Much though he would like to dismiss the memory, Aidan O'Brien endured a day that will torment him for many months. It was meant to showcase his three biggest horses in a season of unremitting excellence, yet none returned to Ballydoyle with the spoils.

Collectively, Duke Of Marmalade, Halfway To Heaven and Henrythenavigator have won 11 of O'Brien's 18-race group one haul. And while the first-named's reputation was unstained by his withdrawal at Leopardstown, both Halfway To Heaven and Henrythenavigator bit the proverbial dust - although none of that was present in going saturated by incessant recent rain.

Henrythenavigator's eclipse here in the Prix du Moulin was heart-wrenching in the extreme. The bonny colt, a revelation on fast ground earlier in the campaign, simply could not pick his feet out of sticky ground and toiled home in fifth place. It was a travesty to see him stripped of his trademark acceleration.

Johnny Murtagh set Henrythenavigator a stiff task as he trailed throughout behind solid fractions cut by a trio of pacemakers. Indeed, the jockey had only one behind him as the 11-strong field levelled for home - by which time Murtagh's usually static silhouette was anything but.

There was never much chance that Henrythenavigator would reel in Goldikova, who struck early for home and resisted yet another brave assault from Darjina - for whom conditions were also unfavourable. Paco Boy, sent over with quiet confidence by Richard Hannon, finished a good third after being short of room up the home straight.

O'Brien was visibly disappointed with Henrythenavigator's effort even though it was a close-run thing to start the horse. “Johnny [Murtagh] said he laboured a bit on the ground,” the trainer said. “He doesn't like it to be coming away from under his feet [because] speed is his thing. He was never able to get into top gear.”

As for Goldikova, she notched another notable landmark in a banner season for Freddie Head, her trainer. Yet the poignant, post-race observation was that this admirable filly has twice been twice humbled by Zarkava in as many encounters. Zarkava's reappearance in the Prix Vermeille here next weekend is a tantalising prospect.

Goldikova herself will reappear at the Breeders' Cup next month, with Ladbrokes quoting her at 5-1 - together with her stablemate, Tamayuz - for the Mile. The latter runs first in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, where Henrythenavigator will be waiting - ground permitting, of course.

In the meantime, Ladbrokes withdrew Henrythenavigator from their Breeders' Cup Classic market and installed him as 4-1 favourite for the Mile. Simultaneously, they introduced Duke Of Marmalade as 3-1 favourite for the Classic.

Quite how Ballydoyle spreads its talent through the leading autumn races will intrigue the racing public. In withdrawing Duke Of Marmalade yesterday, O'Brien stated that the four-year-old would not be asked to run on easy ground.

“The Duke has had a hard season,” he said. “We don't want to subject him to soft ground now.” That could well rule out the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, which Soldier Of Fortune will contest without another race. In the circumstances, Duke Of Marmalade and Henrythenavigator may not run again until the Breeders' Cup - in which case it would make sense for the former to contest the Classic, leaving the Mile to Henrythenavigator.

O'Brien expects to field a strong team for the Ladbrokes St Leger on Saturday, headed by Frozen Fire, the Irish Derby winner. That leaves precious little ammunition for Arc trials day here next Sunday. Yeats, meanwhile, is unlikely to run in the Doncaster Cup on Friday. He joins Septimus among the cast for the Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran. Septimus is more likely to tackle the Irish classic, ushering Yeats towards the Cadran.

A charming footnote yesterday was the victory of Richard Hughes aboard the Hannon-trained Soul City in a group three prize over seven furlongs. Having seen Harvey, his first-born son, christened at 11am, Hughes dashed for his plane to Paris and was duly rewarded.