The great Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe showdown didn't materialise, but that was hardly the fault of Sinndar, who galloped into racing history at Longchamp yesterday with the swagger of one of the true greats.

In this case the statistics don't lie, and the fact that the Irish-trained winner completed the unprecedented treble of the Epsom Derby, the Irish Derby and the Arc speaks volumes for his talent.

It also shouts the ability of his trainer John Oxx and jockey John Murtagh, who have exhibited maximum belief in their champion this season, to the four corners of international racing. Asked when he thought Sinndar had the Arc won, Murtagh quipped: "After the Prix Niel!"

It echoed Lester Piggott's famous quote a year after Sir Ivor won the 1968 Washington International, and Sinndar can now comfortably keep company among such legends of the game - except that Sir Ivor could only finish second in the Arc!

Murtagh, who enjoyed the sort of day that jockeys usually dream about but dismiss as wishful thinking, was entitled to the boast. The 30-year-old from Dunderry in Co Meath has had to endure some well-chronicled personal problems in his life, but Sinndar has been the crowning glory of a memorable season.

"Winning the Derby was a brilliant experience and I don't like comparing but this is just an unbelievable feeling," said Murtagh, who also won the Prix de l'Abbaye on the Oxx-trained Namid and the Prix de l'Opera on Petrushka.

His mood couldn't have contrasted greater, however, than with Murtagh's fellow Irishman, Mick Kinane, who had to endure finishing only fourth on the race favourite and the 1999 Arc holder Montjeu. "He slipped slightly as he left the stalls and I was left in no man's land," reported Kinane, before Montjeu's trainer John Hammond gave an admirably no frills assessment to the throng around him.

"I think we all know that Montjeu is considerably better than he showed today, but he's had a great career and nobody can expect him to go on forever," he said. "Yes I'm disappointed. He slipped leaving the stalls and he couldn't get the position he wanted but he just didn't fire on the day."

Hammond added: "He's been on the boil for two years, which is hard for any horse. It takes it out of them but we will see if he runs again before going to stud. He might do but I would imagine the Champion Stakes is very doubtful."

Instead of Montjeu it was the French Oaks winner, Egyptband, who threw down the ultimate challenge, but there was an inevitability about Sinndar's progress through the race that precluded any argument about his superiority. The only slight moment of anxiety came at the start when Sinndar's pacemaker, Raypuor, missed the break and took his time about getting ahead of his stable companion.

For a second it looked like Raypour's £38,000-plus supplementary fee was a very expensive mistake, but soon his rider, Niall McCullagh, and Murtagh had things under control. Raypour led Sinndar to the straight, Sinndar took over, Montjeu flattered for a moment and the race was over. It was almost as simple as Oxx was calm.

"I was actually pretty calm when they came into the straight. This horse has just kept improving all through the year and I knew he would be very strong in the final furlong. When the filly came at him I was still pretty relaxed as this horse was actually in front a little too long and I knew he would find more," said Oxx.

It's that resolve that the Aga Khan pointed to afterwards when he declared: "This horse is as good as any I've seen. I think he's exceptional. He's won the two Derbys and the Arc and no horse has done that.

"I was concerned the ground would be deep here, but when it wasn't, I felt confident he would run a genuine race. Montjeu was a superb winner last year but it was in special conditions. The ground was very very heavy and it was not like that today."

Sinndar's triumph had been heralded by a possibly even easier victory for Namid in the Prix de l'Abbaye. No Irish horse had won the five-furlong race in 13 years but Namid travelled like a winner throughout and finally realised the potential that has been hampered throughout his career by injury.

"He would have won a Group One before this except for all his problems," said Oxx. "He chipped a bone in his knee and had to have surgery after winning the Greenlands Stakes and it was touch and go about him coming back. It's a credit to his own determination that he's come back."

But come back Namid has and better than ever too, apparently, after he swamped the gallant twoyear-old Superstar Leo outside the distance. "He's pretty valuable now. We may even get an offer for him" joked Oxx.