All eyes were on Frankie Dettori as he bid to land the Qatar Prix de la Foret onboard Kinross in what was likely his final ride at ParisLongchamp.
Dettori would surely have been banking on last year's Qatar Prix de la Foret winner Kinross to send him home with a Group 1 prize on his final visit to Longchamp, but it wasn't to be as the 5/6 favourite found Kelina [22/1] too strong in the closing stages.
Kinross looked in trouble some distance out with Dettori already forced to exercise his arms as Ralph Beckett's seven-furlong specialist made heavy weather of picking up on this quicker ground towards the far side of the track. However, he began to pick up with two furlongs to run and success once again hung in the balance.
Maxime Guyon and Kelina travelled strongly behind the front-running Pogo and hit the front with seemingly plenty more to offer. It looked as though victory was in the bag for France at this stage but all of a sudden Guyon's mount hung right-handed under pressure, forcing Dettori to switch Kinross outside in what looked a crucial part of the contest.
Kinross kept on once again in the closing stages but failed to pick up the eventual winner with the Middleham Park-owned Shouldvebeenaring back in third.
Journalists around the track attempted to speak to Dettori as he dashed back into the weighing room ahead of a steward's enquiry.
A good while passed but the tannoy soon sounded and the places remained unaltered.
Speaking after the Arc, Dettori said: "I had no pressure today, I didn't feel it.
"I got a lovely slot behind Westover; I knew he would take me there. When he got to the straight, they quickened a little bit and left me there, but I really enjoyed it. The Arc has been a great race for me, it has been a good journey, but I'm bowing out with a smile on my face."
He added: "This morning I was sad, but now that I have got going a bit, I can feel the adrenaline kicking in and the competition. I will miss it, for sure.
"It's all been great, six Arc wins, what can you say? I've ridden some great champions and riding in it 34 times is a record in itself."
