Roderic O'Connor claims Criterium International

Roderic O’Connor survived an alarming drift to his right to claim the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.

In doing so Aidan O’Brien’s juvenile paid a huge compliment to his Dewhurst conqueror, the Henry Cecil-trained Frankel, who dispatched him fairly readily at Newmarket.

Johnny Murtagh always had the Galileo colt in a handy position and he was just behind the leaders as the field turned into the straight.

He kicked a couple of lengths clear and appeared to have put the race to bed pretty easily, but the juvenile then drifted from the centre of the track to the near side rail, giving Salto an opening.

As soon as Murtagh straightened him out, however, Roderic O’Connor went away again, winning by around a length.

Barry Hills’ Rerouted ran well in fourth but Pisco Sour and Abjer were well beaten.

Paddy Power cut Roderic O’Connor to 10-1 from 12s for both the 2000 Guineas and Derby. Frankel was left unchanged at even-money for the Guineas and 3-1 for the Derby.