A formidable Irish and British challenge was unable to stop Freddy Head's We Are clinching victory in the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp.
Dermot Weld's Tarfasha headed the market following her victory in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh last month and all appeared to be going according to script when she moved smoothly towards the front end under Pat Smullen.
However, firstly the James Fanshawe-trained Ribbons and Frankie Dettori ran to the lead before We Are came home strongly in the hands of Thierry Jarnet to snatch Group One glory.
Roger Varian's Hadaatha finished well on the outside of the field to snatch third, relegating Tarfasha to fourth.
Head will feel his filly deserved a victory at the top level, having been disqualified when winning the Group One Prix Saint-Alary at the track in late May.
The three-year-old was thrown out due to a positive test for abnormal levels of testosterone, which was later discovered to have been caused by an ovarian tumour.
After an operation in Newmarket to have the tumour removed, We Are was off the track for four months and although she was unable to make an impact on her return, she showed her true colours when it mattered.
Ribbons ran a fine race in second, proving her Group One victory in August's Prix Jean Romanet was no fluke.
Varian's Hadaatha, last seen winning a Listed race at Yarmouth, showed she belongs at the top level with her excellent effort in third.
Head said: "She has recovered from an operation and it was a bit disappointing that she didn't run to form last time and in fact she is unlucky not to be unbeaten in her career. Obviously it is great to win a Group One.
"She will stay in training next year and win other races, maybe she will be as good as Moonlight Cloud (also owned by George Strawbridge)."
