Former Equus Champion Rock Opera made headlines at Chantilly on Sunday when her 2yo son Royal Meeting landed the G1 Criterium International for Godolphin.

One of two G1 winners over the weekend for Irish National Stud sire Invincible Spirit, Royal Meeting took the big step up to the top level in his stride with a game display to strike for Godolphin in the hands of Christophe Soumillon.

Frankie Dettori was keen to take Kessaar to the front but John Gosden’s Mill Reef winner had nothing left at the business end.

Hermosa made a bold bid under Ryan Moore but the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly could not hold off Royal Meeting, who followed up his stablemate Royal Marine’s success in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere to get the verdict by three-quarters of a length.

Now unbeaten in two starts,Royal Meeting earned a quote of 25-1 for the Qipco 2000 Guineas with Paddy Power.

He is a half-brother to durable eight-year-old Heavy Metal, whose 15 wins include the 2012 G2 Richmond Stakes and this year’s G2 Godolphin Mile.

His dam, by Lecture, was never beaten in South Africa, and won all four of her races at two, culminating in a two length win in the 2005 G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship.

Rock Opera, also a full-sister to exported G2 The Nursery winner Hit Song, is an own sister to G1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship third Rock Concert, whose son Van Halen (by Oratorio) won last season’s G1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion.

The Parkers’ Ascot Stud is also home to the regally bred Miss Respect –the granddam of once beaten, 2018 G1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes runner up Jash (Kodiac), a leading contender for major races in 2019.