Mid Dancer recorded an historic third win in the Gras Savoye Grand Steeple-Chase De Paris at Auteuil on Sunday.

The three mile five furlong Grade One chase is the most prestigious jumps race in France and was first run in 1874; Mid Dancer is now just the third horse to have won the race on three occasions.

Christophe Aubert's 11 year old had landed his second title when beating Rubi Ball 12 months ago, following on from his 2007 victory for trainer Arnaud Chaille-Chaille.

Partnered once again by Sylvain Dehez, the pair looked in trouble as they struggled to go past the five year younger Shannon Rock.

However, Dehez switched the veteran to the centre of the track and conjured one last run out of the Midyan gelding to lift the nation's richest race one more time.

Shannon Rock finished a clear second, 20 lengths ahead of Chokydal who was followed fairly closely by Cokydal, Grand Charly and Pistolet Rouge with the remainder coming home at long intervals.

Mid Dancer, who has twice run in England, has now won 25 of his 41 races and over £3,000,000 in prize money.

Willie Mullins, successful earlier on the card with Thousand Stars, saddled three runners in the Grade Three Gras Savoye Pasteurdon Prix De Longchamp.

However, none of Darroun, Gorgeous Sixty or Loch Ard could trouble the judge as favourite Esmondo took the spoils for Guillaume Macaire with Chegei Has and Defi D'Anjou filling the places.

The day's other Grade One contest, the Gras Savoye Patrimoine Prix Ferdinand Dufaure went the way of Alain de Chitray's Teejay Flying with odds-on favourite Saint Palois a three length second.

James Reveley failed to complete aboard outsider Usockem.