Gstaad beaten as Aga Khan's Erdenali lands Prix du Moulin for Francis Graffard and Mickael Barzalona

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Francis Graffard secured his eighth Group 1 of the year and recorded back-to-back victories in the Prix du Moulin in sensational fashion when Erdenali broke the Longchamp course record to stretch clear of a high-class field under Mickael Barzalona.

The Aga Khan Studs' homebred three-year-old denied Ten Bob Tony by a length and a quarter, with the odds-on favourite Gstaad in third ahead of familiar rival Opera Ballo. Erdenali was sent off at 15-2 but was not winning out of turn, with his only defeat coming when an unlucky third in the Group 3 Prix Messidor last time.

"He was shut in the whole way up the straight last time and it was a complete non-event," said Graffard, successful last year with Sahlan. "We kept faith in the horse, stuck with the programme and he’s shown we weren’t too far wrong.

"He’s quite cold in the mornings and some days he works better than others, but he’s always very impressive in his races, and he’s broken the track record there. Quite a few horses like him save their best for the afternoons, and it’s great when it works out like that."

Erdenali, who emulated his granddam Ervedya by winning this Group 1 contest, was cut to a general 5-2 favourite (from around 5-1) for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, but is unlikely to line up there, with the stable set to be represented by Rayif.

"We're planning for him to go to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes," said Graffard. "Really, what I want to do is take him to the Breeders' Cup Mile, so we'll work out the best way to get there."

Reflecting on the gelding's success, Nemone Routh, racing manager to the Aga Khan Studs, said: "He should have won that Group 3 very easily last time, but he had a nightmare trip – he should be unbeaten. We needed to find out if he was a Group 1 horse, and he's done it quite convincingly."

Ten Bob Tony arrived a little under the radar but kept on well to finish best of the British and Irish contenders, and trainer Ed Walker said: "I'm a bit gutted because I thought we had it. I could see we had Gstaad and Opera Ballo beaten, and I probably didn't give the Graffard horse enough respect.

"The winner looked really good and we'll try to avoid him. Ten Bob Tony loves this track, but I'm not sure whether he'll come back for the Prix de la Foret. The plan was always to target the QEII and we'll decide whether we do that and the Breeders' Cup. We'll do what's right by him."

Ten Bob Tony was making his seventh start of the season, which included victory in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.

"He was quiet last year due to the ground and we had to be a bit more bold, with him being five," added Walker. "He's had an amazing season and we're proud of him."

Gstaad appeared to get a little outpaced as the front two pulled clear, but he stayed on powerfully to finish three lengths behind the runner-up, with Godolphin's Opera Ballo a further length and three-quarters back in fourth.

"Gstaad came home well and was coming back again at the line," said trainer Aidan O'Brien. "He looks like he'll potentially stay further, and we're pleased with him."

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