Christophe Ferland

Officials at Arqana have announced the addition of two wild-card entries to the first part of the auction house's Vente d'Elevage Saturday, Dec. 3. The two-year-old filly Next Episode (GB) (Kingman {GB}) will be offered by Ecurie des Monceaux as lot 200. Trained by Christophe Ferland, the bay filly was a debut winner in a six-furlong test on turf at Marseille-Borely Oct. 9 and followed up with a conditions score over the Deauville all-weather track Nov. 6. A daughter of the stakes-placed Nyarhini (GB) (Fantastic Light), Next Episode is a...

"Come to Vichy," they said. "We'll stop in Deauville on the way, it'll be fun." So began a 60-hour pilgrimage to one of the five days of racing that comprise the biggest week of the year at the Hippodrome Vichy Bellerive, a charming course with delicate touches of Art Nouveau glamour set on the banks of the Allier river.  TDN readers of a National Hunt persuasion (there may be some!) might have felt their interest piqued at the mention of the Allier region, deep in central France and famed for...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a Wertheimer blueblood. 12.50 Bordeaux-le-Bouscat, Debutantes, €18,000, 2yo, c/g, 9 1/2fT PROMENEUR (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the latest progeny out of the Wertheimers' G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Balladeuse (Fr) (Singspiel {Ire}) to race for the operation, with the Christophe Ferland-trained chestnut being a full-brother to...

Three-for-three at La Teste de Buch culminating in the six-furlong Listed Criterium du Bequet July 25, the Wertheimers' Accakaba (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) rose to the occasion once again on Saturday to emerge best in Deauville's G2 Prix du Calvados. Left adrift initially on this first start over seven, the Christophe Ferland-trained bay followed her compatriot Fleur d'Iris (GB) (Shamardal) up the middle of the track away from the other trio led by the British raiders Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and Fast Attack (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Cajoled into contention by...

3rd-Deauville, €27,000, Mdn, 7-13, 2yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 1:39.06, hy. TIMES SQUARE (FR) (f, 2, Zarak {Fr}--See You Always {GB}, by Siyouni {Fr}) was steadied to settled off the pace in fifth after the initial strides of this debut. Making headway in the straight, the 5-1 chance was shaken up to go second approaching the final furlong and kept on well once hitting the front with 150 metres remaining to deny the pacesetting Lacuna (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) by an ultimately comfortable 1 1/4 lengths, becoming the first winner for her...

Entering Sunday's G3 Prix la Grotte at ParisLongchamp a live outsider, Ecurie Waldeck's Cirona (GB) (Maxios {GB}) proved more than just that when edging a five-way thriller. Runner-up in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs at Deauville in October and in the Listed Criterium du Languedoc at Toulouse the following month, the wide-drawn 18-1 shot was soon in front under Maxime Guyon and looked set to be swamped in the final furlong as a flurry of attacks were launched to her left. Digging in when headed, she was game against the...

During the nine-year stretch from 2006-2014, no fewer than five European-bred and -raced gallopers were successful in the BMW Hong Kong Derby: Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}, 2006); Helene Mascot (Ire) (Peintre Celebre, 2008); Collection (Ire) (Peintre Celebre, 2009); Akeed Mofeed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}, 2013); and Designs On Rome (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), 2014). Sunday's 2000-metre feature at Sha Tin includes five horses--four European-bred, one US-bred--that were imported with this very race in mind. Here is a brief recap of how they have gotten to this point. For handicapping...

All eyes were on the Wesley Ward raider Wink (Midshipman) in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at ParisLongchamp, but it was the Wertheimers' Kalahara (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who ended up on top at the end of the five-furlong test. Racing in rear early under Maxime Guyon as Stonestreet Stables' unbeaten Aug. 2 Colleen S. winner predictably made the running, the homebred was wound up to reel her in passing the furlong pole. Despite hanging down to her left, the 6-1 shot asserted for a length verdict over the visitor and 4-5...

Serving notice that he was above average when winning the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux in October, the Wertheimers' Pao Alto (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) boosted his stock when powering to an authoritative success in Thursday's G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp. Settled fourth early by Maxime Guyon, the 12-5 favourite rushed to the front passing the two-furlong pole en route to a comfortable 1 1/2-length success from TDN Rising Star Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah), with Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) three lengths away in third. "He was ready for this--he had...

Christophe Ferland, who is based at La Teste de Buch near Bordeaux in the South-West of France, was one of a clutch of trainers to hit the ground running before the pandemic-enforced halt to proceedings in March. His 17 victories and 33 places from just 74 runners during the prologue is an impressive strike rate and good enough, as things stand, for fifth position in the French trainers' championship. "It was an excellent start to the year; we had 17 winners and 33 horses placed, which is a great [strike]...