I have ever trained.
"She won her last two races very easily, but I didn't think she would be such an easy winner.
"This is a really big day for German racing."
Starke said: "It was a dream for me just to ride today in this race. "I knew the filly could put up a great performance but there was a lot of competition in the race and good horses.
"In the last two furlongs she just gave me a great feeling and I was just dreaming.
"I don't know what has happened. It's a dream come true."
Dettori said of Snow Fairy: "She ran a super race. A furlong and a half out I thought we had a big chance but when the winner kicked that was that."
Dunlop said: "I'm very proud to be third in an Arc, it was a great run and she was the leading older horse in the race. It was probably the race of her life.
"We ran with a view to coming from off the pace and I was delighted with her effort.
"That was only her fourth run, so hopefully she'll go back to Japan for the race she won last year or maybe even the Japan Cup or Hong Kong. She stays in training next year.
"It's great for the German filly, she was exceptional today."
O'Brien said of So You Think: "I thought he ran very well. He was coming home very well and it was the first time he'd run over that trip for us.
"He's a big cruiser and I think he would handle the dirt (Breeders' Cup) no problem, but the boys will have to discuss it before we decide what to do next."
So You Think's jockey Seamie Heffernan said: "He had a very wide draw, so you had to make an early decision, and I wanted to make sure there was something left at the finish. I thought it was a good run."