Bluestocking rewarded her trainer Ralph Beckett for supplementing her this week by winning Europe's most prestigious race the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday.

The English runner ridden by Irishman Rossa Ryan came home clear of French filly Aventure with Irish runner Los Angeles third.

For Arc de Triomphe connoisseurs the winning colours are very familiar as it is a record seventh time they have been welcomed back to the winners enclosure.

Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah may have died but his family have kept the flame burning.

For 53-year-old Beckett, though, it is a first Arc.

"She's extraordinary, good horses train themselves," said Beckett, whose cousin Teddy is the former racing manager to the Abdullah's Juddmonte racing operation.

For Ryan too it is the first taste of what it is like to win an Arc.

"It's very surreal to be honest with you – my family are here too," Ryan, riding in only his second Arc.

Japan's hopes of winning the race they desire above all others ended in further disappointment as hotly fancied Shin Emperor finished unplaced.

There was an unpleasant incident in the middle of the race as outsider Haya Zark suddenly fell back through the 16 runner field and pulled up after seriously hampering Mqse De Sevigne. (AFP)