Mont Ormel floored some big names to run out a surprise winner of the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud.
Pia Brandt's unheralded colt stepped up markedly on the form he had shown to date to take Group One honours at the main expense of the Ed Dunlop-trained Red Verdon.
Ryan Moore had set out to make all on Aidan O'Brien's Beacon Rock, looking intent to make it a test, but was swallowed up around the two-furlong pole.
Favourite Mekhtaal had kept close tabs on the leader but the writing was on the wall soon after the runners turned for home.
Red Verdon, sixth in the Investec Derby and fourth in the Irish equivalent, was held up through the early stages and looked like he would swamp everything when coming with his run under Vincent Cheminaud.
But in the end he could not quite get to the Cristian Demuro-ridden winner, while Andre Fabre's Cloth Of Stars was third.
